The United States Golf Association has accepted 8,300 entries for the 2011 U.S. Open Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., in June.
Graeme McDowell, the 2010 champion, and eight other past champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming championship. They are: Angel Cabrera (2007), Michael Campbell (2005), Ernie Els (1994, 1997), Jim Furyk (2003), Lucas Glover (2009), Retief Goosen (2001, 2004), Geoff Ogilvy (2006) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008).
For the first time, only online entries were accepted, and the USGA received 680 entries on the last day applications were accepted Wednesday, including 135 entries in the final hour. Kevin Hayashi, 49, of Hilo, Hawaii, submitted his entry just 15 seconds before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT.
To be eligible, a player must have a USGA Handicap Index no higher than 1.4, or be a professional.
The 65 golfers who are already fully exempt into the 2011 U.S. Open are:
(a=amateur)
Robert Allenby
Jonathan Byrd
Angel Cabrera
Michael Campbell
Paul Casey
Alex Cejka
K.J. Choi
a-David Chung
Stewart Cink
Tim Clark
Ben Crane
Jason Day
Luke Donald
Ernie Els
Rickie Fowler
Hiroyuki Fujita
Jim Furyk
Lucas Glover
Retief Goosen
Bill Haas
Padraig Harrington
Gregory Havret
Charley Hoffman
Trevor Immelman
Miguel Angel Jimenez
Dustin Johnson
Zach Johnson
Robert Karlsson
Martin Kaymer
Anthony Kim
Kyung-Tae Kim
Matt Kuchar
Martin Laird
Davis Love III
Hunter Mahan
Graeme McDowell
Rory McIlroy
Phil Mickelson
Edoardo Molinari
Francesco Molinari
Ryan Moore
Kevin Na
Geoff Ogilvy
Louis Oosthuizen
Jeff Overton
Ryan Palmer
Ian Poulter
Alvaro Quiros
Justin Rose
Charl Schwartzel
Adam Scott
Heath Slocum
Brandt Snedeker
Henrik Stenson
Kevin Streelman
Steve Stricker
a-Peter Uihlein
Bo Van Pelt
Camilo Villegas
Nick Watney
Bubba Watson
Lee Westwood
Mark Wilson
Tiger Woods
Y.E. Yang