Ian Poulter, Charley Hoffman and Bernd Wiesberger were among 13 golfers on Tuesday who earned exemptions into the field of this month’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in the San Diego suburbs.
The USGA announced the final results for two categories of exemption. Players ranked inside the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of Monday and who were not previously exempt earned passes to play in the major.
That brought in Austria’s Wiesberger (No. 52 in the OWGR this week), England’s Poulter (No. 57) and Hoffman (No. 58).
Hoffman may have something of a home-course advantage. He hails from San Diego, once made a hole-in-one on Torrey Pines’ South Course during a 2014 PGA Tour event and hosts a pro-am benefiting his foundation at the famed course.
Poulter, who has yet to win a major during his 26-year professional career, will be making his 16th start at the U.S. Open. It’s the only major where he hasn’t finished in the top 10.
Wiesberger, an eight-time European Tour winner, will make his seventh appearance at the U.S. Open.
The other category of exemption rewarded the top 10 golfers in the three-event European Tour Qualifying Series who weren’t previously exempt. Players earned points toward qualification over the course of three European Tour events — the Betfred British Masters, the Made in HimmerLand and the Porsche European Open — as a substitute for traditional qualifying not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 10 players who were awarded exemptions this way were Richard Bland (England), Guido Migliozzi (Italy), Marcus Armitage (England), Mikko Korhonen (Finland), Jordan Smith (England), Adrian Meronk (Poland), Edoardo Molinari (Italy), Dave Coupland (England), Thomas Detry (Belgium) and Matthew Southgate (England).
The U.S. Open will take place June 17-20. Bryson DeChambeau is the defending champion.
–Field Level Media