U.S. Open Field Set at 156 for Bethpage Black (as of Monday 10 am EST)

The list of competitors for this year's U.S. Open has been released. The tournament takes place June 18-21 at Bethpage State Park's Black Course on Long Island, N.Y.

Contenders come from around the world—professionals and amateurs alike. Young and old. Experienced and inexperienced. All have the same goal, stated or otherwise, to become the U.S. Open champion.

First came the fully exempt—those with a right to compete based on past performance.

Past U.S. Open champions of the last 10 years include: Tiger Woods (2000 Pebble Beach, 2002 Bethpage Black, 2008 Torrey Pines South); Angel Cabrera (2007 Oakmont); Geoff Ogilvy (2006 Winged Foot); Michael Campbell (2005 Pinehurst No. 2); Retief Goosen (2001 Southern Hills, 2004 Shinnecock Hills) and Jim Furyk (2003 Olympia Fields).

The Masters Champions of the last five years include: Cabrera, 2009; Trevor Immelman, 2008; Zach Johnson, 2007; Phil Mickelson, 2006 and Woods, 2005.

The "Champion Golfer of the Year" from the last five British Opens include: Padraig Harrington (2007 Carnoustie, 2008 Royal Birkdale); Woods (2005 St. Andrews, 2006 Royal Liverpool), and Todd Hamilton (2004 Royal Troon).

The PGA Championship winners from the last five years include: Harrington (2008 Oakland Hills); Woods (2006 Medinah, 2007 Southern Hills), and Mickelson (2005 Baltusrol).

Other fully exempt golfers in the U.S. Open include the lowest 15 scorers and ties from last year's tournament, top money winners, the 30 competitors from the TOUR Championship at East Lake, and the top 50 from the Official World Golf Ranking.

The number of fully exempt competitors totaled 63 for this year's U.S. Open. That leaves 91 spots remaining to be filled from the "open" qualifying process, though one has to have an up-to-date men’s Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4 under the USGA Handicap System.

Next comes the amateurs, golf club professionals and golf playing professionals from the mini-tours right up to and including the Nationwide, PGA Tour, European Tour, and others around the world.   

A record 9,086 golfers entered the process.

The first final sectional qualifying occurred May 25 in Japan and England. Five golfers qualified in Japan while in England 12 made the grade.

On June 8, the remaining 767 golfers still alive in the elimination process competed at 13 sectional qualifying sites around the United States to complete the field.  

The qualifying results were exciting and interesting.

The odds of making the final cut were roughly one in 12.

On average, 5.8 percent of the golfers at each of the 13 sites would get into the U.S. Open.

The percentages varied from a low (4.8 percent) in Grayslake, Ill., to a high (14.2 percent) in Columbus, Ohio, where qualifying took place after the Memorial Tournament.

In Columbus, 17 of 120 golfers advanced to the U.S. Open.

George McNeill (65-67) and amateur Kyle Stanley (62-70) led the field in the single-day 36-hole sectional qualifier. McNeill won the 2007 Frys.com Open and is No. 87 on the money list. Clemson golfer Stanley qualified for the U.S. Open last year and missed the cut by one stroke at Torrey Pines.  

Others to qualify in Columbus include Bo Van Pelt, Lucas Glover, Tom Lehman, Ben Crane, David Duval, Matthew Bettencourt, Ricky Barnes and amateur Rickie Fowler.

In Grayslake, only one of 20 contestants made the cut: amateur Kyle Peterson

In Memphis the field strength was high due to the influx of PGA Tour players scheduled to play in this week's St. Jude Classic. Peter Tomasulo, a PGA Tour rookie this year after finishing No. 11 on the Nationwide Tour last year, was the medalist. He shot 64-69. On tour this year he has missed 10 of 13 cuts, and his highest finish is 39th at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Others to qualify with Tomasulo at the site which took 13 out of 110 include Aussie Matt Jones, who finished fifth at the Buick Invitational; and Greg Kraft, who won the 2008 Puerto Rico Open.

Elsewhere, in Somis, Calif., Charlie Wi, who has three top 10 finishes this year, was one of four to qualify out of a field of 80 players.

In Orlando, long-hitting Gary Woodland—who Freddie Couples credits as the reason he is looking forward to the Champions Tour—was one of three qualifiers in a field of 57 golfers.

Others to make it through final qualifying include Matt Kuchar in Georgia and Fred Funk in Maryland.

Canadian Andrew Par made it through in Washington and may win at Bethpage if par is good enough. Only Tiger Woods broke par there in 2002.

J.B., J.J. and J.P. made it but not J.L. as in Holmes, Henry, Hayes but not Lewis respectively. Seems like the two-initial first name only works with a last name beginning with "H."

In total, 13 amateurs made it through sectional qualifying on June 8.

Florida State golfer Drew Kittleson is already in the field by virtue of his runner-up finish in the 2008 U.S. Amateur. Danny Lee, who defeated Kittleson in that tournament, turned professional after the Masters and did not make it through sectional qualifying.

The now 20-year old Rory McIlroy will return to the United States to compete at Bethpage Black. McIlroy has played seven tournaments so far in the U.S. this year. He finished best in the first one, tying for fifth at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. His worst showing came at The Players, where he missed the cut. In between he finished tied for 20th at the Masters.

There was one "TBD" yet remaining in the U.S. Open field.

The USGA was holding one spot for anyone who wins multiple times on the PGA Tour over the last calendar year. Richard S. Johnson, Parker McLachlin, Michael Bradley, Brian Gay, Marc Turnesa or Jerry Kelly would qualify with a victory at the St. Jude in Memphis.

Brian Gay solved the puzzle of who would go to the U.S. Open with a convincing five stroke victory.

There have been three changes in the field as of Monday, June 15 at 10 am EST:

Robert Karlsson withdrew due to an eye infection and alternate Andrew Svoboda filled his spot. The same thing happened to Svoboda last year when he got in as an alternate and made the cut at Torrey Pines. Svoboda won the 2007 New York State Amateur Championship on the Bethpage Black course.

Dudley Hart withdrew due to back problems. Alternate amateur Scott Lewis will fill his spot increasing the total of amateurs competing this year to 15. One of the 15 Clark Klassen will turn professional at registration.

2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman withdrew due to tendonitis in his left wrist and elbow. Alternate Clinton Jensen will fill Immelman's spot.

So the field is set at least for the moment for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage.

Contestants, get your practice rounds in today, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Ready, set, go!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering for the tournaments and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel. He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]