Tag: United States Golf Association

USGA accepts third-most entries ever for 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2

The youngest entrant this year is 12-year-old Beck Patrick, while the oldest is 74-year-old Keith Crimp.

For the third time in history, the United States Golf Association has accepted more than 10,000 entries for the U.S. Open.

Golf’s governing body in the States announced Thursday that 10,052 entries have been accepted for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, June 13-16. All 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and 70 countries will be represented in qualifying for this year’s championship.

The record for entries was set last year when 10,187 were accepted for the championship at Los Angeles Country Club. The second-most entries were accepted in 2014 (10,127), the last time the U.S Open was held at Pinehurst No. 2.

“The U.S. Open’s two-stage qualifying process is unique among major championships in that it provides thousands of professional and amateur golfers worldwide an opportunity to earn a place in the 156-player field,” said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer. “The USGA is excited to once again showcase Pinehurst Resort and Country Club’s Course No. 2 while welcoming fans to what has become the home of American golf.”

Local qualifying will take place April 22-May 20 and feature 18 holes of play at 109 sites across 44 states and Canada. Players who advance will join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes at 10 U.S. and three international sites on May 20 and June 3 (location depending). Eligible players must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4 or be a professional.

The youngest entrant this year is 12-year-old Beck Patrick from Houston. Keith Crimp, a 74-year-old amateur from Ellensburg, Washington, is the oldest entrant.

There are currently 52 golfers who are already fully exempt into the 2024 U.S. Open, including past champions Wyndham Clark (2023), Matt Fitzpatrick (2022), Jon Rahm (2021), Bryson DeChambeau (2020), Gary Woodland (2019), Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018), Dustin Johnson (2016), Jordan Spieth (2015) Martin Kaymer (2014), Rory McIlroy (2011), and Lucas Glover (2009).

American golf’s stars of tomorrow highlight USGA’s first-ever U.S. National Junior Team

Meet the first group of players to represent the newly formed U.S. National Development Program.

Meet the future stars of American golf.

On Tuesday the United States Golf Association announced the inaugural U.S. National Junior Team, comprised of 10 girls and eight boys. The USGA plans to grow the National Junior Team to 30 boys and 30 girls over the next three years and will announce two additional teams as part of the U.S. National Development Program, which was launched last year. The Amateur Team will be announced in 2025 with the Young Professional Team to follow in 2026.

The goal of the U.S. National Development Program is to “ensure that American golf is the global leader in the game by focusing on six key pillars: talent identification, access to competition, national teams, athlete resources, player development and relations and athlete financial support.”

“We are thrilled to introduce the first U.S. National Junior Team, a group of 18 exceptionally talented young athletes who represent the bright future of American golf,” said Chris Zambri, head coach of the U.S. National Development Program. “Nearly every other golf country in the world has long enjoyed the benefits of a developmental program and national teams, and the announcement of this team is a major milestone in the USGA’s commitment to the growth of our American athletes and ensuring we remain the global leader in the junior, amateur and professional game.”

U.S. National Junior Team Roster

Boys

  • Blades Brown, 16, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Phillip Dunham, 16, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
  • Henry Guan, 15, Irving, Texas
  • Will Hartman, 17, Marvin, North Carolina
  • Tyler Mawhinney, 16, Fleming Island, Florida
  • Michael Riebe, 17, Encinitas, California
  • Miles Russell, 15, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
  • Tyler Watts, 16, Huntsville, Alabama

Girls

  • Shyla Brown, 15, McKinney, Texas
  • Gianna Clemente, 16, Estero, Florida
  • Mia Hammond, 16, New Albany, Ohio
  • Ryleigh Knaub, 17, DeBary, Florida
  • Chloe Kovelesky, 17, Boca Raton, Florida
  • Nikki Oh, 16, Torrance, California
  • Emerie Schartz, 16, Wichita, Kansas
  • Scarlett Schremmer, 17, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Asterisk Talley, 15, Chowchilla, California
  • Angela Zhang, 14, Bellevue, Washington

The team is reevaluated annually by a selection committee of U.S. National Development Program staff members, and selections are made in accordance with eligibility criteria and based on a variety of competitive factors including scoring, results, statistics, rankings, sportsmanship and scouting.

