Jody Fanagan drawn with Koch and Bergamio Jr as Harrington gets Toms and Yang at US Senior Open
Jody Fanagan plays a shot out of the bunker on the fourth hole during a practice round ahead of the 2024 U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club in Newport, R.I. on Monday, June 24, 2024. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)
Padraig Harrington has been drawn with former PGA champions David Toms and YE Yang for the first two rounds of the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club.
Milltown amateur Jody Fanagan (58), who qualified by finishing as runner-up in last year’s US Senior Amateur Champiionship, is paired with NBC commentator Gary Koch — the oldest qualifier in U.S. Senior Open history at 71 — and David Bergamio Jr (55), a former PGA Tour player and two-time US Public Links champion.
Lee Westwood (50) will make his US Senior Open debut alongside Jerry Kelly and Miguel Angel Jiménez.
Defending champion Bernhard Langer is drawn with Senior Open champion Alex Cejka and US Senior Amateur champion Todd White,
The U.S. Senior Open is a 72-hole, stroke-play competition. A field of 156 players will play 18 holes of stroke play on June 27 and 28, after which the field will be reduced to the low 60 scores and ties.
Those players making the cut will play 18 holes on June 29 and 30. If there is a tie upon the completion of 72 holes, a two-hole aggregate playoff will immediately follow. If this playoff results in a tie, the tied players will immediately continue to play off hole-by-hole until the winner is determined.
Newport CC — Card of the course
All Times EDT
Thursday (June 27), Hole #1 / Friday (June 28), Hole #10
7 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. - Jeff Martin, Attleboro, Mass.; Will Yanagisawa, Long Beach, Calif.; (a) David Schnider, Carlsbad, Calif.
7:10 a.m. / 12:40 p.m. - (a) David W. Smith, Indiana, Pa.; Chris Hockaday, Angier, N.C.; Dave Christenson, Spokane, Wash.
7:21 a.m. / 12:51 p.m. - Bradley Lanning, Hortonville, Wis.; Ted Tryba, Orlando, Fla.; Katsumasa Miyamoto, Japan
7:31 a.m. / 1:01 p.m. - Phillip Price, Wales; Kent Jones, Albuquerque, N.M.; Michael Muehr, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
7:42 a.m. / 1:12 p.m. - Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan; (a) Mark Strickland, San Diego, Calif.; Kris Blanks, Jupiter, Fla.
7:52 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. - Olin Browne, Tequesta, Fla.; Jeff Maggert, The Woodlands, Texas; Kenny Perry, Franklin, Ky.
8:03 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. - Bob Estes, Austin, Texas; Jay Haas, Greenville, S.C.; Paul Stankowski, Flower Mound, Texas
8:13 a.m. / 1:43 p.m. - Marco Dawson, Melbourne, Fla.; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand; Richard Bland, England
8:24 a.m. / 1:54 p.m. - Lee Westwood, England; Jerry Kelly, Madison, Wis.; Miguel Angel Jiménez, Spain
8:34 a.m. / 2:04 p.m. - Richard Green, Australia; Joe Durant, Pensacola Beach, Fla.; Ricardo Gonzalez, Argentina
8:45 a.m. / 2:15 p.m. - Phillip Archer, England; (a) Tim Hogarth, Northridge, Calif.; Bob May, Las Vegas, Nev.
8:55 a.m. / 2:25 p.m. - Jon Olson, Niceville, Fla.; Richard Lee, New Zealand; Jim Carter, Scottsdale, Ariz.
9:06 a.m. / 2:36 p.m. - Jason Schmuhl, Windsor, Calif.; (a) Scott M. Cornette, Montgomery, Ala.; Mark R. Brown, Hobe Sound, Fla.
Thursday (June 27), Hole #1 / Friday (June 28), Hole #10
12:30 p.m. / 7 a.m. - Jeff Williams, Waxhaw, N.C.; David von Hoffmann, Spicewood, Texas; (a) Steve White Jr., Jackson, Wyo.
