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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 45^th 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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Merion officially becomes another USGA anchor as it adds a third upcoming U.S. Open

The Hugh Wilson-designed track already had two future U.S. Opens on its calendar (2030, 2050).

Merion already holds the record for most USGA championships hosted by a club, with 2022’s Curtis Cup bringing the total for the famed Pennsylvania course to 19. The first was the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1904.

Next up: the 2026 U.S. Amateur and 2030 U.S. Open. Future women’s championships include the 2034 and 2046 U.S. Women’s Opens.

And while the Hugh Wilson-designed track, which is No. 7 on the Golfweek’s Best Classic Courses list, already had two future U.S. Opens on its calendar (2030, 2050), the USGA announced on Monday that it would be neatly adding in another, this time in 2040.

More: U.S. Open future sites through 2051

“For well over a century, Merion has served as the site of some of American golf’s most iconic moments,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA chief championships officer. “Our relationship with the club and its membership continues to grow, and when we looked at our future lineup for the U.S. Open, we wanted to enhance our upcoming commitment with a more regular cadence. We are thrilled to be able to return to such an important club on a regular basis and look forward to watching the world’s best write new chapters in the history of this great game.”

“Starting with its formation, the desire to host significant championships has been at Merion’s core,” said Buddy Marucci, Merion championship committee chair. “It is no wonder Merion has hosted more USGA championships than any other club in America. Our partnership with the USGA dates to its first decade and has produced some of the most memorable moments in golf history. We are thrilled to celebrate those moments by announcing an additional U.S. Open Championship to be played in the year 2040. We look forward to all future generations of the world’s best players having the opportunity to compete on Hugh Wilson’s timeless masterpiece.”

Oakmont, the famed course near Pittsburgh on the other side of Pennsylvania, will also serve as an “anchor site” for future USGA championships and will host the U.S. Open in 2025, 2034, 2042 and 2049.

Future USGA championships in Pennsylvania

Merion Golf Club

2026 U.S. Amateur*
2030 U.S. Open
2034 U.S. Women’s Open
2040 U.S. Open
2046 U.S. Women’s Open
2050 U.S. Open

Oakmont Country Club

2025 U.S. Open*
2028 U.S. Women’s Open
2033 Walker Cup Match
2034 U.S. Open
2038 U.S. Women’s Open
2042 U.S. Open
2046 U.S. Women’s Amateur
2049 U.S. Open

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USGA to conduct national qualifying for first time ahead of 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open

The USGA announced Thursday the U.S. Adaptive Open will adopt a qualifying model for the 2024 championship.

Conducted over 18 holes, qualifiers will be held at six sites across the United States between April 15 and May 31. They will be administered by Allied Golf Associations. In its first two years, the championship field was determined largely by Handicap Index.

The 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open will be held at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas, from July 8-10.“We have been thrilled with the interest in this championship and the growth of new adaptive competitions that it has inspired. As such, we have reached the point of introducing qualifying earlier than expected,” John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer, said in a release. “In order to satisfy demand, we’re excited to roll out this new qualifying model, which will ensure high-caliber players are provided ample opportunity to earn a spot in the field and provide the championship the opportunity to embrace the openness that is a hallmark of USGA competitions.”The following AGAs will conduct 18-hole stroke play qualifiers in 2024 (specific sites and dates will be available by early February): Florida State Golf Association; Georgia State Golf Association; Indiana Golf Association; Metropolitan Golf Association (CT/NJ/NY); Southern California Golf Association and the Texas Golf Association

Online entry applications will open Thursday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. ET, and close on Wednesday, April 10 at 5 p.m. ET, and be available at champs.usga.org.

The U.S. Adaptive Open Championship serves as the association’s 15th, and newest, national championship for the adaptive golf community. In 2023, Ryanne Jackson (women’s) and Kipp Popert (men’s) captured the championship’s overall titles. In 2022, Kim Moore (women’s) and Simon Lee (men’s) emerged victorious during the inaugural playing.

Eighteen players are fully exempt into the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open based on performances over the past two years of the championship.

The Adaptive Open is open to male and female professional and amateur golfers, with a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less, and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass. The championship is contested over 54 holes of stroke play. Multiple sets of tees will be utilized.

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In latest move for growth, U.S. National Development Program launches Junior State Teams

Seven states will participate in the initial phase

The United States Golf Association announced Wednesday the creation of a state team pilot program that will expand the pipeline for elite junior golfers into the recently created U.S. National Development Program (USNDP). Seven states will participate in the initial phase, with the goal of all states having a team by 2033.

The first seven participants are California (Southern), Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee. The program will come to fruition through close collaboration between the USGA, its allied golf associations, the PGA of America and relevant state junior programs.

“This first-of-its-kind state team program will serve as a critical part of the talent identification pathway for the USNDP and provide more opportunities for a diverse population of athletes to receive resources and guidance to compete at the highest levels of the game,” said Heather Daly-Donofrio, USGA managing director, of Player Relations and Development, in a release. “Additionally, the opportunity to represent their home state will incentivize each region’s best junior golfers to play more in-state competitions, ultimately strengthening the junior golf programming across the country.”

The seven selected states participating in this initial pilot program will each establish a committee consisting of representatives from major golf organizations within the state, including any AGAs and PGA of America sections. The state committees will oversee team selection criteria and the operation of the state program based on guidelines provided by the USGA. Team selection criteria will vary by state and may consist of a points structure, ranking or combination of other competitive factors. Selection criteria from all seven states will be published before the entry deadline of the first counting event of their 2024 championship season.

State team roster sizes will be calculated by elite junior participation in the state, ranging from a minimum of two boys and two girls to a maximum of 20 boys and 20 girls.

