Spaniards Sergio Garcia, winner of the 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship on the US PGA Tour in May, and Miguel Angel Jiménez, winner of three events on The 2004 European Tour International Schedule, are among the 12 golfers who earned exemptions into the US Open Championship with the close of three active categories on May 31. A total of 76 golfers are fully exempt from qualifying for the US Open Championship, to be played from June 17-20 at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
Garcia and Jiménez earned their exemptions by comfortably staying in the top 50 in the World Rankings while fellow European Tour Members Angel Cabrera of Argentina and Joakim Haeggman of Sweden also earned a place in the field for the second of the season’’s Major Championships by climbing into the top 50 following their outstanding performances in the Volvo PGA Championship last weekend where they finished second and third respectively.
The other eight players who earned full exemptions by being in the top 50 of the updated World Rankings are Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago, Americans Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, Todd Hamilton, Scott Hoch and Zach Johnson, Shigeki Maruyama of Japan and Craig Parry of Australia.
Cink also earned his full exemption through the updated list for the top ten money leaders on the US PGA Tour. The other nine leading money leaders on the US PGA Tour and the top two players in the Volvo Order of Merit were already fully exempt. The remaining 38 players within the top 50 were already fully exempt through other criteria.
Sectional qualifying for the remaining 80 spots will take place at 13 sites on June 7-8.
The 76 fully exempt players are as follows:
PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2004 U.S. OPEN (76)
Robert Allenby 9,16
Stephen Ames 16
Stuart Appleby 9,11,16
Briny Baird 9
Rich Beem 5
Thomas Bjorn 10,16
Jonathan Byrd 8
Tom Byrum 8
Angel Cabrera 16
Chad Campbell 9,11,16
Michael Campbell 10
Paul Casey 10,16
K.J. Choi 9,16
Stewart Cink 11,16
Darren Clarke 10,13,16
Fred Couples 16
Ben Curtis 4,16
Brian Davis 10
Chris DiMarco 9,16
David Duval 4
Ernie Els 1,4,8,9,10,11,13,16
Brad Faxon 9,16
Nick Flanagan 2
Steve Flesch 9,11,12,16
Raymond Floyd 17
Fred Funk 9
Jim Furyk 1,8,9,16
Sergio Garcia 16
Retief Goosen 1,9,10,16
Jay Haas 9,16
Todd Hamilton 16
Padraig Harrington 8,10,16
Joakim Haeggman 16
Tim Herron 9
Scott Hoch 16
Charles Howell 9,16
Trevor Immelman 10,16
Toshimitsu Izawa 14
Fedrick Jacobson 8,10,16
Lee Janzen 1
Miguel Angel Jimenez 16
Zach Johnson 16
Jonathon Kaye 8,9,12,16
Jerry Kelly 9,16
Cliff Kresge 8
Paul Lawrie 4
Stephen Leaney 8,10,16
Justin Leonard 9,16
J.L. Lewis 9
Peter Lonard 15,16
Davis Love III 9,11,16
Shigeki Maruyama 16
Billy Mayfair 8
Shaun Micheel 5,16
Phil Mickelson 3,11,16
Craig Parry 16
Corey Pavin 1
Kenny Perry 8,9,12,16
Tim Petrovic 8
Ian Poulter 10
Nick Price 8,9,16
Phillip Price 10
Chris Riley 9,16
Eduardo Romero 8
Justin Rose 8
Adam Scott 6,10,11,12,16
Vijay Singh 3,9,11,12,16
Hidemichi Tanaka 8
David Toms 5,8,9,12,16
Kirk Triplett 9,16
Bob Tway 9,16
Scott Verplank 8,9,16
Mike Weir 3,8,9,16
Lee Westwood 10
Casey Wittenberg 2
Tiger Woods 1,3,4,5,9,11,12,16
Key to Player Exemptions –
1) Winners of the U.S. Open Championship for the last 10 years.
2) Winner and runner-up of the 2003 U.S. Amateur Championship.
3) Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years.
4) Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years.
5) Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years.
6) Winner of the 2004 Players Championship.
7) Winner of the 2003 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
8) From the 2003 U.S. Open Championship, the 15 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 15th place.
9) From the 2003 final official PGA Tour money list, the top 30 money leaders.
10) From the 2003 final official PGA European Tour, the top 15 money leaders.
11) From the 2004 official PGA Tour money list, the top 10 money leaders through May 30.
12) Any multiple winner of PGA Tour co–sponsored events whose victories are considered official from April 23, 2003 through June 6, 2004
13) From the 2004 PGA European Tour, the top two money leaders through May 31.
14) From the 2003 final Japan Golf Tour money list, the top two leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the World Rankings at that time.
15) From the 2003 final PGA Tour of Australasia money list, the top two leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of the World Rankings at that time.
16) From the World Rankings list, the top 50 point leaders as of May 31.
17) Special exemptions selected by the USGA Executive Committee International players not otherwise exempt as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.
