Two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els among exempt players
Far Hills, N.J. (May 23) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that 24 additional golfers, including two-time champion Ernie Els, have earned full exemptions into the 2012 U.S. Open Championship, to be played June 14-17 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., bringing the number of fully exempt players to 77.
The exemptions were awarded to players who earned a place in the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 21. Els, who won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997, is ranked No. 44.
Those who earned full exemptions through the current Official World Golf Ranking are: Sang-Moon Bae, Thomas Bjorn, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Paul Casey, Nicolas Colsaerts, Ben Crane, Simon Dyson, Ernie Els, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, Rickie Fowler, Anders Hansen, Ryo Ishikawa, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Zach Johnson, Robert Karlsson, K.T. Kim, Martin Laird, Francesco Molinari, Kevin Na, Carl Pettersson, Ian Poulter, Alvaro Quiros, Robert Rock and Kyle Stanley.
The number of fully exempt golfers may increase with the inclusion of the top 60 players from the Official World Golf Ranking as of June 11. The winner of this week’s European Tour BMW PGA Championship also earns an exemption.
The first sectional qualifier for the 2012 U.S. Open was held May 21 in Japan, where six spots in the 156-player field were determined. An additional international qualifier will be held in Surrey, England, on May 28. Sectional qualifying in the United States will take place at 11 sites on Monday, June 4.
A list of the 77 golfers fully exempt into the 2012 U.S. Open as of May 21 is below. It can also be found at this link: http://www.usopen.com/en_US/news/qualifying/exemptions.html
2012 U.S. Open Exemption List (as of May 21):
Aaron Baddeley 12, 13
Sang-Moon Bae 13
Thomas Bjorn 13
Keegan Bradley 7, 12, 13
Jonathan Byrd 12, 13
Olin Browne 10
Angel Cabrera 1, 5
Rafael Cabrera-Bello 13
Michael Campbell 1
Patrick Cantlay 2, 4
Paul Casey 13
Kevin Chappell 11
K.J. Choi 8, 12, 13
Stewart Cink 6
Tim Clark 8
Darren Clarke 6
Nicolas Colsaerts 13
Ben Crane 13
Jason Day 11, 12, 13
Luke Donald 12, 13
Jason Dufner 12, 13
Simon Dyson 13
Ernie Els 13
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño 13
Rickie Fowler 13
Jim Furyk 1, 13
Sergio Garcia 11, 13
Robert Garrigus 11
Lucas Glover 1
Retief Goosen 1
Bill Haas 12, 13
Anders Hansen 13
Peter Hanson 11, 13
Padraig Harrington 6, 7
Charles Howell III 12
Trevor Immelman 5
Ryo Ishikawa 13
Fredrik Jacobson 12, 13
Miguel Angel Jimenez 13
Dustin Johnson 12, 13
Zach Johnson 13
Robert Karlsson 13
Martin Kaymer 7, 13
K.T. Kim 13
Matt Kuchar 8, 12, 13
Martin Laird 13
*Paul Lawrie 13
Hunter Mahan 12, 13
Graeme McDowell 1, 13
Rory McIlroy 1, 11, 13
Phil Mickelson 5, 12, 13
Francesco Molinari 13
Kevin Na 13
Geoff Ogilvy 1, 12, 13
Louis Oosthuizen 6, 11, 13
Carl Pettersson 13
Ian Poulter 13
Alvaro Quiros 13
Chez Reavie 12
Robert Rock 13
Justin Rose 12, 13
Charl Schwartzel 5, 11, 13
Adam Scott 12, 13
John Senden 12, 13
Webb Simpson 12, 13
Vijay Singh 12
Brandt Snedeker 12, 13
Kyle Stanley 13
Steve Stricker 12, 13
David Toms 12, 13
Bo Van Pelt 12, 13
Nick Watney 12, 13
Bubba Watson 5, 12, 13
Lee Westwood 11, 13
Mark Wilson 12, 13
Gary Woodland 12
Tiger Woods 1, 7, 13
Y.E Yang 7, 11, 12
*will not use exemption
Key to Player Exemptions
1. Winners of the U.S. Open Championship the last 10 years (2002-11)
2. Winner and runner-up of the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
3. Winner of the 2011 British Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
4. Winner of the 2011 Mark H. McCormack Medal (top-ranked in WAGR & must be an amateur)
5. Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years (2008-12)
6. Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years (2007-11)
7. Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years (2007-11)
8. Winners of the Players Championship the last three years (2010-12)
9. Winner of the 2012 European Tour BMW PGA Championship
10. Winner of the 2011 U.S. Senior Open Championship
11. From the 2011 U.S. Open Championship, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th place
12. Those players who qualified for the season-ending 2011 Tour Championship
13. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of May 21, 2012
14. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of June 11, 2012
15. Special exemptions selected by the USGA
About the USGA
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.
The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.
For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
Contact:
Pete Kowalski
USGA Communications
pkowalski@usga.org
908-234-2300 x1322
Brian DePasquale
USGA Communications
bdepasquale@usga.org
908-234-2300 x1292