12:40 p.m. / 7:10 a.m. - (a) Dan Keogh, Canada; (a) Bob Royak, Alpharetta, Ga.; Tracy Phillips, Tulsa, Okla.
12:51 p.m. / 7:21 a.m. - Mikael Lundberg, Sweden; Mark Walker, Celina, Texas; (a) Michael Brown, Maple Shade, N.J.
1:01 p.m. / 7:31 a.m. - Gary Koch, Tampa, Fla.; (a) Jody Fanagan, Republic of Ireland; David Bergamio Jr., Granada Hills, Calif.
1:12 p.m. / 7:42 a.m. - Nobuhiro Masuda, Japan; Craig Barlow, Henderson, Nev.; David Branshaw, Tampa, Fla.
1:22 p.m. / 7:52 a.m. - Rod Pampling, Australia; Charlie Wi, Republic of Korea; Kevin Sutherland, Sacramento, Calif.
1:33 p.m. / 8:03 a.m. - Scott Dunlap, Sarasota, Fla.; K.J. Choi, Republic of Korea; Brian Gay, Windermere, Fla.
1:43 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. - Mike Weir, Canada; Retief Goosen, South Africa; Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland
1:54 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. - Thomas Bjørn, Denmark; Rocco Mediate, Greensburg, Pa.; Billy Andrade, Bristol, R.I.
2:04 p.m. / 8:34 a.m. - Steve Stricker, Madison, Wis.; Paul Broadhurst, England; Doug Barron, Germantown, Tenn.
2:15 p.m. / 8:45 a.m. - Jeff Sluman, Delray Beach, Fla.; Peter Baker, England; Fred Funk, Jacksonville, Fla.
2:25 p.m. / 8:55 a.m. - David Heinen, Long Beach, Calif.; Birk Nelson, Eugene, Ore.; (a) Jay Potter, Tullahoma, Tenn.
2:36 p.m. / 9:06 a.m. - Stuart Smith, Reno, Nev.; Gene Walter, Deer Island, Fla.; Gordon Vietmeier, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thursday (June 27), Hole #10 / Friday (June 28), Hole #1
7 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. - Carl Pelletier, Canada; Dan Gage, Powell, Ohio; Jason Widener, Chapel Hill, N.C.
7:10 a.m. / 12:40 p.m. - David Morland IV, Canada; (a) Christian Raynor, Kennesaw, Ga.; Judd Gibb, Fort Dodge, Iowa
7:21 a.m. / 12:51 p.m. - (a) Trip Kuehne, Dallas, Texas; Notah Begay III, Albuquerque, N.M.; Chris Riley, San Diego, Calif.
7:31 a.m. / 1:01 p.m. - Michael Long, New Zealand; Patrik Sjöland, Sweden; Jason Caron, South Yarmouth, Mass.
7:42 a.m. / 1:12 p.m. - Duffy Waldorf, Rensselaer, Ind.; Adilson da Silva, Brazil; Thomas Pernice Jr., Scottsdale, Ariz.
7:52 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. - Woody Austin, Derby, Kan.; Mark Hensby, Australia; Mario Tiziani, Shorewood, Minn.
8:03 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. - Scott Parel, Augusta, Ga.; Stuart Appleby, Australia; Dicky Pride, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
8:13 a.m. / 1:43 p.m. - Padraig Harrington, Republic of Ireland; David Toms, Shreveport, La.; Y.E. Yang, Republic of Korea
8:24 a.m. / 1:54 p.m. - Gene Sauers, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Colin Montgomerie, Scotland; Brett Quigley, Barrington, R.I.
8:34 a.m. / 2:04 p.m. - Alex Cejka, Germany; (a) Todd White, Spartanburg, S.C.; Bernhard Langer, Germany
8:45 a.m. / 2:15 p.m. - Greig Hutcheon, Scotland; Guy Boros, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Kevin Kraft, Dillsburg, Pa.
8:55 a.m. / 2:25 p.m. - Ben Walter, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (a) Peter Vrdolyak, Flossmoor, Ill.; Matt Schalk, Erie, Colo.
