A total of 156 golfers are set to compete in the 41st U.S. Senior Open Championship at Omaha Country Club July 8-11. Here is a look at the field:
U.S. Senior Open champions (10): Olin Browne (2011), Brad Bryant (2007), Roger Chapman (2012), Fred Funk (2009), Bernhard Langer (2010), Jeff Maggert (2015), Colin Montgomerie (2014), Kenny Perry (2013, ‘17), Gene Sauers (2016) and David Toms (2018)
U.S. Senior Open runners-up (14): Fred Funk (2008, ’12, ‘13), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2016, ‘18), Jerry Kelly (2018, ‘19), Bernhard Langer (2012), Tom Lehman (2012), Billy Mayfair (2016), Colin Montgomerie (2015), Mark O’Meara (2011), Corey Pavin (2012), Tim Petrovic (2018), Gene Sauers (2014), Joey Sindelar (2009), David Toms (2019) and Kirk Triplett (2017)
U.S. Open champions (5): Ernie Els (1994, ’97), Jim Furyk (2003), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04), Lee Janzen (1993, ’98) and Corey Pavin (1995)
U.S. Open runners-up (7): Ernie Els (2000), Jim Furyk (2006, ’07, ’16), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2000), Tom Lehman (1996), Rocco Mediate (2008), Colin Montgomerie (1994, ‘97, 2006) and Jeff Sluman (1992)
U.S. Amateur champions (4): Billy Mayfair (1987), Mark O’Meara (1979), Sam Randolph (1985) and Scott Verplank (1984)
U.S. Amateur runners-up (1): Sam Randolph (1984)
U.S. Junior Amateur champions (1): Brett Quigley (1987)
U.S. Mid-Amateur champions (1): Michael McCoy (2013)
U.S. Mid-Amateur runners-up (1): Tim Hogarth (2010)
U.S. Senior Amateur champions (2): Bob Royak (2019) and Jeff Wilson (2018)
U.S. Senior Amateur runners-up (1): Roger Newsom (2019)
U.S. Amateur Public Links champions (2): Billy Mayfair (1986) and Tim Hogarth (1996)
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champions (1): Todd White (2015)
USGA champions (25): Olin Browne (2011 U.S. Senior Open), Brad Bryant (2007 U.S. Senior Open), Roger Chapman (2012 Senior Open), Ernie Els (1994, ’97 U.S. Open), Fred Funk (2009 U.S. Senior Open), Jim Furyk (2003 U.S. Open), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04 U.S. Open), Tim Hogarth (1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links), Lee Janzen (1993, ’98 U.S. Open), Bernhard Langer (2010 U.S. Senior Open), Jeff Maggert (2015 U.S. Senior Open), Billy Mayfair (1986 U.S. Amateur Public Links, 1987 U.S. Amateur), Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Colin Montgomerie (2014 U.S. Senior Open), Mark O’Meara (1979 U.S. Amateur), Corey Pavin (1995 U.S. Open), Kenny Perry (2013, ‘17 U.S. Senior Open), Brett Quigley (1987 U.S. Junior Amateur), Sam Randolph (1985 U.S. Amateur), Bob Royak (2019 U.S. Senior Amateur), Gene Sauers (2016 U.S. Senior Open), David Toms (2018 U.S. Senior Open), Scott Verplank (1984 U.S. Amateur), Todd White (2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Jeff Wilson (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur)
Walker Cup Team Members:
United States (8): Billy Andrade (1987), Jay Haas (1975), Billy Mayfair (1987), Michael McCoy (2015), Corey Pavin (1981), Sam Randolph (1985), Scott Verplank (1985) and Todd White (2013).
Great Britain & Ireland (2): Roger Chapman (1981) and Colin Montgomerie (1985, ’87)
NCAA Division I champions (2): Jay Haas (1975) and Scott Verplank (1986)
NCAA Division II champions (1): Lee Janzen (1986)
World Amateur Team Championship competitors (9): Stephen Ames (1986, Trinidad & Tobago), Billy Andrade (1986, USA), Markus Brier (1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, Austria), Masahiro Kuramoto (1976, Japan), Colin Montgomerie (19984, 1986, Great Britain & Ireland), Jose Maria Olazabal (1982, 1984, Spain), Jean-Francois Remesy (1986, France), Vijay Singh (1980, Fiji), Scott Verplank (1984, USA)
TOTAL U.S. SENIOR OPENS WON BY 2021 CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD (11): Kenny Perry (2), Olin Browne (1), Brad Bryant (1), Roger Chapman (1), Fred Funk (1), Bernhard Langer (1), Jeff Maggert (1), Colin Montgomerie (1), Gene Sauers (1) and David Toms (1)
PLAYERS IN FIELD WITH MOST U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2021 included) – Jay Haas (16), Brad Bryant (15), Fred Funk (13), Bernhard Langer (13), Mark O’Meara (13) and Jeff Sluman (13)
ACTIVE CONSECUTIVE U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2021 included) – Bernhard Langer (13), Jeff Sluman (13) and Tom Lehman (12)
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD – The USGA accepted 2,999 entries in 2021, the third-highest total in championship history. Chris Germann, a 58-year-old amateur from Austin, Texas, submitted his entry four minutes before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on May 12. Doug Clapp, a 54-year-old amateur from Walpole, Mass., was the first entrant on Feb. 24. The record for entries is 3,101 in 2002.
