Of the four annual golf majors, the U.S. Open was established by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1895; the organization itself was founded in 1894. The event is usually held in mid-June and has only been cancelled during both World Wars.
The U.S. Open has been played in a 72-hole stroke-play format since 1898. The tournament was initially dominated by seasoned British competitors until 1911 when John J. McDermott became the first American to win the event as a native-born citizen. Soon after, American players started to consistently win, and the event evolved to become one of the four majors.
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The U.S. Open Field
The U.S. Open has a field of 156 golfers.
There are 156 players in the field for the U.S. Open, and any professional player can apply to qualify. However, due to a lengthy list of exemptions, the majority of the field is typically occupied by players who are exempt from qualifying. Amateur golfers may also apply if their handicap is no greater than 1.4.
Know More : US Open Field
The U.S. Open Field Exemptions
The field exemptions for the U.S. Open are as follows:
| No. | Exemptions |
| 1 | Winners of the U.S. Open for the last ten years |
| 2 | Winner and runner-up from the previous year's U.S. Amateur (still amateurs) |
| 3 | Winners of the previous year's U.S. Junior Amateur (still amateurs) |
| 4 | Winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur (still amateurs) |
| 5 | Winner of the U.S. Amateur (may turn professional and retain eligibility) |
| 6 | Winner of the previous year's Amateur Championship |
| 7 | Previous year's Mark H. McCormack Medal winner |
| 8 | Winners of the Masters, Open Championship, and PGA Championship for the last five years |
| 9 | Winners of the last three Players Championships |
| 10 | Winner of the current year's BMW PGA Championship |
| 11 | Winner of the last U.S. Senior Open |
| 12 | Players who win multiple U.S. PGA Tour events offering 500+ points |
| 13 | Reigning men's Olympic gold medalist (year after the Olympics) |
| 14 | Top 10 finishers and ties from the previous year's U.S. Open |
| 15 | Players who qualified for the previous year's Tour Championship |
| 16 | Top 60 in the OWGR as of the tournament date |
| 17 | Top player in the PGA Tour second-tier developmental series points from the previous season (starting in 2023) |
| 17 | Special exemptions selected by the USGA |
| 18 | The remaining spots are filled by alternates from qualifying tournaments |
Read More : US Open Winners
FAQ's On U.S. Open field
A. The U.S. Open's field is set at 156 players each year.
A. After 36 holes, the field for the U.S. Open is reduced to the top 60 players and ties.
A. Any professional golfer can apply to qualify for the U.S. Open.
A. In total, 18 LIV golfers will be exempt from at least one major in 2024.
A. Any professional can qualify for the U.S. Open; however, amateurs need a handicap of at least 1.4.
