No fewer than 24 European Tour Members are currently exempt for the US Open Championship following the close of three categories last weekend and at least nine further places will be up for grabs at the sectional qualifier at Walton Heath on June 6.
Thomas Björn, Luke Donald, Peter Lonard, Paul McGinley and Colin Montgomerie were among the players who earned full exemptions by being in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings on May 30. A total of 72 players are fully exempt for the US Open, which will be played from June 16-19 at Pinehurst No.2, North Carolina.
Sectional qualifying for the remaining 84 spots will take place at 15 sites on June 6 and 7. The qualifier at Walton Heath will be played over 36 holes with the leading nine players earning a place in the second Major Championship of the season.
Among those seeking to qualify are Major Champions Paul Lawrie and Sandy Lyle of Scotland and recent European Tour winneres, Robert-Jan Derksen, Nick Dougherty, Niclas Fasth, Peter Hanson and Steve Webster.
Here is the list of the 72 golfers who are fully exempt:
Robert Allenby 8
Stephen Ames 8,9,16
Stuart Appleby 9,16
Rich Beem 5
Thomas Björn 16
Angel Cabrera 10,16
Chad Campbell 9,16
Paul Casey 10
K.J. Choi 9,16
Stewart Cink 9,16
Tim Clark 8,16
Darren Clarke 9,10,16
Fred Couples 16
Ben Curtis 4
John Daly 9,16
Chris DiMarco 8,9,11,16
Luke Donald 11,16
David Duval 4
Ernie Els 1,4,8,9,10,12,16
Steve Flesch 8,9
Carlos Franco 9
Fred Funk 6,8,9,16
Jim Furyk 1,8,11,16
Stephen Gallacher 10
Sergio Garcia 9,10,12,16
Retief Goosen 1,8,9,10,12,13,16
Richard Green 15
Jay Haas 8,9,16
Todd Hamilton 4,9,16
Padraig Harrington 10,16
Mark Hensby 9,16
Tim Herron 8,16
Charles Howell III 16
David Howell 10,13,16
Peter Jacobsen 7
Lee Janzen 1
Miguel Angel Jiménez 10,16
Zach Johnson 9,16
Steve Jones 1
Shingo Katayama 14,13
Jerry Kelly 9,16
Tom Lehman 16
Justin Leonard 11,12,16
Thomas Levet 10
Spencer Levin 8
Luke List 2
Peter Lonard 16
Davis Love III 9,16
Paul McGinley 16
Graeme McDowell 10,16
Jeff Maggert 8
Shigeki Maruyama 8,9,16
Shaun Micheel 5
Phil Mickelson 3,8,9,11,12,16
Colin Montgomerie 16
Ryan Moore 2
Nick O’’Hern 10,16
Rod Pampling 16
Craig Parry 16
Corey Pavin 1
Kenny Perry 9,11,12,16
Ian Poulter 10,16
Nick Price 17
Rory Sabbatini 9,16
Adam Scott 9,11,16
Vijay Singh 5,9,11,12,16
Toru Taniguchi 14
David Toms 5,9,11,16
Scott Verplank 9,16
Mike Weir 3,8,9,16
Lee Westwood 10,16
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 2004 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 2005 Players Championship.
7) Winner of the 2004 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
8) From the 2004 U.S. Open Championship, the 15 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 15th place.
9) From the 2004 final official PGA Tour money list, the top 30 money leaders.
10) From the 2004 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 22, 2004 through June 7, 2005
13) From the 2005 PGA European Tour, the top two money leaders through May 31.
14) From the 2004 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 2004 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.