The 156-player field includes 74 fully exempt golfers, 10 of whom are U.S. Senior Open champions. Qualifying was played over 18 holes at 34 sites across the United States between May 17 and June 14. There were qualifying sites in 27 states, including five in California, three in Florida and two in Texas.
The USGA accepted entries from golfers in all 50 states, including 22 from host state Nebraska, and the District of Columbia, as well as 41 foreign countries.
AMATEURS – There are 34 amateurs in the 156-player field, the most since 2012. There are 20 or more amateurs competing for the sixth consecutive U.S. Senior Open. Jeff Wilson, who in 2018 was the low amateur in the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Senior Amateur champion, is among this group.
Wilson, who turned 58 on June 14, tied for 31st in the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, held at The Broadmoor (East Course), in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became the second player to earn low amateur in both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open in his career, joining Marvin “Vinny” Giles III. Wilson was 59th in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. Wilson, a general sales manager for an automobile dealership, has competed in 37 USGA championships, including five U.S. Senior Opens.
Robby Funk, 58, was the low amateur in the 2017 U.S. Senior Open, finishing T-54 with a 72-hole score of 8-over-par 288 at Salem Country Club, in Peabody, Mass. His grandfather, John, who was the son of the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary founder, introduced him to the game. Robby has played in 10 USGA championships, including a tie for 60th in the 2018 U.S. Senior Open.
Michael McCoy, 58, is playing in his eighth U.S. Senior Open. He was the low amateur in 2014 and 2015. McCoy, who has competed in 62 USGA championships, won the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur at the Country Club of Birmingham (Ala.), becoming the second-oldest winner of the championship at age 50. He was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team.
Bob Royak, 59, won the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur by defeating Roger Newsom, 1 up, in the final at Old Chatham Golf Club. Royak has competed in 18 USGA championships, including two U.S. Senior Opens (2012, 2019). Royak, who is vice president for an executive search firm, was the 2017 Georgia State Golf Association Senior Player of the Year. He and his wife assist in finding families for Russian orphans.
Tim Hogarth, 55, won the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and was the runner-up to Nathan Smith in the 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur. He is playing in his fourth U.S. Senior Open and 34th USGA championship.
Note: There were 23 amateurs in the 2019 U.S. Senior Open at The Warren Course at Notre Dame. It was the first time since 2003 that no amateur made the 36-hole cut. William C. (Bill) Campbell (1980) and Tim Jackson (2009) are the only amateurs to hold the lead at a U.S. Senior Open through 36 holes.