All 18 players will participate at bi-annual camps and compete internationally under the U.S. flag throughout the 2024 season. The team’s first training camp will be held May 8-11 at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia, and the first international friendly match will take place this summer against Australia.

Back in January, the USGA announced the creation of a state team pilot program to expand the pipeline for elite junior golfers into the U.S. National Development Program. Seven states are currently active, and the USGA has a goal to have all 50 states participate by 2033.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

USGA announces cut, new exemption categories for 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open

The U.S. Adaptive Open will feature more changes than just a new course in 2024.

Now in its third year, the United States Golf Association’s 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open will feature some key changes compared to the first two editions.

This year’s championship, scheduled for July 8-10 at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, includes three new exemption categories as well as a cut for the first time.

The Adaptive Open is for male and female professional and amateur golfers who hold a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less, as well as an eligible impairment confirmed by a World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) Pass. Multiple sets of tees are used for the championship, which is contested over 54 holes of stroke play.

After the first two rounds, a cut will be administered with the low score (top 20 for men, top 10 for women), plus low two and ties from each impairment category advancing to the final round.

The first two Adaptive Open fields, held at Pinehurst No. 6 in North Carolina, were largely determined by Handicap Index. This year, qualifiers will be held at six sites across the country from April 15-May 31. The low overall female and male scorers from each qualifying site will earn spots in the championship, with ties resolved via a playoff. The remaining qualifying spots will be determined by Impairment Category and gender across all six qualifying sites using an adjusted Score Differential.

Effective this year, the USGA will employ the following three new exemption categories:

  • Overall male champion and overall female champion from the 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO (Chris Willis and Natasha Stasiuk)
  • Overall male champion and overall female champion from The 2024 G4D Open (to be contested May 15-17)
  • From the current WR4GD Gross Ranking – the top 10 men’s point leaders and ties, and the top five females and ties, as of April 3 (one week before entries close)

Online entry applications are now open and will close Wednesday, April 10, at 5 p.m. ET.

2024 U.S. Adaptive Open qualifying sites

Tuesday, April 16

Cedar Crest Golf Course, Dallas, Texas

Wednesday, Apr. 17

Bobby Jones Golf Course (Magnolia Route), Atlanta, Georgia

Wednesday, Apr. 24

Haworth Country Club, Haworth, New Jersey

Monday, Apr. 29

Goose Creek Golf Club, Jurupa Valley, California

Tuesday, May 7

Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club, Sarasota, Florida

Broadmoor Country Club, Indianapolis, Indiana

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1375]

Here’s how to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club, where crowds will be out in force

Check out the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open qualifying sites below.

The USGA has announced qualifying sites for the 79th U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club. The championship will be held May 30-June 2. In Gee Chun won the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open in front of a record 135,000 spectators over the course of the week.

The 36-hole qualifiers will be held April 15-May 20 at 23 sites across the U.S. in addition to Canada, Japan and Germany. Online entry applications open Feb. 14 and continue through April 3 at 5 p.m. EDT.

Earlier this month, the USGA announced a new presenting sponsor for the championship in Ally, a financial services company with a strong connection to women’s sports. The purse for the 2024 USWO will be a record $12 million,

In Gee Chun, the winner of the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Penn. on Sunday, July 12, 2015. (Copyright USGA/Hunter Martin)

Birdie Kim was the last player to win a U.S. Women’s Open after advancing through qualifying. Eighteen players who advanced through qualifying made the cut last year at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

Check out the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open qualifying sites below.

Want to play the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst? Check out the USGA’s local and final qualifying sites

There are 14 local qualifying sites in California, the most of any state. Florida is second with 13 local qualifiers.

On Monday the United States Golf Association announced the local and final qualifying sites for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, June 13-16, 2024.