9:06 a.m. / 2:36 p.m. - Javier Quevedo, Mexico; Mike Mitchell, Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla.
Thursday (June 27), Hole #10 / Friday (June 28), Hole #1
12:30 p.m. / 7 a.m. - Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla.; Keith Horne, South Africa; (a) Scott Fawcett, Frisco, Texas
12:40 p.m. / 7:10 a.m. - Stephen Dundas, Scotland; Brian Gaffney, Denville, N.J.; (a) Craig Watkins, Canada
12:51 p.m. / 7:21 a.m. - Eric Axley, Knoxville, Tenn.; Greg Chalmers, Australia; Michael Wright, Australia
1:01 p.m. / 7:31 a.m. - Tom Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Mark Calcavecchia, Jupiter, Fla.; Stephen Dodd, Wales
1:12 p.m. / 7:42 a.m. - Glen Day, Alotian Club, Ark.; Heath Slocum, Milton, Ga.; Fran Quinn, Holden, Mass.
1:22 p.m. / 7:52 a.m. - Justin Leonard, Tequesta, Fla.; Lee Janzen, Orlando, Fla.; Jim Furyk, Jacksonville, Fla.
1:33 p.m. / 8:03 a.m. - Vijay Singh, Fiji; Robert Karlsson, Sweden; Ken Tanigawa, Scottsdale, Ariz.
1:43 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. - Cameron Percy, Australia; Steve Flesch, Union, Ky.; Kirk Triplett, Paradise Valley, Ariz.
1:54 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. - Rob Labritz, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Joakim Haeggman, Sweden; Ken Duke, Stuart, Fla.
2:04 p.m. / 8:34 a.m. - Stephen Ames, Canada; Steven Alker, New Zealand; Ernie Els, South Africa
2:15 p.m. / 8:45 a.m. - Michael Jonzon, Sweden; Mathew Goggin, Australia; Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas
2:25 p.m. / 8:55 a.m. - (a) Mike Combs, Savannah, Ga.; Steven A. Dorigo, Sacramento, Calif.; Tom Werkmeister, Hudsonville, Mich.
2:36 p.m. / 9:06 a.m. - Tommy Masters, Fresno, Calif.; (a) Brad Steven, Cleveland, Ohio; David Paeglow, DeKalb, Ill.
(a): amateur
Championship Notes
This is the 44th U.S. Senior Open Championship. The inaugural U.S. Senior Open, played in 1980, was conducted for golfers 55 and older. The next year, the USGA lowered the minimum age to 50.
Miller Barber captured the first of his three U.S. Senior Open titles in 1982 – he also won in 1984 and 1985. The U.S. Senior Open has six two-time champions: Gary Player (1987, 1988), Jack Nicklaus (1991, 1993), Hale Irwin (1998, 2000), Allen Doyle (2005, 2006), Kenny Perry (2013, 2017), and Bernhard Langer (2010, 2023). Doyle became the championship’s oldest winner in 2006 at the age of 57 years, 11 months, 14 days, until he was surpassed by Langer (65 years, 10 months, 6 days) last year.
The youngest champion is Dale Douglass, who won in 1986 at the age of 50 years, 3 months, 24 days.
1,000 AND ONE USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS – The USGA conducted its 1,000th championship with the playing of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2. The first was held at Newport (R.I.) Country Club when Charles B. Macdonald won the 1895 U.S. Amateur. The U.S. Open, played over 36 holes in one day, followed with English-born Newport assistant professional Horace Rawlins claiming the title. The next set of 1,000 championships begins where it all started when this week’s U.S. Senior Open is held at Newport Country Club. There have been 738 champions, which includes 161 multiple winners (87 men, 74 women) and 131 international-born titleholders prior to this week. Bob Jones and Tiger Woods are the all-time individual leaders with nine championships. JoAnne (Gunderson) Carner has won the most championships by a woman with eight.
Notable U.S. Senior Open Championships
#448 - 1981 U.S. Senior Open – Arnold Palmer became the second golfer at the time to win three different USGA championships by outlasting Bob Stone and Billy Casper in an 18-hole playoff.