| YEAR | NUMBER | MADE CUT | LOW FINISHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34 | ? | ? |
| 2020 | - | - | No Championship (COVID-19) |
| 2019 | 23 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 24 | 3 | Jeff Wilson (T-31) |
| 2017 | 20 | 1 | Robby Funk (T-54) |
| 2016 | 23 | 1 | Chip Lutz (T-37) |
| 2015 | 27 | 3 | Michael McCoy (T-26) |
| 2014 | 17 | 2 | Michael McCoy (T-26) |
| 2013 | 28 | 1 | Doug Hanzel (56th) |
| 2012 | 35 | 2 | Doug Hanzel (T-53) |
| 2011 | 29 | 1 | Tim Jackson (T-50) |
| 2010 | 30 | 3 | Tim Jackson (T-32) |
| 2009 | 28 | 3 | Tim Jackson (T-11) |
| 2008 | 29 | 6 | Danny Green (T-37) |
| 2007 | 31 | 5 | Danny Green & George Zahringer (T-33) |
| 2006 | 33 | 1 | Randy Reifers (T-47) |
| 2005 | 30 | 4 | Greg Reynolds & George Zahringer (T-31) |
| 2004 | 25 | 1 | Patrick Tallent (T-54) |
| 2003 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 29 | 2 | Bob Clark (T-56) |
| 2001 | 26 | 4 | Paul Simson (T-40) |
| 2000 | 26 | 4 | Kemp Richardson (T-47) |
| 1999 | 23 | 2 | Kemp Richardson (T-46) |
| 1998 | 30 | 1 | Joel Hirsch (T-59) |
| 1997 | 29 | 4 | Marvin (Vinny) Giles III (T-55) |
| 1996 | 32 | 3 | Marvin (Vinny) Giles III (T-54) |
| 1995 | 40 | 3 | Bob Housen (T-38) |
| 1994 | 36 | 4 | Johnny Stevens (T-28) |
| 1993 | 39 | 5 | Marvin (Vinny) Giles III (T-35) |
| 1992 | 38 | 4 | Morris Beecroft (T-32) |
| 1991 | 37 | 5 | Jim Patti (T-34) |
| 1990 | 39 | 5 | Gary Cowan (T-31) |
| 1989 | 43 | 10 | Jim McMurtrey (T-28) |
| 1988 | 47 | 10 | Bob Housen (T-25) |
| 1987 | 43 | 9 | Dennis Iden (T-42) |
| 1986 | 37 | 7 | Robert Hoff (T-37) |
| 1985 | 53 | 7 | William Hyndman III (T-18) |
| 1984 | 54 | 13 | Dale More & Fordie Pitts Jr. (T-13) |
| 1983 | 46 | 9 | Robert Rawlins (T-15) |
| 1982 | 42 | 4 | John Harbottle (42nd) |
| 1981 | 45 | 6 | Glenn Johnson (T-16) |
| 1980 | 67 | 16 | William C. Campbell (2nd) |
QUALIFIERS – Carlos Franco, Joey Sindelar, Matt Gogel and Sam Randolph, who have all been victorious on the PGA Tour, and four-time PGA Tour Champions winner Esteban Toledo are among the 82 U.S. Senior Open qualifiers.
Franco, who shot 67 to earn medalist honors in the Columbus, Ohio, qualifier, has won four PGA Tour events and been a winner on PGA Tour Champions and the Japan Golf Tour. Sindelar, who has competed in 11 U.S. Senior Opens, owns seven PGA Tour victories and tied for sixth in the 1992 U.S. Open. Gogel claimed the 2002 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and won six Nike Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) events. Randolph, who won the 1985 U.S. Amateur, won the 1987 Bank of Boston Classic. Toledo was medalist with a 67 in the Milton, Ga., qualifier to earn his eighth trip to the U.S. Senior Open.
Doug Garwood and Fran Quinn tied for 14th in the 2019 U.S. Senior Open, the best finishes by qualifiers. In the previous two Senior Opens, qualifier Tim Petrovic tied for second in 2018 at The Broadmoor and Glen Day tied for sixth in 2017 at Salem Country Club.
Note: In 2002, Don Pooley became the only player to win the U.S. Senior Open as a qualifier.
QUALIFYING HISTORY
Todd White, who was a member of the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team, carded the lowest round (65) in qualifying on June 2 at Green Valley Country Club, in Greenville, S.C. In 2018, Kent Jones matched the lowest round in U.S. Senior Open qualifying history with a bogey-free 63 in the Santa Fe, N.M., qualifier. He had one eagle and seven birdies at Las Campanas (Sunset Course). Leonard Thompson fired a 63 at Florence (S.C.) Country Club in 2006 and Jimmy Blanks shot the same score at Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort, in Haines City, Fla., in 1996.
U.S. Senior Open Qualifying Low Scores (Since 1980)
63, Kent Jones, 2018 (The Club at Las Campanas; Santa Fe, N.M.)
63, Leonard Thompson, 2006 (Florence, S.C.; Florence C.C.)
63, Jimmy Blanks, 1996 (Haines City, Fla.; Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort)
64, Clark Dennis, 2017 (Dallas, Texas; Las Colinas Country Club)
64, Brad Lardon, 2016 (The Woodlands, Texas; Club at Carlton Woods / Nicklaus Course)
64, Bill Harvey, 2014 (Albuquerque, N.M.; Albuquerque C.C.)
64, a-Bert Atkinson, 2009 (Florence, S.C.; Florence C.C.)
64, Steve Haskins, 2009 (Albuquerque, N.M.; Albuquerque C.C.)
64, Wesley Burton, 2007 (Boynton Beach, Fla.; Quail Ridge C.C. / North Course)
64, Rod Souza, 2004 (Copperopolis, Calif.; Saddle Creek C.C.)
64, Robert Gaona, 2002 (Goodyear, Ariz.; Tuscany Falls C.C.)