Online player registration begins on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at champs.usga.org and will continue through Wednesday, April 13. Players must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4, or be a professional.

There will be 109 local qualifying sites across the United States and Canada, April 22-May 20. For the 45th consecutive year, Illini Country Club in Springfield, Illinois, will hold a U.S. Open qualifier. Riverton (Wyoming) Country Club and Ironwood Country Club in Palm Desert, California, will host local qualifying for the 26th and 23rd years, respectively. There are 14 local qualifying sites in California, the most of any state. Florida is second with 13 local qualifiers.

Players who advance from 18-hole local qualifiers will join a group of exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes. International final stages will be held in England and Japan (May 20) and Canada (June 3). Nine final qualifiers in the U.S. will end on June 3, with one set for May 20. One local qualifying site in Texas and Massachusetts will be added at a later date.

The USGA accepted a record 10,187 entries for the 2023 championship at Los Angeles Country Club. The previous mark of 10,127 entries was established for the 2014 championship held at Pinehurst No. 2. The famed course in the Carolina sandhills, now an anchor site for the USGA, is hosting for a fourth time this year and will also host in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.

Check out the dates and locations for all 2024 U.S. Open local and final qualifying sites below.

Rory McIlroy explains why he doesn’t understand the ‘anger about the golf ball roll back’

“It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability.”

Rory McIlroy is taking some time off after a busy 2023, but a brief break from competition doesn’t mean the world No. 2 is completely checked out from the game.

On Sunday morning McIlroy took to social media to voice his opinion about the recent report that the USGA and R&A plan to announce a universal golf ball rollback next week.

“I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability,” McIlroy wrote. “It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past 2 decades.”

The four-time major champion stood up for the two governing bodies and told fans their anger should be directed at elite professionals as well as the equipment manufacturers “because they didn’t want bifurcation.”

“The governing bodies presented us with that option earlier this year. Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines, when in reality, the game is already bifurcated,” he argued. “You think we play the same stuff you do? They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but yet again in this game, money talks.”

McIlroy has been on the frontlines for the PGA Tour in its battle against LIV Golf for the better half of the last two years and has been an active voice in the game for most of his career. The 34-year-old recently resigned from his position as a player director on the Tour’s Policy Board.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

Player feedback helps USGA improve 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open after positive debut

“We never felt like we were working. It’s really exciting to be here and be a part of this and still is.”

[anyclip pubname=”2122″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8171″]

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. — The United States Golf Association unveiled its 15th championship last summer here in the Sandhills of North Carolina, and after an overwhelmingly positive reaction, the U.S. Adaptive Open is back with very few tweaks to its inaugural set up.

“The reaction was so positive. It was just so much fun for all of us,” said championship director Stephanie Parel. “We never felt like we were working. It’s really exciting to be here and be a part of this and still is.”

It’s rare for the USGA to hold a championship in the same location two years in a row, but it’s been a luxury for golf’s governing body in the states to host the Adaptive at Pinehurst No. 6 once again. The championship will take the next step as it heads off to Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, July 8-10, 2024, but for two more rounds its proud to call the Cradle of American Golf home.

“The resort staff here and their volunteers are exceptional. They made it very easy for us,” said Parel. “We really like this golf course for this championship, it has special features that align well with this championship.”

With its tee-to-green catch players and easily accessible bunkers, Pinehurst No. 6 is a perfect course to host the championship, and few changes were needed for 2023.

2023 U.S. Adaptive Open
Kellie Valentine plays a shot on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 6) in Village of Pinehurst, N.C. on Monday, July 10, 2023. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)

“We didn’t change a whole lot about the course setup in terms of like grass heights and things like that. We did add another set of tees so that we have now three for men and three for women,” said Parel. “That allows us to set it up for the same for both genders and all impairment categories.”

For example, players in the arm impairment category who are playing with just one arm will tee it up from the middle tees, while players with two hands or a hand and attachment on the club will play form the back tees. The front tees will only be used by seated players.

