Three amateurs currently exempt for 2017 U.S. Open
Maverick McNealy at December's Walker Cup practice session
(Golfweek.com Photo)
(April 27, 2017) - With the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills just under two months away the USGA released a list of 51 golfers that are currently fully exempt. Of the list three of the players were amateurs Brad Dalke, Scott Gregory and Maverick McNealy.
Dalke, a sophomore at Oklahoma, earned his spot into the U.S. Open by way of his runner-up finish at last years U.S. Amateur. Earlier this month Dalke made his major debut at the Masters.
Gregory will be playing in his first third consecutive major after winning last years British Amateur. Last July Gregory played in the British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club and then a few weeks ago he teed it up at Augusta National Golf Club.
The final amateur in the field so far is Stanford senior Maverick McNealy. Currently, the top-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, McNealy earned his spot in the field by winning the 2016 Mark H. McCormack Medal which is given each year to the top-ranked player in the WAGR. The award also means that McNealy is exempt into this years British Open at Royal Birkdale.
ABOUT THE
U.S. Open Golf Championship
The U.S. Open is the biggest of the 15 national
championships conducted by the USGA.
Open
to amateurs and professionals. Amateurs gain
entry via USGA win or runner-up finishes while having the opportunity
to qualify alongside non-exempt professionals in an 18-hole "Local' qualifying followed
by 36-hole "Final" qualifying which is affectionately known as golf's longest day.
Highly-ranked amateurs will be exempted past the 18-hole Local Qualifying. See the
USGA website for details. And if you are exempt on any level be sure to apply by the deadline anyway.
The USGA intends to make the U.S. Open
the
most rigorous, yet fair, examination of golf
skills, testing all forms of shot-making. The
USGA prepares the course after careful
consideration of 14 different factors.
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