64, Dick McClean, 2001 (Redlands, Calif.; Redlands C.C.)
64, Steve Moreland, 2000 (Charlotte, N.C.; Cedarwood C.C.)
2021 U.S. SENIOR OPEN NOTES
►Omaha Country Club will be hosting its second U.S. Senior Open Championship (2013)
►Omaha Country Club will be the seventh course to host the U.S. Senior Open twice
►The 41st U.S. Senior Open will be the fourth USGA championship to be conducted in Nebraska
►This will be the seventh time the U.S. Senior Open Championship is held in the Central Plains
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NEBRASKA
This will be the fourth USGA championship held in Nebraska and the second U.S. Senior Open held in the state. In 1941, Marvin (Bud) Ward defeated Pat Abbott to win the U.S. Amateur at the Field Club of Omaha. In 1996 at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Kelli Kuehne won her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Amateur title.
1941 U.S. Amateur: Field Club of Omaha, Marvin Ward def. B. Patrick Abbott, 4 and 3
1996 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Firethorn G.C., Kelli Kuehne def. Marisa Baena, 2 and 1
2013 U.S. Senior Open: Omaha C.C., Kenny Perry won by five strokes over Fred Funk (267-272
OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS AT OMAHA COUNTRY CLUB
Omaha Country Club has hosted the Nebraska State Amateur on 16 occasions, most recently in 2016. Johnny Goodman, the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, in 1933, is an Omaha native who won the second of his three consecutive Nebraska State Amateurs at Omaha C.C. in 1930.
U.S. SENIOR OPENS IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS
1983 U.S. Senior Open: Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn. (Billy Casper)
1999 U.S. Senior Open: Des Moines Golf & Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa (Dave Eichelberger)
2004 U.S. Senior Open: Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, Mo. (Peter Jacobsen)
2006 U.S. Senior Open: Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kan. (Allen Doyle)
2013 U.S. Senior Open: Omaha Country Club, Omaha, Neb. (Kenny Perry)
2014 U.S. Senior Open: Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla. (Colin Montgomerie)
2018 U.S. Senior Open: The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo. (David Toms)
2013 U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Kenny Perry carded a 7-under-par 63 in Round 4 that matched the week’s low round and was one off the championship record to win the 2013 U.S. Senior Open Championship by five strokes at Omaha Country Club. Perry’s 72-hole score of 13-under 267 was well ahead of runner-up Fred Funk (272). Corey Pavin and Rocco Mediate tied for third at 7-under 273.
Perry’s 127 total over the final two rounds shattered the U.S. Senior Open record by three strokes and his 10-stroke comeback over the final 36 holes is the largest in championship history. Perry became the third player to win the Senior Open and Senior Players in the same year, joining Gary Player (1987) and Orville Moody (1989).
Perry, who matched Hale Irwin for the lowest 72-hole score in U.S. Senior Open history at the time, started the day two strokes behind 54-hole leader Michael Allen, who shot a 2-over 72 to finish fifth at 274. Perry raced by the field with a 5-under 30 on the outward nine. During one stretch, he birdied five of six holes.
2021 U.S. Senior Open Players Who Competed in 2013 U.S. Senior Open (23): Robin Byrd (MC), Roger Chapman (MC), Fred Couples (T-14), Peter Fowler (T-35), Fred Funk (2), Jay Haas (T-35), Barry Lane (T-23), Bernhard Langer (T-14), Tom Lehman (T-9), a-Michael McCoy (MC), Rocco Mediate (T-3), Colin Montgomerie (T-30), Mark O’Meara (19), Corey Pavin (T-3), Tom Pernice Jr. (T-23), Kenny Perry (1), John Riegger (T-23), Gene Sauers (T-35), Joey Sindelar (MC), Jeff Sluman (T-6), Esteban Toledo (T-30), Kirk Triplett (T-9), a-Jeff Wilson (MC)
ARCHITECT – Omaha Country Club was established in 1899, and the course on the current site was designed in 1925 by William Langford and Theodore Moreau on 190 acres of farmland and forested countryside. Perry Maxwell, a founding member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, was commissioned to redesign the course in 1951. Keith Foster directed major renovations and enhancements to the course in 2005.
THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED IN THE SENIOR OPEN:
Colin Montgomerie – the last international winner (2014)
Allen Doyle – the last to defend title successfully (2006)
Steve Stricker – the last to win in his first attempt (2019)
David Toms – the last to win in his second attempt (2018)
Olin Browne – the last start-to-finish winner with no ties (2011)
Hale Irwin – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to win by one stroke (1998)
Gary Player – the last winner without a round in the 60s (1988)
Steve Stricker – the last winner with all rounds in the 60s (2019)
Gene Sauers – the last defending champion to miss the cut (2017)
Don Pooley – the last winner to come through qualifying (2002)
FUTURE U.S. SENIOR OPENS
June 23-26, 2022: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old Course), Bethlehem, Pa.
