Tag: USGA

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).

Chairman Fred Ridley doesn’t want an 8,000-yard Masters, says Augusta National will support USGA, R&A golf ball rollback

Ridley doesn’t want the Masters to play more than 8,000 yards, but fears that may be the case in the future.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — During his annual media appearance ahead of the 2024 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Wednesday, chairman Fred Ridley said the club supports the golf ball rollback spearheaded by the USGA and R&A in an effort to curb the growing distance problem in golf.

In his opening statements, Ridley talked about how for years the tournament was played at less than 7,000 yards, but noted this year’s yardage had extended to 7,555 yards. He also said one day this week the course could measure more than 7,600 yards.

The most notable comment the chairman made was that he doesn’t want the Masters to play more than 8,000 yards, but fears that may be the case in the future if distance isn’t diminished.

“I’ve said in the past that I hope we will not play the Masters at 8,000 yards. But that is likely to happen in the not too distant future under current standards,” said Ridley. “Accordingly, we support the decisions that have been made by the R&A and the USGA as they have addressed the impact of distance at all levels of the game.”

Last December the USGA and R&A announced they were changing how golf balls will be tested for conformity to reduce the effects of distance in the sport. Starting in 2028, for a golf ball to be deemed conforming and be legal for play, it will be tested using a robot that swings a titanium club at 125 mph and hits the ball on an 11-degree launch angle with 2,200 rpm of spin. The shot can not exceed the Overall Distance Standard (ODS) of 317 yards of combined carry distance and roll (with a 3-yard tolerance).

Currently, balls are at 120 mph with a launch angle of 10 degrees and 2,520 rpm of backspin, so the change increases the robot’s clubhead by 5 mph, increases the launch angle by 1 degree and decreases the spin rate by about 300 rpm.

Nearly every golf ball being sold today would go too far and fail the new test because manufacturers design their balls to go right to the current distance limits. Increasing the test speed by 5 mph and hitting shots at low spin rates and higher launch angles would make all of today’s balls go too far and become non-conforming. Balls that had previously been legal but failed the new test will be removed from the Conforming Ball list, making them illegal for official play starting Jan. 1, 2028.

According to Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s chief governance officer, using golf balls that pass the new test will result in a loss of distance, with the fastest-swinging players being affected the most and recreational golfers being affected the least.

Ridley said he hopes the PGA Tour and other golf tours and leagues will adopt the regulations and join Augusta National in its support of the USGA and R&A’s initiative.

“I certainly hope they will be, were they not it would cause a great deal of stress in the game it doesn’t need right now,” Ridley explained.

He also noted how, even if the regulations are implemented, other aspects of technology within the rules and the physicality and technical ability of the players will allow them to catch up and make up the difference in distance. Ridley doesn’t envision new tees closer to greens and he plans on “holding that 8,000-yard line.”

“We have some more room,” he added, “but we don’t have a lot.”

Distance has been a highly debated issue in golf – both the PGA Tour and LPGA immediately spoke out against the new regulations – and Augusta National’s support of the USGA and R&A’s efforts marks a significant step in the process to curb distance and make the game more sustainable.

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USGA announces qualifying sites for 2024 U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships

The USGA accepted a record number of entries for both championships in 2023.

The USGA announced Wednesday qualifying sites for the 124th U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Amateur, to be held at Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Aug. 5-11, and Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, from Aug. 12-18, respectively.

U.S. Amateur local qualifying will be held between June 4 and July 3, with final qualifying between July 15 and July 31. U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying will be held between June 17 and July 18.

Online entry applications for both championships, as well as the full list of qualifying sites, are available at champ-admin.usga.org. U.S. Amateur entries will close Wednesday, May 29, at 5 p.m. EDT and U.S. Women’s Amateur entries will close Wednesday, June 12, at 5 p.m. EDT.

The USGA accepted a record number of entries for both championships last year. The 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club received 1,679 entries, beating the previous record set in 2021 with 1,650 entries. The 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club received 8,253 entries, breaking the previous mark set in 2022 with 7,749 entries.

The USGA announced significant modifications to its amateur championship qualifying model last year for the first time in more than 20 years. These changes will allow USGA championships to retain their openness while ensuring that high-caliber players are provided with ample opportunity to earn a spot in the field, and that qualifying can be conducted at the highest level among growing entries and field sizes.

The most significant revisions are to the U.S. Amateur, which will move from a one-stage, 36-hole qualifying format to a two-stage qualifying format with 45 18-hole local qualifying sites and 19 18-hole final qualifying sites. Other adjustments included modifications to exemptions.

These modifications will result in a net reduction of 94 qualifying sites, while providing more opportunities for players to earn a spot in a USGA championship through expanded exemptions, state/AGA amateur championships and traditional qualifying.

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.

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Tiger Woods named USGA’s 2024 Bob Jones Award recipient

“He is in a class of his own when it comes to the impact he has made on the game.”

The USGA has given the 2024 Bob Jones Award — the organization’s highest honor — to 15-time major champion Tiger Woods.

“This award goes beyond playing performance, recognizing the lasting impact of one person’s journey that has forever changed the image and growth of golf,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA, in a statement. “There are very few who stand alongside Tiger Woods in terms of on-course accomplishments, and he is in a class of his own when it comes to the impact he has made on the game and future generations who will play it.”

The nine-time USGA winner has impacted the world of golf on and off course thanks to his charitable work with his TGR Foundation.

“Bob Jones was a pillar of our game because of the integrity with which he played it, and I’m truly humbled to receive the award that bears his name and join the many who have received it before me who continue his legacy,” said Woods in a statement. “It’s especially fitting to receive this honor from the USGA, which has meant so much to my career and the entire game of golf.”