#496 - 1985 U.S. Senior Open – Miller Barber won his third U.S. Senior Open by four strokes over 1980 champion Roberto De Vicenzo and remains the only three-time champion.
#598 - 1993 U.S. Senior Open – Jack Nicklaus won his second U.S. Senior Open when he defeated Tom Weiskopf, an old rival and fellow Ohio State alumnus, by one stroke. Nicklaus would go on to win eight senior major titles.
#688 - 2000 U.S. Senior Open – Hale Irwin captured his fifth USGA championship with his second U.S. Senior Open victory. At the time he produced a record-setting 72-hole result at 17 under par.
#985 - 2023 U.S. Senior Open – Bernhard Langer became the oldest player (age 65) to win the U.S. Senior Open and broke Irwin’s record for most PGA Tour Champions victories (46).
WHO’S HERE – Among the 156 golfers in the 2024 U.S. Senior Open field, there are:
U.S. Senior Open champions (11): Olin Browne (2011), Fred Funk (2009), Jim Furyk (2021), Padraig Harrington (2022), Bernhard Langer (2010, ‘23), Jeff Maggert (2015), Colin Montgomerie (2014), Kenny Perry (2013, ’17), Gene Sauers (2016), Steve Stricker (2019) and David Toms (2018)
U.S. Senior Open runners-up (12): Fred Funk (2008, ’12, ‘13), Retief Goosen (2021), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2016, ‘18), Bernhard Langer (2012), Tom Lehman (2012), Colin Montgomerie (2015), Tim Petrovic (2018), David Toms (2019), Gene Sauers (2014), Steve Stricker (2022, 2023), Kirk Triplett (2017) and Mike Weir (2021).
U.S. Open champions (4): Ernie Els (1994, ’97), Jim Furyk (2003), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04) and Lee Janzen (1993, ’98)
U.S. Open runners-up (7): Ernie Els (2000), Jim Furyk (2006, ’07, ‘16), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2000), Tom Lehman (1996), Rocco Mediate (2008), Colin Montgomerie (1994, ‘97, 2006) and Jeff Sluman (1992)
U.S. Amateur champions (1): Justin Leonard (1992)
U.S. Amateur runners-up (1): a-Trip Kuehne (1994)
U.S. Junior Amateur champions (3): Gary Koch (1970), Brett Quigley (1987) and Jason Widener (1988)
U.S. Mid-Amateur champions (1): a-Trip Kuehne (2007)
U.S. Mid-Amateur runners-up (1): a-Tim Hogarth (2010)
U.S. Senior Amateur champions (2): a-Bob Royak (2019), a-Todd White (2023)
U.S. Senior Amateur runners-up (1): a-Jody Fanagan (2023)
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champions (1): a-Todd White (2015)
U.S. Amateur Public Links champions (2): David Berganio Jr. (1991, ‘93), a-Tim Hogarth (1996)
USGA champions (23): David Berganio Jr. (1991, ’93 U.S. Amateur Public Links), Olin Browne (2011 U.S. Senior Open), Ernie Els (1994, ’97 U.S. Open), Jim Furyk (2003 U.S. Open, 2021 U.S. Senior Open), Fred Funk (2009 U.S. Senior Open), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04 U.S. Open), Padraig Harrington (2022 U.S. Senior Open), a-Tim Hogarth (1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links), Lee Janzen (1993, ’98 U.S. Open), Gary Koch (1970 U.S. Junior Amateur), a-Trip Kuehne (2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Bernhard Langer (2010, ‘23 U.S. Senior Open), Justin Leonard (1992 U.S. Amateur), Jeff Maggert (2015 U.S. Senior Open), Colin Montgomerie (2014 U.S. Senior Open), Kenny Perry (2013, ’17 U.S. Senior Open), Brett Quigley (1987 U.S. Junior Amateur), a-Bob Royak (2019 U.S. Senior Amateur), Gene Sauers (2016 U.S. Senior Open), Steve Stricker (2019 U.S. Senior Open), David Toms (2018 U.S. Senior Open), a-Todd White (2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur), Jason Widener (1988 U.S. Junior Amateur)
Walker Cup Team Members:
United States (12): Billy Andrade (1987), Notah Begay III (1995), David Berganio Jr. (1993), Brian Gay (1993), Jay Haas (1975), Gary Koch (1973, ’75), a-Trip Kuehne (1995, 2003, ’07), Justin Leonard (1993), Bob May (1991), Chris Riley (1995), Duffy Waldorf (1985) and a-Todd White (2013)
