Random USGA News 16 April 2023

Random USGA News 16 April 2023

Here’s a collection of random news from the USGA: a new app, a new record for US Open entries, new qualifying rules and more.

New USGA App Goes Live

The United States Golf Association has launched a new App in conjunction with fully redesigned championship pages at usga.org. For the first time, the USGA App will feature live scoring and coverage of all 15 USGA championships through an elevated user experience that will provide a more engaging digital landscape for fans to immerse themselves in our national championships.

The USGA App built by Deloitte is an all-in-one destination for fans that offers an improved visual, immersive and intuitive experience. Deloitte has built a scalable foundation to support new features and innovations to bolster wall-to-wall content from USGA championships, such as shot-by-shot tracking, in depth stats and win probability, mobile ticketing and on-site GPS wayfinding. In addition, on-demand scorecard highlights for all televised shots of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open will be available in real time.

A Record 10, 187 Entries To 123rd US Open

 A record 10, 187 have had their entries accepted for the 123rd US Open at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club’s North Course. The U.S. Open will be held at the club for the first time on June 15-18, 2023.

The number of entries eclipses the total of 10,127 accepted for the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2. The USGA accepted entries for the 2023 U.S. Open from golfers in all 50 states, including 1,282 from host state California, as well as Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and 87 foreign countries.

Cherry Hills Marks 100th Anniversary By Hosting the 123^rd U.S. Amateur Championship in August

Cherry Hills, the historic William Flynn-designed golf course set against the panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, is prepared to host its third United States Amateur Championship August 14-20.  

Cherry Hills, which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary as a club this summer, previously hosted the USGA’s oldest national championship in 1990 and 2012. Future six-time major winner Phil Mickelson brought home the U.S. Amateur title in 1990.

Future PGA Tour winners and major champions in the 2012 U.S. Amateur field included Justin Thomas (15 PGA Tour wins, two majors), Jordan Spieth (13 PGA Tour wins, three majors), and Bryson DeChambeau (eight PGA Tour wins, one major). Other eventual PGA Tour winners include Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Daniel Berger, Taylor Gooch, Mackenzie Hughes, Trey Mullinax, Sepp Straka, and Aaron Wise. Together, this group has compiled 68 PGA Tour wins and seven major championships, making the case of arguably the greatest field for a U.S. Amateur in modern times.

2023 WAGR Exemption Modifications For Amateur Championships

For 2023, the USGA has two modifications to the World Amateur Golf Ranking exemption criteria for amateur championshipos:

The two changes are as follows:  

• Addition of a new WAGR exemption category that is determined at the release of entries. A breakdown of how many players are exempt in this category by championship is below. The wording will mirror the current WAGR exemption category. 
• Those who qualify for the WAGR Exemption Category for all amateur championships will be determined the Wednesday prior to the close of entries. For example, entries for the U.S. Women’s Amateur close on June 14; thus the top 25 players in WAGR will be determined from the Wednesday, June 7 ranking.

Championship	New Additional Exemption    (Entries open)	Current Exemption Modification   (One week prior to    close of entries)
U.S. Amateur	Top 10	Top 50
U.S. Women’s Amateur	Top 10	Top 25
U.S. Junior Amateur*	Top 25	Top 85
U.S. Girls’ Junior*	Top 15	Top 40
U.S. Mid-Amateur*	Top 15	Top 40
U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur*	Top 10	Top 30
U.S. Senior Amateur*	Top 10	Top 25
U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur*	Top 10	Top 30

Amateur Championship Qualifying Modifications For 2024

For the first time in more than 20 years, the USGA is making changes to its amateur championship qualifying. These changes, which will take effect for the organization’s four premier amateur championships beginning in 2024, will allow the events to retain their openness while ensuring that high-caliber players are provided ample opportunity to earn a spot in the field and that qualifying can be conducted at the highest level among growing entries and field sizes.

The most significant revisions for 2024 are to the U.S. Amateur, which will move from a one-stage, 36-hole qualifying format to a two-stage qualifying format with 45 18-hole local qualifying sites and 19 18-hole final qualifying sites. Other adjustments include:

• Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings;
• Expansion of World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR) exemption category to top 100 ranked players (previously 50);
• Establishment of local exemptions, which include top finishers in USGA championships, state/AGA amateur championships and top 600 WAGR players.

Changes to the other championships’ qualifying structures are outlined below:

U.S. Women’s Amateur

• Modest reduction in qualifying sites through the establishment of geographic rotations;
• Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings;
• Expansion of WAGR exemption category to top 50 players (previously 25).

U.S. Junior Amateur / U.S. Girls’ Junior

• Alignment of qualifying structure to encourage AGAs to conduct joint or concurrent qualifying;
• Exemptions for state, AGA, regional and national junior amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings;
• U.S. Junior Am expansion of WAGR age-filtered exemption category to top 100 (previously 85);
• U.S. Girls’ Junior expansion of WAGR age-filtered exemption category to top 50 (previously 40).

There will also be a lowering of Handicap Index® limits across all four championships and modifications to the performance policy that will be announced later. Determinations on the individual state, AGA, regional and national championships that will be part of the 2024 exemption criteria will be published prior to the release of entries for each respective championship.

The modifications will result in a net reduction of 94 qualifying sites, while providing more opportunities for players to earn a spot in a USGA championship through expanded exemptions, state/AGA amateur championships and traditional qualifying.

Saucon Valley Country Club Will Host Five USGA Championships

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that Saucon Valley Country Club, in Bethlehem, Pa., will be the host site for five USGA championships, including the 2032 and 2042 U.S. Senior Opens. The club The club will also host the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur, 2038 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 2051 U.S. Amateur.