It’s the golf equivalent of March Madness. OK, maybe the play-in game to March Madness.
There are nine sites spread out through the U.S. to determine the final qualifiers for the 121st edition of the U.S. Open, which will be played from June 17-20 on the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course, in San Diego, Calif.
Here’s a look at the locations where today’s action is taking place:
Local qualifiers sites
- Rolling Hills Country Club, Rolling Hills Estates, California
- The Bear’s Club, Jupiter, Florida
- Piedmont Driving Club, Atlanta, Georgia
- Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Maryland
- Century Country Club and Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, New York
- Brookside Golf & Country Club and The Lakes Golf & Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
- Springfield Country Club, Springfield, Ohio
- Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Meadow Springs Country Club, Richland, Washington
Golfweek has multiple reporters in the field and will be monitoring the action throughout the day. Check back often for updates.
Golf’s Longest Day need to know: TV info, who’s playing?
Palm Beach: Branden Grace making an early move
JUPITER, Florida — Branden Grace could have avoided a trip to the Bear’s Club had he finished no worse than a two-way tie for second place Sunday at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
That would have moved him inside the top 60 in the world rankings, but Grace finished alone in fourth and improved from No. 90 to No. 71.
No problem for Grace. The South African birdied five of his first eight holes Monday at Nicklaus’ private club and is leading early at 4-under after a front-nine 31. He’s tied for the lead. Seventy-eight players are vying for six spots into next week’s U.S. Open.
The field includes former world No. 1 Luke Donald (1-over after 14) , a Bear’s Club member, and 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (2-over after 14).
— Craig Dolch, 11:32 a.m.
NYC: Hot temps should make day interesting
The scene is set for the U.S. Open Qualifier just outside New York City. (Photo by David Dusek/Golfweek)
PURCHASE, New York — Logistically, playing 36 holes in one day at Century Country Club and Old Oaks Country Club is not complicated. The clubs are next to each other here in Westchester County, but the 79 golfers playing the double today have two significant challenges ahead of them.
Today they are competing in the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier, with four spots in the field at next week’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines up for grabs. That means pressure.
On top of that, the Tri-State area is in the midst of a heatwave. Monday is forecasted to be the fourth day in a row, with temperatures at or above 90 degrees. Unfortunately, the humidity is here too, with a thick haze making the skies above the courses a milky blue.
If you are looking for a barrage of birdies, this is not the place where you’ll find them. The last time these venerable courses hosted a U.S. Open Sectional qualifier (Century’s course opened in 1932 and Old Oaks opened in 1928) was in 2019. That year, Cameron Young was the medalist at 4 under par. Early this morning, he shot a 3-under 32 on his first nine holes at Old Oaks.
— David Dusek, 11:03 a.m. ET
Columbus: Loaded field gets a weather delay
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Golf’s Longest Day may turn into a two-day marathon here.
Players were removed from the two courses in the Columbus final qualifying – The Lakes Golf and Country Club and Brookside Golf and Country Club – at 9:15 a.m. and then both layouts got pounded by showers as thunder rolled through the skies. Players and caddies will have umbrellas and rain suits at the ready as the forecast only slightly gets better the rest of the day.
Rickie Fowler, 2011 PGA winner Keegan Bradley, 2013 PGA winner Jason Dufner, 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington are in Columbus. Also in the loaded field are PGA Tour winners Aaron Baddeley, Rory Sabbatini, David Lingmerth, Chez Reavie, Hudson Swafford, Matt Every, Martin Laird, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, J.B. Holmes, Robert Streb, Adam Long, Kyle Stanley, James Hahn, Jhonattan Vegas, J.T. Poston, Woody Austin and Brendan Steele.
Of the 120 players in the field, 16 will earn spots in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego in two weeks.
The Columbus qualifier at Brookside Golf & Country Club and The Lakes Golf & Country Club is currently in a weather
delay.
Live Scores: https://t.co/qJiNbanmH7#FromManyOne | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/IsvpqRzCdy
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 7, 2021
— Steve DiMeglio, 10:38 a.m. ET