Great Britain & Ireland (5): Peter Baker (1985), Stephen Dodd (1989), a-Jody Fanagan (1995), Padraig Harrington (1991, ’93, ’95) and Colin Montgomerie (1985, ’87)
NCAA Division I champions (3): Jim Carter (1983), Jay Haas (1975) and Justin Leonard (1994)
NCAA Division II champions (1): Lee Janzen (1986)
World Amateur Team Championship competitors (13): Steven Alker (1990, 1994, New Zealand), Stephen Ames (1986, Trinidad & Tobago), Billy Andrade (1986, USA), Thomas Bjorn (1992, Denmark), Greg Chalmers (1994, Australia), Gary Koch (1974, USA), a-Trip Kuehne (2006, USA), Justin Leonard (1992, USA), Michael Long (1990, New Zealand), Mikael Lundberg (1994, Sweden), Katsumasa Miyamoto (1992, 1994, Japan), Colin Montgomerie (1984, 1986, Great Britain & Ireland), Vijay Singh (1980, Fiji)
TOTAL U.S. SENIOR OPENS WON BY 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD (13): Olin Browne (1), Fred Funk (1), Jim Furyk (1), Padraig Harrington (1), Bernhard Langer (2), Jeff Maggert (1), Colin Montgomerie (1), Kenny Perry (2), Gene Sauers (1), Steve Stricker (1) and David Toms (1)
PLAYERS IN FIELD WITH MOST U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2024 included) – Jay Haas (18), Fred Funk (16), Bernhard Langer (16) and Jeff Sluman (16)
ACTIVE CONSECUTIVE U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2024 included) – Bernhard Langer (16), and Jeff Sluman (16)
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD – The USGA accepted 3,019 entries in 2024, the third-highest total in championship history. John Kelley, a 59-year-old amateur from Polson, Mont., submitted his entry 1 minute, 57 seconds before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on May 1. Matt Schalk, a 53-year-old professional from Erie, Colo., was the first entrant on Feb. 20. Lawrence Clemons, a professional from Bath Township, Mich., was the oldest entrant at age 74.
The 156-player field includes 78 fully exempt golfers, 11 of whom are U.S. Senior Open champions. Qualifying was played over 18 holes at 33 sites across the United States between May 13 and June 5. There were qualifying sites in 24 states, including five in California and three each in Florida and Texas.
The USGA accepted entries from golfers in all 50 U.S. states, including 31 from host state Rhode Island, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 43 foreign countries
AMATEURS – There are 19 amateurs in the 156-player field, the lowest total since 2014. Todd White, last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur champion, is among this group.
Todd White won his second USGA championship with a 4-and-3 victory over Jody Fanagan in the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur at Martis Camp Club, in Truckee, Calif. White, 56, of Spartanburg, S.C., is a high school history teacher who previously won the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in 2015 with partner Nathan Smith. White, a member of the victorious 2013 USA Walker Cup Team, will be competing in his 38th USGA championship.
Jody Fanagan, 58, of the Republic of Ireland, reached the U.S. Senior Amateur final after making his first start in the championship. He was the first international finalist in the championship’s history. The runner-up in the 2023 European Senior, Fanagan posted a 3-0 record in the 1995 Walker Cup as Great Britain and Ireland defeated the USA, 14-10, at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. He partnered with 2022 U.S. Senior Open winner Padraig Harrington for two wins in foursomes. He serves as director of Fanagan Funeral Directors
Mark Strickland was the low amateur in last year’s U.S. Senior Open when he tied for 42nd at SentryWorld. Strickland, 55, of San Diego, Calif., has competed in seven different USGA championships. He will play in his third U.S. Senior Open and 22nd USGA championship.