Woods won three straight U.S. Junior Amateurs (1991-93) and three straight U.S. Amateurs (1994-1996).

“Throughout his playing career and along with his incredible work outside the ropes, Tiger Woods has quite literally changed the game, and he has done it while embodying the characteristics recognized by this award and shared by others who have received it,” said Fred Perpall, USGA president, in a statement. “His impact on the game is incalculable, and there is no doubt that golf would not be the same without Tiger in it.”

Historic Shinnecock Hills set to host back-to-back U.S. Opens for men and women in 2036

History is coming to Shinnecock in 2036.

In another first for the U.S. Women’s Open, the USGA has announced that Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will host the championship in 2036. But the good news doesn’t stop there. Shinnecock will become only the second venue to host back-to-back U.S. Open championships as the men and women will compete in consecutive weeks at the illustrious Southampton, New York, club.

Ten years ago, Pinehurst No. 2 became the first venue to host the men and women in back-to-back weeks, and it was a wildly successful campaign for the women, with champion Michelle Wie West drawing in massive television numbers, up 92 percent from the year prior.

Pinehurst will once again host back-to-back championships in 2029.

The U.S. Open trophy as seen at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in the Southampton, N.Y. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)

One of five founding members clubs of the USGA, Shinnecock’s roots date to 1891. Its nine USGA championships include the second U.S. Amateur and second U.S. Open, both in 1896. Five U.S. Open championships have been held at Shinnecock, with Brooks Koepka winning the latest in 2018.

Shinnecock Hills ranks No. 1 in New York on Golfweek’s Best list of private-access courses in each state, and it is fourth on the list of top classic courses in the U.S.

While the 91st U.S. Women’s Open will be the first contested at Shinnecock, the club does boast the distinction of becoming the first golf club in America to have women members at its founding.
When LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park won the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open down the road at Sebonack Golf Club, which opened in 2006, it naturally raised questions about whether the women would ever get their chance to become part of golf history, a mere 2 ½ miles away.

At long last, the answer is yes.

“Few places can match the historic importance of Shinnecock Hills to golf in the United States,” said USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer in a release. “As an organization, we felt that this iconic venue would be an ideal stage for both our men’s and women’s premier championships. It will offer the perfect opportunity to bring the game’s best to one course and provide fans the chance to watch them compete for a national championship in back-to-back weeks.”

Last year, the U.S. Women’s Open was hosted at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time. The lineup of courses for the women’s championship leading up to 2036 is dreamlike: The Los Angeles Country Club (2032), Chicago Golf Club (2033), Merion Golf Club (2034) and Pebble Beach Golf Links (2035).

But before the women get their chance, Shinnecock will once again host the men in 2026.

“Shinnecock is deeply proud of our founding association with the USGA and our role in setting the course of history for golf in America,” said Brett Pickett, Shinnecock Hills club president. “And we are extremely excited to build on that legacy through this historic, back-to-back presentation of men’s and women’s major championship golf in Southampton in 2036.

“The seventh U.S. Open at Shinnecock will be played 140 years after the first, as we continue to be the only club to have hosted the U.S. Open in three different centuries.”

Here’s a look at the five players who have hoisted the U.S. Open trophy at Shinnecock Hills:

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

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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.

U.S. Women’s Open purse increases to $12 million as USGA names new presenting sponsor

Three years ago, the U.S. Women’s Open purse was $5.5 million.

The U.S. Women’s Open has a new partner and a record-setting purse. Ally, a financial services company with a strong connection to women’s sports, has become the new presenting sponsor for the U.S. Women’s Open and a founding partner of the U.S. National Development Program, the USGA announced.

The purse for the 2024 Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club will be a record $12 million, up from $11 million last year. Three years ago, the U.S. Women’s Open purse was $5.5 million.

“Partnering with Ally allows us to not only continue elevating the U.S. Women’s Open, but to also further our commitment to the future of the game via our U.S. National Development Program,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan in a release. “Ally has established itself as a force in sports, with a passion for equity across the industry. Its brand values and actions align perfectly with ours, and I can’t wait to see what we are able to do together.”

ProMedica, the first presenting sponsor in U.S. women’s Open history, parted ways with the USGA a little more than a year after the USGA launched a 10-year sponsorship agreement with the Ohio-based not-for-profit integrated health and well-being organization. The two companies reached a separation agreement last year after ProMedica’s business took a downward turn.

Ally’s history with women’s sports is notably strong. The company recently negotiated a landmark deal with Disney in which 90 percent of its media investment is allocated to women’s sports. That includes an expansion of game highlights, features and regular “SportsCenter” segments dedicated to women’s sports.

Ally also became the first presenting sponsor of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament and Women’s Soccer Championship as well as exclusive presenting sponsor of the 2023 ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championship.

Ally has pledged to reach equal spending in men’s and women’s sports by 2028 and is already four years ahead of schedule.

Similarly, the USGA pledged to increase the U.S. Women’s Open purse to $12 million by 2027 and has already reached that mark.

Ally has also signed World No. 1 Lilia Vu to its roster of female athletes that includes former soccer star and ESPN reporter Julie Foudy, WNBA player Nneka Ogwumike and NWSL player Sophia Smith.

“Golf is on a meteoric rise and its fanbase is more diverse than ever, bringing it in line with those who choose to bank with Ally,” Stephanie Marciano, head of sports marketing at Ally, said in a statement. “The USGA is best-in-class and presented us a powerful opportunity to positively impact both the women’s and men’s game, as well as engage a new group of sports fans across the country. We couldn’t be more excited to team up and deliver on that promise together.”

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