June 29-July 2, 2023: SentryWorld, Stevens Point, Wis.
June 27-20, 2024: Newport (R.I.) Country Club
June 26-29, 2025: The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo.
PAST SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONS – Since the U.S. Senior Open began in 1980, three players have successfully defended their title: Miller Barber (1984-’85), Gary Player (1987-’88) and Allen Doyle (2005-’06). In 2018, David Toms became the second player to win the championship after missing the cut the previous year.
SENIOR MAJOR CHAMPIONS – Alex Cejka has won two of the three senior major championships contested in 2021. Jerry Kelly, a two-time U.S. Senior Open runner-up, won the only senior major played in 2020 due to the pandemic. Bernhard Langer has won 11 senior major professional titles. Langer became the all-time leader in that category with his 2017 Senior PGA Championship victory. Jack Nicklaus is second with eight and Hale Irwin is third with seven.
CAREER SENIOR MAJOR LEADERS – Bernhard Langer, who has won all five senior major professional titles, is the career leader in that category with 11. Jack Nicklaus, a two-time U.S. Senior Open champion, is second with eight senior major professional titles. Hale Irwin, who won the U.S. Senior Open in 1998 and 2000, is third with seven senior majors.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
The 41st U.S. Senior Open will receive at least 20 hours of live network coverage. Rolex is the exclusive presenting partner of coverage for eight USGA championships in 2021, including the U.S. Senior Open. Rolex’s commitment will allow an uninterrupted broadcast of these championships, providing fans with hours of continuous live action.
Led by producer Brandt Packer and director John DelVecchio, NBCUniversal’s production will utilize a roster of broadcasters that includes two past USGA champions – Lanny Wadkins (1970 U.S. Amateur) and John Cook (1978 U.S. Amateur). Bob Papa (anchor) and Wadkins (analyst) will be the lead NBCUniversal broadcast team. Wadkins, the 1977 PGA champion, tied for second in the 1986 U.S. Open and was a member of two USA Walker Cup Teams. Cook has competed in 23 U.S. Opens and 12 U.S. Seniors Opens. Billy Ray Brown, who tied for third in the 1990 U.S. Open at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club, and Jim Gallagher Jr., who played in 10 U.S. Opens, are the other announcers. Papa, who handles Golf Channel’s regular PGA Tour Champions coverage, is the longtime voice of the NFL’s New York Giants.
SENIOR OPEN BIRTHDAYS – Five players in the U.S. Senior Open field will be celebrating a birthday around the championship. Scott Verplank, who turns 57 on July 9, date of Round 2, won the 1984 U.S. Amateur and owns five PGA Tour victories. Kevin Sutherland, who celebrated his 57th birthday on July 4, has captured a pair of Charles Schwab Cup Championships (2017, 2020).
2021 U.S. Senior Open Competitors
Name Birthdate Age (on birthday)
Bobby Gage 7-3-65 56
Kevin Sutherland 7-4-64 57
Markus Brier 7-5-68 53
Scott Verplank 7-9-64 57
Dicky Pride 7-15-69 52
OLDEST & YOUNGEST – Jay Haas is the oldest player in this year’s U.S. Senior Open field. Haas, who has played in 15 U.S. Senior Opens and has five top-10 finishes, is 67 years old. Mark Hensby, who was the medalist in the North Riverside, Ill., qualifier, is the youngest, having turned 50 on June 29. Hensby, who tied for third in the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, has won on the PGA Tour, PGA European Tour and Nationwide Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour).
FIELD FOR THE AGES – Six players in the 2021 U.S. Senior Open field have celebrated their 50th birthday since January. Bobby Cochran, a PGA club professional, turned 50 on Jan. 21. Cochran, who was a first-team All-American at Florida State University, is part of a golf family. His grandfather, Bob, played in 14 U.S. Amateurs and six U.S. Opens and was a member of the 1961 USA Walker Cup Team. His father, Bill, was the head golf coach at Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tenn., for 19 years and guided the Division III program to six NCAA Championship appearances.
There are 27 players in the field who are 60 or older. Olin Browne (2011), Brad Bryant (2007), Roger Chapman (2012), Fred Funk (2009), Bernhard Langer (2010) and Kenny Perry (2013, ’17) are U.S. Senior Open champions.