Thanks to feedback from players, the USGA is also using yellow flagsticks and caddie bibs for visually impaired players this year.

“We want the players to know we really embrace this demographic of the player and we want to do everything we can for them and give them the national championship they deserve,” explained Parel. “We really feel lucky to be providing that opportunity, and we’re listening to them. We asked for feedback, they gave it and we were really pleased to receive it.”

The three-day, 54-hole event, which started Monday, will crown both men’s and women’s overall champions from the field of 96 players, as well as individual winners from both genders from the eight categories: Arm Impairment, Leg Impairment, Multiple Limb Amputee, Vision Impairment, Intellectual Impairment, Neurological Impairment, Seated Players and Short Stature.

Golf Channel will dedicate the final 30 minutes of Wednesday’s Golf Central (5-6 p.m. ET) to the U.S. Adaptive Open trophy ceremony. Entry to the championship is free, and unlike most golf events, there are no rope lines, which means fans can get close to the action and experience just how great the Adaptive Open is.

“First and foremost, these are phenomenal players who love golf like the rest of us. They have exceptional skill and they’re also just fun to be around, they really are enjoying themselves out here,” said Parel. “They’re great with everybody, they really enjoy the social aspect of the game, which you don’t often see in competitions. It’s really a pleasure to be around them.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=451191723]

How Conor Stone went from not being able to swing a club two weeks ago to leading the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open

“Yeah, to be honest, it was easy. I don’t know where it came from,” said Stone of his opening round.

[anyclip pubname=”2122″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8171″]

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. — Conor Stone couldn’t swing a club the last two weeks.

The 28-year-old from Ireland won the 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open male arm impairment category in the inaugural year of the championship for golfers with disabilities, but he was planning to withdraw from this year’s championship. Fortunately for Stone, he already had his flight and hotel booked.

So, his physiotherapist Jerry McDonough got to work on his back and Stone made the trip to Pinehurst No. 6, where he shot a 5-under 67 to not only lead his category but the men’s overall leaderboard after the first round on Monday.

“Yeah, to be honest, it was easy. I don’t know where it came from,” a laughing Stone said of his opening round. “But happy to be able to hit a golf ball good again. I’ve always been able to shoot these scores, but I just haven’t done it in a long time, so it’s nice to do it on a big stage like this.”

Stone, born in Dublin, began playing golf at 13 and was a scratch player four years later. During his Paddy Harrington Scholarship at Maynooth University in Ireland, Stone was diagnosed with a progressive form of Kyphoscoliosis. Less than a decade after picking up a game he loved, Stone was unable to play due to the severity of the pain and curve to his spine. From there, Stone underwent a 15-hour surgery before his 22nd birthday to correct his spine, but he was left with little flexibility and wasn’t able to rotate. Following two long years of rehab, Stone has worked his way back and is now on the positive side of scratch with a handicap of +1.1.

The Irishman got off to a hot start with an eagle on the first hole and added five birdies and two bogeys to hold a one-shot lead over defending men’s overall champion Simon Lee (68) and a three-shot advantage over Kipp Popert (70) in third.

“I was kind of nervous after that because the juices were flowing after I holed that putt for eagle on the first, so I was slightly nervous going forward. But then three or four holes in, I kind of settled it, and I felt fine after that,” Stone said of his round. “If I had made a birdie putt or a two-footer for birdie, I probably would have felt a lot better. But yeah, obviously I’m happy with the eagle, so it kicked off the round.”

Stone got off to a slow start last year and attributed his low round of the day on Monday to course knowledge and the July humidity in the Sandhills of North Carolina.

“I was not used to the heat and the humidity that we had here. I was much more confident coming over this time,” said Stone. “Well, in my mind, the way my golf was, I wasn’t confident, but I felt more comfortable on the course.”

Stone plays in the arm impairment category, but his real issue is his spine, where he has 60 pieces of metal holding it together.

