Far Hills, N.J. – Fourteen more professional golfers earned full exemptions into the upcoming 2008 U.S. Open by being in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking or by being among the top money leaders for the year as of May 26. A total of 72 golfers are fully exempt from qualifying for the upcoming Championship, scheduled from June 12-15 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Calif.
In all, three more exemption categories were closed as of May 26.
Those who earned full exemptions through the current World Ranking were Stuart Appleby, J.B. Holmes, Miguel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Martin Kaymer, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Sean O’Hair, Rod Pampling, Ian Poulter, Jeff Quinney, Mike Weir and Oliver Wilson. The remainder of the top 50 ranked players (38) were already fully exempt through other criteria.
Ryuji Imada earned a full exemption by being among the top 10 money leaders on the PGA Tour as of May 26. Kim and Quinney also were among the PGA Tour’s top 10 money winners. The rest of the top 10 money leaders were already fully exempt.
Jimenez and Wilson were additionally fully exempt by being the top two money leaders on the PGA European Tour for 2008 as of May 26.
One more fully exempt place could be awarded following the close of this week’s Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour, if the winner is not already fully exempt and it is his second Tour win since last April 25.
Sectional qualifying for the remaining 84 spots will take place at 13 sites on June 2. The first sectional qualifier was held May 26 in Japan with two spots for the U.S. Open field awarded.
Here is the list of the 72 golfers who are fully exempt:
May 27, 2008
THE 72 PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2008 U.S. OPEN
Robert Allenby 9,10,17
Stuart Appleby 17
Stephen Ames 8,17
Woody Austin 9,10,17
Aaron Baddeley 8,9,10,17
Brad Bryant 7
Jonathan Byrd 10
Angel Cabrera 1,8,11,17
Mark Calcavecchia 9,10
Michael Campbell 1
Paul Casey 8,11,17
K.J. Choi 9,10,13,17
Daniel Chopra 13
Stewart Cink 9,10,12,17
Tim Clark 9,10,17
Ben Curtis 4
Luke Donald 9,17
Nick Dougherty 8,11
Ernie Els 9,10,11,17
Niclas Fasth 8,11,17
Steve Flesch 9,13
Jim Furyk 1,8,9,10,17
Sergio Garcia 6,9,10,11,12,17
Retief Goosen 1,11,17
Todd Hamilton 4
Soren Hansen 11,17
Padraig Harrington 4,9,10,11,17
J.B. Holmes 17
Charles Howell III 9,10
Ryuji Imada 12
Trevor Immelman 3,17
Lee Janzen 1,8
Miguel Jimenez 14,17
Zach Johnson 3,9,10,17
Robert Karlsson 17
Martin Kaymer 17
Shingo Katayama 15,17
Jerry Kelly 8
Anthony Kim 12,17
Justin Leonard 17
Hunter Mahan 8,9,10,17
Shaun Micheel 5
Phil Mickelson 3,5,9,10,12,13,17
Colin Montgomerie 11
Sean O’Hair 17
Geoff Ogilvy 1,9,10,12,17
Rod Pampling 17
Ian Poulter 17
Jeff Quinney 12,17
John Rollins 9,10
Andres Romero 11,17
Justin Rose 8,9,10,11,17
Rory Sabbatini 9,10,17
Adam Scott 9,10,17
Vijay Singh 5,9,10,12,17
Heath Slocum 9,10
Brandt Snedeker 9,10,17
Henrik Stenson 11,17
Richard Sterne 11,17
Steve Stricker 8,9,10,17
Toru Taniguchi 15,17
*Michael Thompson 2
David Toms 8
Scott Verplank 8,9,10,17
Camilo Villegas 10
Bubba Watson 8
Boo Weekley 9,10,12,17
Mike Weir 17
Lee Westwood 11,17
Brett Wetterich 9,10
Oliver Wilson 14,17
Tiger Woods 1,3,4,5,8, 9,10,12,13,17
* = amateur
Contact:
Craig Smith (csmith@usga.org)
Web Address: www.usga.org
USGA Phone: (908) 781-1040 (oofice), (908) 216-3229 (cell)