Trip Kuehne, 52, of Dallas, Texas, is a member of a championship golf family. He won the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur, played on three USA Walker Cup Teams and was runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur. Kuehne caddied for his brother, Hank, when Hank captured the 1998 U.S. Amateur, and his sister, Kelli, claimed two U.S. Women’s Amateur titles (1995, 1996) as well as the 1994 U.S. Girls’ Junior. He owns an investment firm.
Bob Royak won the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur when he defeated Roger Newsom, 1 up, in the final at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C. The 62-year-old from Alpharetta, Ga., is playing in his fourth U.S. Senior Open. The 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist is the vice-president of an executive search firm.
Tim Hogarth, 58, of Northridge, Calif., claimed the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, defeating Jeff Thomas, 8 and 7, at Wailua Golf Course, in Lihue, Hawaii, and was the runner-up to Nathan Smith in the 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Atlantic Golf Club, in Southampton, N.Y. He is playing in his sixth U.S. Senior Open and 38th USGA championship.
Note: There were 24 amateurs in the 2023 U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld and two made the 36-hole cut. Three-time USGA champion William C. (Bill) Campbell (1980) and two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Tim Jackson (2009) are the only amateurs to hold the lead at a U.S. Senior Open through 36 holes.
QUALIFIERS – Duffy Waldorf, who has won four PGA Tour events and registered two PGA Tour Champions victories, is among the 78 U.S. Senior Open qualifiers.
Waldorf, 61, of Rensselaer, Ind., advanced to this year’s championship when he was co-medalist with a 67 in the Oconomowoc, Wis., qualifier on June 4. He will be competing in his ninth U.S. Senior Open, with his best finish a tie for ninth in 2013 at Omaha (Neb.) Country Club.
Ted Tryba, 57, of Orlando, Fla., and Glen Day, 58, of Little Rock, Ark., have also recorded PGA Tour victories. Tryba, who won twice, including the 1999 FedEx St. Jude Classic, fired a 5-under 66 and made eight birdies as the co-medalist in the Hot Springs, Va., qualifier on June 3. Day, who captured the 1999 MCI Classic in a playoff over Jeff Sluman and Payne Stewart, qualified at Cherokee Town & Country Club, in Atlanta, Ga., on May 14. Mikael Lundberg, 50, of Sweden, also moved forward through qualifying in Atlanta. He owns 11 professional victories, including wins in three DP World Tour events.
Bob May, 55, of Las Vegas, Nev., will compete in his third U.S. Senior Open and 13th USGA championship after qualifying at Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club on May 13. May turned in a great run of major championship results in 2000, which was capped by a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship when he lost to Tiger Woods in a three-hole aggregate playoff at Valhalla Golf Club, in Louisville, Ky.
Fran Quinn, 59, of Holden, Mass., has posted two top-20s in his previous three U.S. Senior Open starts. He was the medalist with a 69 in the Franklin, Mass., qualifier on May 21, which is 60 miles northeast of Newport Country Club. Quinn won four times on the Korn Ferry Tour and was victorious in the 1990 Massachusetts Open and 1997 New Hampshire Open. He also was the oldest qualifier in the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.
Note: In 2002, Don Pooley became the only player to win the U.S. Senior Open as a qualifier.
QUALIFYING HISTORY
Mathew Goggin, who will play in his first U.S. Senior Open, tied the lowest score in the championship’s qualifying history with a 7-under-par 63 on May 30. Goggin, an Australian who competed in four U.S. Opens, had nine birdies at Florence (S.C.) Country Club in matching a score held by three other players. In 2018, Kent Jones carded a bogey-free 63 in the Santa Fe, N.M., qualifier. He had one eagle and seven birdies at Las Campanas (Sunset Course). Leonard Thompson fired a 63 at Florence (S.C.) Country Club in 2006 and Jimmy Blanks shot the same score at Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort, in Haines City, Fla., in 1996. Eric Axley, who will also compete in his first U.S. Senior Open, carded an 8-under 64 in the Oak Ridge, Tenn., qualifier on June 3 to make this year’s field.