The average age of the 156-player field is 55.49.
INTERNATIONAL GROUP – There are 20 countries represented in the 2021 U.S. Senior Open. The USA has 121 players in the field, while England and Australia each have four.
Countries with players in the field: United States (121), Australia (4), England (4), Argentina (3), Canada (3), South Africa (3), Germany (2), Paraguay (2), Spain (2), Sweden (2), Austria (1), Colombia (1), Fiji (1), France (1), Japan (1), Mexico (1), Northern Ireland (1), Scotland (1), Thailand (1) and Wales (1)
FIRST TIME IN U.S. SENIOR OPEN – There are 72 players in the 2021 championship field who are playing in their first U.S. Senior Open. Robert Karlsson, of Sweden, has won 11 PGA European Tour events. The 51-year-old played in eight U.S. Opens and tied for fourth in 2008 at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Rod Pampling, 51, of Australia, has won on four professional tours, including three PGA Tour tournaments. He competed in eight U.S. Opens.
List of First-Time U.S. Senior Open Competitors (72): John Aber, Doug Barron, a-John Bearrie, Cameron Beckman, Rich Beem, a-Ricky Bell, Jody Bellflower, Shane Bertsch, Eric Bogar, Markus Brier, a-Buck Brittain, Alex Cejka, a-Dean Channell, a-Doug Clapp, a-Tim Cobb, Bobby Cochran, a-Ken Crawford, a-Sean Crowley, a-Greg Daggett, a-Greg Davies, a-Keith Decker, Ernie Els, a-Sal Felice II, Gene Fieger, a-Drew Forrester, a-Chad Frank, Raymond Franz, Jim Furyk, Judd Gibb, Matt Gogel, Ricardo Gonzalez, Joakim Haeggman, a-Neal Hendee, Mark Hensby, a-Chad Ibbotson, Steve Isley Jr., Thongchai Jaidee, Chris Jorgensen, Robert Karlsson, a-Michael Ketcham, James Kingston, Bradley Klapprott, Kevin Kraft, Lionel Kunka, Michael Laudien, a-Jon Lindstrom, a-Scott Lorenz, a-Brian Lovett, Marcus Meloan, a-William Mitchell, Mauricio Molina, Brent Murray, John Ogden, Jose Maria Olazabal, Rod Pampling, a-Jim Patterson, Dicky Pride, Brett Quigley, David Quinn, Harry Rudolph, Steve Runge, a-Eric Rustand, David Shacklady, a-William Smith, a-Travis Steed, a-Mark Strickland, Craig Van Horn, Eric Veileux, Terry Walsh, Wade Weems, Mike Weir, a-Todd White.
OMAHA’S JOHNNY GOODMAN – Johnny Goodman, the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, in 1933, is one of 12 players to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur. Others to have accomplished this feat are Bob Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau. Goodman, who attended South Omaha High School and was a caddie at the Field Club of Omaha growing up, captured his U.S. Amateur title in 1937. Johnny Goodman Golf Course, part of the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department, is about 15 miles from Omaha Country Club.
GOLF ADMINISTRATOR – Mike Ketcham, 56, of Oro Valley, Ariz., is the University of Arizona’s senior associate athletics director with supervision of the basketball and football programs. He advanced to his first U.S. Senior Open in the Santa Fe, N.M., qualifier. Ketcham was the head men’s golf coach at the University of Arkansas from 2001-06, and guided the Razorbacks to two NCAA Championships appearances. A native of Ottumwa, Iowa, Ketcham also coached at Oregon State, San Jose State and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College. He played on two Arkansas teams that reached the NCAAs.
ROAD TO FIRST SENIOR – Drew Forrester, 58, of Parkville, Md., is the head boys’ golf coach at Calvert Hall College High School. He survived a 3-for-1 playoff by making a birdie on the fourth playoff hole in the Silver Springs, Md., qualifier on June 14. Forrester birdied his final two holes, including hitting a 6-iron to within 6 feet on No. 18, for a 1-under 69 at Argyle Country Club. He then had to wait five hours for the afternoon groups to complete their rounds. Forrester, who accepted his current job in 2010, worked 17 years for a professional soccer organization before transitioning to Baltimore sports talk radio in 2002.
USGA FIRST – Judd Gibb, 52, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, will travel three hours southwest from his hometown to play in his first USGA championship. Gibb survived a playoff with Jerry Smith and Tim Herron by converting a tap-in par on the third extra hole in the Prior Lake, Minn., qualifier on May 19. Gibb, who is a five-time Iowa PGA player of the year, is the director of instruction at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge. He played at Iowa State University from 1987-92, and helped the Cyclones advance to two NCAA regionals. Gibb, who was an assistant coach at his alma mater for three years, was inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame in 2020. Smith and Michael McCoy, both of whom were previously enshrined in the state hall, are also in the 2021 U.S. Senior Open field.