“I have good days and have bad days, and to be honest I thought my time was up,” he explained. “I thought my back was just giving in because I’ve lost 15 miles an hour club head speed in the last six, seven months. I’ve lost 20, 30 yards off my irons. It’s been scary. I’ve been worried about what’s happened to my body.”

“But I’m hitting it shorter now, and look, it’s fine. The ball was going straight. I was still hitting greens,” he continued. “I might be hitting two clubs more than what I did last year, but yeah, it’s fine. But I have to stretch, trying not to do too much. I have to keep loose, keep moving, and hope that I don’t do too much.”

After Saturday’s practice round, Stone did a range session and felt his back giving out on him. He’s self-admittedly “not too holy of a person, but I was saying my prayers Saturday night that I could still swing a club Sunday morning,” he said with a chuckle.

The Dublin native has a day job where he works 40-50 hours per week for McGuirks Golf – think the Irish version of the PGA Tour Superstore – and praised his boss, Michael McGuirk, for letting him bring his laptop and work on the road. He even had to go log a few hours after his round.

“I’m very lucky to have people around me that are helping me do things like this,” said Stone. “It’s worked out well.”

With two more days of solid work on the course, Stone might be bringing a trophy back home with him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=451191723]

Photos: 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No. 6

Check out some of the best photos of the week from Pinehurst.

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. — The defending champions put up a good fight but it wasn’t enough as the United States Golf Association has crowned two new winners.

Ryanne Jackson and Kipp Popert claimed the women’s and men’s overall titles at the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open, the USGA’s newest championship that puts the world’s best disabled golfers – 96 this year – in the spotlight.

The field is spread across eight categories: Arm Impairment, Intellectual Impairment, Leg Impairment, Multiple Limb Amputee, Neurological Impairment, Seated Players, Short Stature and Vision Impairment. Players must have a WR4GD Pass and a handicap index of 36.4 or less, Players with an Intellectual Impairment must also have Virtus II1 International Eligibility.

USGA announces U.S. Open to return to Riviera Country Club in 2031

The U.S. Open is heading back to Riviera.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”b5b22055-8c69-4186-8375-d8426b37ec56″ cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

The 2023 U.S. Open just wrapped up in Los Angeles, but the United States Golf Association quickly made plans to return to Southern California.

Riviera Country Club, site of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, California, will host the 2031 U.S. Open. It will be the second time Riviera has hosted the U.S. Open after the famed club became the first in Los Angeles to host the championship in 1948, when Ben Hogan won the first of his four U.S. Open titles.

“Riviera Country Club is a truly spectacular course that holds a special place in the game’s history,” John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s chief championships officer, said in a release. “We are thrilled to bring the U.S. Open back to the site of such historic moments for golf and the USGA, and look forward to writing a new chapter in 2031.”

The 2031 U.S. Open will be the fifth USGA championship held at the club. Riviera has also hosted the 1998 U.S. Senior Open, won by Hale Irwin, and the 2017 U.S. Amateur, won by Doc Redman. The course will also welcome its first U.S. Women’s Open in 2026.

Riviera is also going to host the Olympic golf competitions in 2028.

“We are so grateful that the USGA will return the U.S. Open to our club in 2031,” Megan Watanabe, the chief executive officer of The Riviera Country Club, said in a release. “Over a six-year period, we will showcase our championship course to the world with the U.S. Women’s Open in 2026, the men’s and women’s Olympics competition in 2028 and the U.S. Open in 2031. In addition, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2026. We would like to thank the USGA for their confidence and trust in us and we look forward to continuing our long relationship together in the years ahead.”

George C. Thomas designed Riviera, opening in 1927. Thomas is the same architect who constructed The Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course, site of last week’s U.S. Open.

Riviera has also hosted two PGA Championships and the 2012 NCAA Golf Championships.

The 2031 U.S. Open will mark the 17th time the championship has been held in California and only the third time in Los Angeles. Until last week, the U.S. Open hadn’t been held in L.A. since 1948 at Riviera.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=451201569]