To be eligible to compete on a state team in 2024, a player must be a U.S. citizen. Each eligible player must be 13 years old by Jan. 1, 2025, have not reached their 19th birthday by July 19, 2025, and cannot be enrolled in college for the 2024-25 school year. An official Handicap Index is also required.

Announced in February of 2023, the USNDP is designed 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. The state team program will focus on creating a developmentally appropriate, aspirational pathway for athletes within each state to compete at higher levels of the game, including an opportunity to represent the United States as a member of the USNDP’s National Team led by former Pepperdine associate head coach Chris Zambri.

“The state team program will allow us to leverage the expertise and local knowledge of the regional and state junior golf programs to ensure that all golfers with the appropriate skill have an equitable opportunity to pursue their dreams,” Zambri said in the release.

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How rapid growth of USGA’s Adaptive Open is expanding adaptive space across the country

The adaptive golf space continues to grow thanks to the USGA.

Dave Windsor felt as if he was on an island.

The Director of Adaptive Golf with the Georgia State Golf Association began working in the adaptive space in 1999. There’s arguably no one who has been more entrenched in adaptive golf — which allows people with disabilities to play the game of golf through modified rules or equipment — than Windsor.

Since the beginning of this century, as Windsor explained, more and more boats have started coming to the island. More and more state associations became interested in adaptive golf. There was national interest. Now, the sport is booming, with a national championship and higher participation numbers than ever.

“People would come and say, ‘What are the natives doing out here,’” Windsor said of his boat and island analogy. “We would help them. Slowly, they would start to replicate something in their neighborhood or golf course. And they saw that it was the right thing to do.

The United States Golf Association will host the third annual U.S. Adaptive Open this July 8-10 at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas. It will be the first time the championship hits the road, being held at Pinehurst the first two years. It’s a sign of the growth in the adaptive space, the USGA’s commitment to adaptive golf and signifies how important it is to make golf accessible to everyone.

There are seven state adaptive championships planned for 2024. Come 2025, that number could come close to doubling.

“There was really not a lot of interest from the golf association world until the Adaptive Open came to fruition,” said Tyler Riggin, Regional Affairs Director with the USGA. “Then it was like this is so cool. This is a great opportunity to expand our services to the community.”

Riggin mentioned how much interest the community and state associations had in adaptive space after the first championship in 2022. More and more people wanted to be involved in adaptive golf, from competitors to fans and more.

One of the state associations that conducted its first adaptive championship in 2023 was Florida.

Jeff Magaditsch, the executive director of the Florida State Golf Association, mentioned how much research and help from the USGA went into launching its adaptive championship.

“The USGA did a great job of laying the groundwork for us,” Magaditsch said. “It’s a space we always wanted to get involved in. The USGA paved the way for us to get involved in the championship space with its inaugural open.

Magaditsch said the FSGA continues to expand its reach across the state in regards to adaptive golf, also giving a lot of credit to the GSCA and Windsor for helping with a blueprint for how things are done.

Running the championships is no small task either. For the Adaptive Open, there are numerous hurdles that go into choosing a course for adaptive athletes.

First, the course needs to be easily accessible for those who need specialized golf carts. Whether that’s cart paths from tee to green or bunkers you can get in and out of. There are five different sets of tees for the different classes of competitors.

“We treat this just like any other USGA championship, but there’s a lot of planning that has to go into it for the athletes,” said Greg Sanfilippo, a Senior Director of Championships at the USGA. “The planning efforts take years in advance to go through how the builds are going to work and so on.”

Sanfilippo said being able to have the 2024 championship in the Midwest is something the USGA is looking forward to, and the association is continuing to learn the best way to host adaptive championships.

As more adaptive events pop up across the country, it grows the space for golfers with impairments. More opportunity is never a bad thing, and as the third U.S. Adaptive Open gets closer, the USGA welcomes the challenge of hosting the most unique championship in the sport.

“It’s something that we’re proud of, to be able to take it across the country and across the United States,” Sanfilippo said. “If you want to expose more people and inspire more individuals to be a part of the adaptive game, get involved in the adaptive game, whether that be playing golf, donating time to programs and clinics, if they’re golfers or teaching professionals, I think we’re proud of that. And to be able to overcome some of those challenges is something that we do on a daily basis and again, just feel proud of it overall.”

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Every venue hosting USGA championships in 2024, including Pinehurst No. 2 and Hazeltine

There are some fantastic venues on the slate for 2024.

Another busy year is on tap for the United States Golf Association in 2024, and several of the organization’s biggest events are headed to the best golf courses in the world.

On the men’s side, Wyndham Clark claimed the U.S. Open title at Los Angeles Country Club in California in 2023. Next year, the best male players in the world will take on historic Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Martin Kaymer won the last U.S. Open staged at No. 2 (2014).

As for the women, Allisen Corpuz won the first-ever U.S. Women’s Open staged at Pebble Beach Golf Links. In 2024, the ladies are headed to Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.

Here are all 17 of the USGA’s events on the 2024 calendar. And here are all the trophies the USGA hands out at its championships.

What’s the average USGA handicap index by state? Mississippi leads the way, while last place is a shocker

Where does your home state rank?

Florida is arguably the first state many people think of when asked about golf. Sunshine year-round, great temperatures and countless high-level courses.

That’s why its position on this list is a bit shocking.

The United States Golf Association has released its handicap index rankings list, including all states and territories (Puerto Rico, Washington D.C.).

On top of Florida, there are a few surprises on this list including Arizona at No. 44. On the flip side, it’s easy to see why cold-weather states like Alaska and Maine are in the bottom 10.

Here’s a full look at the USGA’s handicap index rankings for all states and territories.