SERVICE ACE – Shane Bertsch, 51, of Denver, Colo., was once a top tennis player on the junior level in his home state. He later gave up the sport competitively following a straight-set loss to the future No. 1-ranked player Andre Agassi. Bertsch, who played on the PGA and Nationwide (now Korn Ferry) Tours, earned an exemption into his first U.S. Senior Open by winning the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Ridge event in August 2020. He eagled the first extra hole in a four-man playoff with Bernhard Langer, Kenny Perry and Glen Day.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE – Robin Byrd, 60, of Satellite Beach, Fla., was the medalist in the Omaha, Neb., qualifier on June 7. Byrd, who will play in his third U.S. Senior Open, also qualified for the 2013 championship at Omaha Country Club. Byrd shot 69 at Happy Hollow Club to earn his spot in this year’s field. He overcame a double bogey on the inward nine with back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16. Byrd, who started playing at age 11, has competed on the Nike (now Korn Ferry), Australasian, Asian and PGA European Tours and has won nearly 40 mini-tour events.
EYE ON THE PRIZE – Brian Lovett, 51, of St. Louis, Mo., shot 31 on his inward nine in carding a 70 to earn medalist honors in the Fort Wayne, Ind., qualifier on May 20. Lovett, who putts with his right eye closed, made three birdies and an eagle during that stretch, the front nine at Orchard Ridge Country Club, to advance to his first U.S. Senior Open. Lovett, who manages mergers and acquisitions for a holding company, was a wide receiver at Southern Methodist University in 1989-90. His coach was Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Forrest Gregg.
HERE’S TO GOOD HEALTH – Billy Mitchell, 55, of Roswell, Ga., is a performance health coach who has trained PGA Tour players Stewart Cink, Roberto Castro and Casey Wittenberg and LPGA Tour players Mariah Stackhouse and Dori Carter. Mitchell, who has also consulted college and high school teams, was one of five players to advance through the Milton, Ga., qualifier. Mitchell, whose father, Lawson, was a longtime club professional, reached the Round of 16 in the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur.
MORE THAN A TEACHER – Todd White, 53, of Spartanburg, S.C., is a history teacher who also coaches the boys’ and girls’ golf teams at Spartanburg High School. The Vikings tied for fourth in the Class 5A boys state championship and the girls finished ninth in the state in 2021. White will compete in his first U.S. Senior Open and 30th USGA championship in Omaha. He and Nathan Smith partnered to win the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2015 at The Olympic Club. White and Smith were members of the victorious 2013 USA Walker Cup Team.
DON’T JUDGE ME – George “Buck” Brittain, 54, of Tazewell, Va., is a general district court judge in Virginia’s 29th District. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Virginia Tech and a law degree from the University of Richmond prior to serving 18 years as an attorney. Brittain, who competed in the 2012 USGA Men’s State Team Championship, was the Virginia State Golf Association Golfer of the Year in 2018 when he qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur and reached match play in the VSGA Amateur.
BLAZING START – Alex Cejka, 50, of Germany, has won two major championships in his first year on PGA Tour Champions. He defeated Steve Stricker in a playoff to win The Tradition on May 9 and fired a final-round 67 to claim the Senior PGA Championship on May 30. Cejka was born in the Czech Republic but left the country with his parents as a refugee at age 9 before settling in Munich, Germany. Cejka has posted victories on six different tours, including the PGA Tour and PGA European Tour. He played in seven U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for eighth in 2010 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.
THREESOME OF CHAMPIONS – There have been 22 players in the history of the U.S. Open to claim the championship more than once and three who have accomplished the feat are in this year’s U.S. Senior Open at Omaha Country Club. Ernie Els won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997 and also owns a pair of British Open Championships (2002, 2012). Els has combined to win 47 times on the PGA Tour and PGA European Tour. Lee Janzen captured the U.S. Open title in 1993 and 1998. Retief Goosen was a U.S. Open champion in 2001 and 2004.
FIRST-TIME FURYK – Jim Furyk, 51, will compete in his first U.S. Senior Open after the 2020 championship was canceled. Furyk won the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club, three strokes ahead of Stephen Leaney. He also was runner-up three times, most recently in 2016 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Furyk, who won twice on PGA Tour Champions in 2020, has played in 24 U.S. Opens and recorded seven top-5 finishes. He has recorded 17 PGA Tour victories, including a pair of wins in the Canadian Open (2006, 2007).
