The United States Golf Association today announced  9,006 entrants to play in the 2012 U.S. Open Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. The total of  is the fourth-highest in U.S. Open history, just 80 shy of the record number accepted for the 2009 championship at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y. 
The 53 players, including nine past champions, who are currently fully exempt into the field are among those entered for the championship.
The U.S. Open will be held at The Olympic Club’s Lake Course on June 14-17. To be eligible, a player must have a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 1.4, or be a professional. Local qualifying, which will be played over 18 holes at 109 sites, will take place between April 30-May 17.
Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted at two international sites (May 21 in Japan and May 28 in England) and on Monday, June 4 at 11 sites in the United States, ranging from New Jersey to California. The USGA established two international sectional qualifiers in 2005.
The USGA received entries for the 112th U.S. Open from golfers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 71 countries. A total of 801 applicants listed foreign addresses.In 2009, the USGA received a record 9,086 entries for the U.S. Open, while 9,052 golfers entered the 2010 championship in Pebble Beach, Calif. For the 2005 U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., 9,048 entries were received.