U.S. Senior Open Qualifying Low Scores (Since 1980)
63, Mathew Goggin, 2024 (Florence S.C.; Florence C.C.)
63, Kent Jones, 2018 (The Club at Las Campanas; Santa Fe, N.M.)
63, Leonard Thompson, 2006 (Florence, S.C.; Florence C.C.)
63, Jimmy Blanks, 1996 (Haines City, Fla.; Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort)
64, Eric Axley, 2024 (Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Oak Ridge C.C.)
64, Clark Dennis, 2017 (Dallas, Texas; Las Colinas Country Club)
64, Brad Lardon, 2016 (The Woodlands, Texas; Club at Carlton Woods / Nicklaus Course)
64, Bill Harvey, 2014 (Albuquerque, N.M.; Albuquerque C.C.)
64, a-Bert Atkinson, 2009 (Florence, S.C.; Florence C.C.)
64, Steve Haskins, 2009 (Albuquerque, N.M.; Albuquerque C.C.)
64, Wesley Burton, 2007 (Boynton Beach, Fla.; Quail Ridge C.C. / North Course)
64, Rod Souza, 2004 (Copperopolis, Calif.; Saddle Creek C.C.)
64, Robert Gaona, 2002 (Goodyear, Ariz.; Tuscany Falls C.C.)
64, Dick McClean, 2001 (Redlands, Calif.; Redlands C.C.)
64, Steve Moreland, 2000 (Charlotte, N.C.; Cedarwood C.C.)
2024 U.S. SENIOR OPEN NOTES
►Newport Country Club is one of the five founding members of the USGA, which was formed on Dec. 22, 1894
►Theodore A. Havemeyer, the co-founder of Newport Country Club, was the USGA’s first president; the Havemeyer Trophy is given annually to the U.S. Amateur champion
►Newport Country Club was the site of the inaugural U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open in 1895
►In 1995, the U.S. Amateur returned to Newport Country Club as part of the USGA’s centennial celebration
►The 44th U.S. Senior Open is the 10th USGA championship to be conducted in the state of Rhode Island
►This will be the fourth time the U.S. Senior Open Championship is held in New England
►Newport Country Club will become the sixth club to have hosted a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NEWPORT COUNTRY CLUB
This will be the first U.S. Senior Open and fifth USGA championship to be conducted at Newport Country Club.
The USGA initiated its first championship with the playing of the U.S. Amateur on Oct. 1-3, 1895. The championship was played entirely at match play, with no qualifying and a field of 32 competitors. Charles B. Macdonald defeated Charles E. Sands, 12 and 11, in the final.
The first U.S. Open was held one day later on Oct. 4 on the same Newport course that hosted the U.S. Amateur. The championship was originally scheduled for September but was postponed due to a conflict with the America’s Cup yacht races. Ten professionals and one amateur started the 36-hole, one-day competition. Horace Rawlins won by two strokes over Willie Dunn. Rawlins, a 21-year-old English professional, had come to the U.S. in January to be an assistant at Newport.
Tiger Woods captured the second of three consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships in 1995 with a 2-up victory over George “Buddy” Marucci Jr. Woods became the ninth player to win consecutive Amateurs and the first since Jay Sigel in 1982-83. Marucci, a 43-year-old auto dealer, held a 3-up lead through 12 holes in the morning round but the players were tied following 27 holes in the afternoon. Woods, a 19-year-old rising sophomore at Stanford University, made four birdies the rest of the way. He put an exclamation point on the victory when his 140-yard, 8-iron approach on the 36th hole spun back to within 16 inches.
