Far Hills, N.J. – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that 2,479 golfers have entered to play in the 2012 U.S. Senior Open Championship at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion, Mich. Eleven past champions are among the 75 players who are currently fully exempt into the field for the championship.
“The U.S. Senior Open is considered the world’s premier championship for men’s senior golfers,” said USGA Vice President and Championship Committee Chairman Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. “The Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy is coveted by the players and that is evidenced by the number of entries. We look forward to identifying the champion at Indianwood Golf & Country Club this July.”
The U.S. Senior Open will be held at Indianwood Golf and Country Club on July 12-15. The championship is open to professional golfers and amateurs with a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4 who are 50 years of age at the start of championship play.
Sectional qualifying will be played over 18 holes at 34 sites in the United States, ranging from Massachusetts to Hawaii, and will take place between June 14-28. In addition, places in the 156-player field are reserved for winners of official PGA Champions Tour events in the weeks remaining before the start of the 2012 U.S. Senior Open.
The USGA received entries for the 33rd U.S. Senior Open from golfers in 49 states and the District of Columbia. A total of 80 applicants listed foreign addresses.
Olin Browne, the 2011 champion, and 10 other past champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the championship. They are: Brad Bryant (2007), Allen Doyle (2005, 2006), Dave Eichelberger (1999), Bruce Fleisher (2001), Fred Funk (2009), Hale Irwin (1998, 2000), Peter Jacobsen (2004), Bernhard Langer (2010), Graham Marsh (1997) and Eduardo Romero (2008).
For the second consecutive year, only online entries were accepted. David Horstman, a 52-year-old professional from Adrian, Mich., submitted his entry just 19 seconds before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on May 23. Scott Wirth, a 49-year-old amateur (who will turn 50 on June 12) from Grand Blanc, Mich., was the first entrant on March 5.
More information about the U.S. Senior Open before, during and after the 2012 championship at Indianwood Golf & Country Club can be found at www.usga.org.
A list of the 75 golfers who are fully exempt into the 2012 U.S. Senior Open follows (as of May 23):
Michael Allen | a-Tim Jackson | Nick Price |
Chip Beck | Peter Jacobsen | Loren Roberts |
Jay Don Blake | Steve Jones | Eduardo Romero |
Olin Browne | Jong-Duck Kim | Jeff Roth |
Brad Bryant | Tom Kite | Ted Schulz |
Mark Calcavecchia | Barry Lane | Peter Senior |
Russ Cochran | Bernhard Langer | Scott Simpson |
John Cook | a-Louis Lee | Joey Sindelar |
Fred Couples | Tom Lehman | Jeff Sluman |
Allen Doyle | a-Randal Lewis | Rod Spittle |
David Eger | Steve Lowery | Craig Stadler |
Dave Eichelberger | Chien Soon Lu | Hal Sutton |
Brad Faxon | Graham Marsh | Jim Thorpe |
Bruce Fleisher | Larry Mize | Kirk Triplett |
Dan Forsman | Gil Morgan | Bob Tway |
Peter Fowler | Kiyoshi Murota | Bruce Vaughan |
David Frost | Larry Nelson | Denis Watson |
Fred Funk | Andrew Oldcorn | Tom Watson |
Bob Gilder | Mark O’Meara | D.A. Weibring |
Mike Goodes | Jerry Pate | Mark Wiebe |
Damon Green | Steve Pate | Gary Wolstenholme |
Jay Haas | Corey Pavin | Fuzzy Zoeller |
Gary Hallberg | Tom Pernice Jr. |
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John Huston | Kenny Perry |
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Hale Irwin | a-Philip Pleat |
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Bold = Past champion
a = Amateur
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.