THE BEAR – Eric Veilleux, 53, is the head golf professional at The Bear’s Club, in Jupiter, Fla. The course was designed by two-time U.S. Senior Open champion Jack Nicklaus and opened for play in 1999. Veilleux reached his first Senior Open as the first alternate from the Jupiter, Fla., qualifier when exempt player Scott McCarron withdrew. The Bear’s Club has hosted U.S. Open final qualifying three times, including this year when medalist Patrick Rodgers was among six players who advanced.
SPECIAL EXEMPTION – The USGA awarded a special exemption into the 41st U.S. Senior Open to two-time Masters Tournament champion Jose Maria Olazabal, of Spain. Olazabal, 55, won the Masters in 1994 and 1999 and has recorded six PGA Tour and 23 PGA European Tour victories. He played in 18 U.S. Opens, with his best finishes being ties for eighth in both 1990 and 1991. Olazabal, who will compete in his first U.S. Senior Open, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.
MAJOR PLAYERS – Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters Tournament champion, and Rich Beem, the 2002 PGA Championship winner, are among five major champions who are playing in their first U.S. Senior Open. Ernie Els, who captured two U.S. Opens and two British Open Championships, Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters winner, and Jim Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, are also in this group. Weir, who competed in 14 U.S. Opens, won the Masters in a playoff with Len Mattiace. Beem, who played in seven U.S. Opens, held off a hard-charging Tiger Woods to win the PGA at Hazeltine National by one stroke.
LIFE’S CIRCLE – Harry Rudolph III, 51, of La Jolla, Calif., competed at a high level in his youth, became a professional, left the game for nearly a decade, returned later as a reinstated amateur and is now a pro again. In 1987, Rudolph knocked heads on the junior circuit with six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and advanced far into match play in both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur. He went on to earn All-America honors at the University of Arizona, where he teamed with Jim Furyk and others to win the 1992 NCAA Championship. His fortunes never blossomed as a professional and he put the clubs away in 1999. His father, Harry Jr., a former batboy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, opened Harry’s Coffee Shop, 6 miles from Torrey Pines Golf Course, the site of this year’s U.S. Open, in the mold of the great New York diners. Harry III, along with his siblings, spent most of his time operating the San Diego establishment. He eventually returned to the game and reached match play in the 2010 U.S. Amateur. He will now play in his first U.S. Senior Open after qualifying at San Diego Country Club on June 14.
LATE TO THE FIELD – Mauricio Molina and Ted Tryba, a pair of 54-year-old professionals, were added to the 2021 U.S. Senior Open field during the week prior to the championship. Molina, of Argentina, has played in five senior professional majors but this is his first U.S. Senior Open. Molina, who was a caddie prior to 1985, owns two Canadian Tour wins. Tryba, of Orlando, Fla., is playing in his second U.S. Senior Open. A three-time All-American at Ohio State University, Tryba won twice on the PGA Tour and competed in five U.S. Opens. He is also an instructor at his own golf academy.
STAR-SPANGLED WINNER – Cameron Beckman, 51, of San Antonio, Texas, earned an exemption into the U.S. Senior Open field with his one-stroke victory over Ernie Els in the PGA Tour Champions Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on July 4. Beckman, who is playing in his first Senior Open, was a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 2008 Frys.com Open and 2010 Mayakoba Golf Classic. A native of Minneapolis, Minn., Beckman has played in two U.S Opens (2000, 2009) and was the 1991 NAIA champion at Texas Lutheran University.
ON TOUR – Nine players have won multiple events during the combined 2020-21 PGA Tour Champions season. Kevin Sutherland, who has competed in six U.S. Senior Opens and has three top-10 finishes, won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in a nine-hole playoff with Paul Broadhurst last November. He added the Cologuard Classic title in February.
IN MEMORIAM – Doug Sanders, who was the runner-up to Gary Player in the 1987 U.S. Senior Open at Brooklawn Country Club, in Fairfield, Conn., died at age 86 on April 12, 2020. Sanders, who won 20 PGA Tour events, tied for second in the 1961 U.S. Open and finished second in three of the four professional major championships during his career. Since the 2019 championship, eight other players who competed in several U.S. Senior Opens have died, including Jimmy Powell, who played in nine Senior Opens and tied for ninth in 1989. Other players who passed away, with their number of U.S. Senior Open starts are: Rocky Thompson (13), DeWitt Weaver (10), Lonnie Nielsen (8), Mike Joyce (7), Bill Johnston (6), Al Mengert (5) and Bob Betley (4).
