As the third Major of this year swings around, the anticipation to celebrate the U.S. Open Championship is building as we learn more about the 121st edition of the tournament. Unlike other Majors, the U.S. Open still took place in 2020, despite the Coronavirus pandemic, with Bryson DeChambeau taking the victory in New York with a margin of six strokes. This year, the U.S. Open Championship will be held at Torrey Pines Golf Course, which has been the tournament’s previous home in 2008, won by the infamous Tiger Woods (with only a 1 shot lead). Read on to discover more information about what is to come from this year’s U.S. Open.
Torrey Pines Golf Course | San Diego, California
In true Majors fashion, the course is 18 holes consisting of 32 acres of fairway, 68 acres of rough, 54 sand bunkers and one water hazard. For this championship specifically, the professionals will be playing on the South Course at Torrey Pines, which is longer and more difficult than the north, at 7,800 yards in length.
A limited number of fans will be permitted to attend the championship, with the USGA implementing social distancing and general welfare regulations on site.
Qualifiers | How Do Professional Golfer’s Earn Their Place At The U.S. Open 2021?
156 spaces are open to play at the U.S. Open and to earn exemption, players must be successful in competing in a qualifying event. These are the exemption categories, defined by the USGA:
- Winners of the U.S. Open for the last ten years
- From the 2020 U.S. Open, the lowest 10 scorers and the ties
- Winner of 2020 U.S. Amateur Championship
- Runner-Up in 202 U.S. Amateur (Must be an amateur)
- Winners of the Masters Tournament from 2017-2021
- Winners of the PGA Championship from 2016-2021
- Winners of the Open Championship from 2016-2021
- Winners of The Players Championship in 2019 and 2021
- Winner of 2020 BMW PGA Championship
- Players qualifying for the season-ending 2020 tour championship
- Winners of multiple full-point PGA Tour events from the originally scheduled 2020 U.S. Open to the 2021 U.S. Open
- The top ten aggregate points earners from the Three-Event U.S. Open 2021 European Qualifying Series
- Winner of the 2020 The Amateur Championship staged by The R&A (Must be an amateur)
- Winner of the 2020 Mark H. McCormack Medal for being the #1 player in the WAGR (World Amateur Golf Ranking)
- The Top 60 point leaders and ties from the May 24th OWGR
- The Top 60 point leaders and ties from the June 7th OWGR
- Leading player from 2020 Asian Tour Order of Merit, 2020 ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australia Order of Merit & 2021 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit
- Special exemptions as selected by the USGA.
So far there are a few surprising professionals who did not qualify for the U.S. Open including Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Jason Day and more. For a full list of those with exemptions or have qualified for this tournament, view the U.S. Open website.
Who will win?
The previous five champions of the U.S. Open Championship will definitely be names that you have heard if you enjoy watching golf:
- 2015: Jordan Spieth
- 2016: Dustin Johnson
- 2017 & 2018: Brooks Koepka
- 2019: Gary Woodland
- 2020: Bryson DeChambeau
However, there is definitely tough competition, including some of the second place golfers from these same years; Matthew Wolff (2020), Tommy Fleetwood (2018), Hideki Matsuyama (2017). Take a look at some of the odds (as of 9th June):
- Jon Rahm: 8/1
- Jordan Spieth: 14/1
- Dustin Johnson: 14/1
- Bryson DeChambeau: 14/1
- Brooks Koepka: 14/1
- Xander Schauffele: 16/1
- Justin Thomas: 16/1
- Rory McIlroy: 16/1
Despite having to withdraw from The Memorial Tournament this year due to testing positive for Covid-19, Jon Rahm only has to isolate until two days before the U.S. Open, meaning he is still in the running to compete.
If you are like us and cannot contain your excitement, have a watch of last year’s top shots at the U.S. Open:
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