In 2006, Annika Sorenstam claimed her third U.S. Women’s Open and first since 1996 when she defeated Pat Hurst by four strokes in an 18-hole playoff to decide the championship. Sorenstam shot a 1-under-par 70 to Hurst’s 3-over 74. The two competitors, who played 36 holes the previous day due to weather delays, stood tied at even-par 284 following 72 holes. Sorenstam rolled in a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, the par-5 first, while Hurst three-putted from 60 feet for a bogey from the fringe. The Swede took firm control with an 8-foot birdie on the third hole.
2024 U.S. Senior Open Players Who Competed in 1995 U.S. Amateur (6): Craig Barlow (FQ), Notah Begay III (Rd. 32), Mathew Goggin (Rd. 16), a-Trip Kuehne (Rd. 32), a-Christian Raynor (FQ), Chris Riley (Rd. 16)
Note – 53 players who were 1995 U.S. Amateur competitors attempted to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Senior Open
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NEWPORT COUNTRY CLUB
1895 U.S. Amateur: Charles Blair Macdonald def. Charles E. Sanders, 12 and 11
1895 U.S. Open: Horace Rawlins by two strokes over Willie Dunn (173-175)
1995 U.S. Amateur: Tiger Woods def. George “Buddy” Marucci Jr., 2 up
2006 U.S. Women’s Open: Annika Sorenstam def. Pat Hurst (284-70-284-74)
OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS AT NEWPORT COUNTRY CLUB
Merrill Lynch/Golf Digest Commemorative Pro-Am (PGA Tour Champions)
1982: Billy Casper def Bob Toski, 206-206 (4th playoff hole)
1983: Miller Barber by five strokes over Gay Brewer, 200-205
1984: Roberto De Vicenzo by two strokes over Gardner Dickinson, 205-207
1985: Lee Elder def. Peter Thomson, 133-133* (1st playoff hole)
*shortened to 36 holes due to rain
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN RHODE ISLAND
This will be the 10th USGA championship played in Rhode Island and the first U.S. Senior Open contested in the state. In 2011, Danielle Kang won her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Amateur title at Rhode Island Country Club, in Barrington.
USGA/Rhode Island Championships (champion in parenthesis)
1895 U.S. Amateur, Newport C.C., Newport (Charles Blair Macdonald)
1895 U.S. Open, Newport C.C., Newport (Horace Rawlins)
1924 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Rhode Island C.C., Barrington (Dorothy Campbell Hurd)
1953 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Rhode Island C.C., Barrington (Mary Lena Faulk)
1975 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, Rhode Island C.C., Barrington (Alberta Bower)
1987 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Rhode Island C.C., Barrington (Kay Cockerill)
1995 U.S. Amateur, Newport C.C., Newport (Tiger Woods)
2006 U.S. Women’s Open, Newport C.C., Newport (Annika Sorenstam)
2011 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Rhode Island C.C., Barrington (Danielle Kang)
HOLE BY HOLE – Newport Country Club will be set up at 7,024 yards and will play to a par of 35-35–70. The yardage for each round of the championship will vary due to course setup and conditions.
COURSE RATING AND SLOPE – Based on the course setup for the championship, the Course Rating™ is 76.1. The Slope Rating® is 139.
THE COURSE – William F. Davis designed Newport Country Club as a nine-hole layout in 1894, and the course was expanded to 18 holes five years later. In 1923, A.W. Tillinghast remodelled the course, which sits on the southern end of Newport. Ron Forse supervised a restoration in 2005. The Beaux Arts-style clubhouse, which was designed by architect Whitney Warren, overlooks Brenton Point.
A U.S. Senior Open will feature consecutive par 3s for the first time. This has happened twice in a U.S. Open since World War I. In 1923, Inwood (N.Y.) Country Club featured back-to-back par 3s on Nos. 6 and 7. Holes 2 and 3 were par 3s in 1947 at St. Louis (Mo.) Country Club.
THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED IN THE SENIOR OPEN –
Bernhard Langer – the last international winner (2023)
Allen Doyle – the last to defend title successfully (2006)
Padraig Harrington – the last to win on his first attempt (2022)
David Toms – the last to win on his second attempt (2018)
Olin Browne – the last start-to-finish winner with no ties (2011)
Hale Irwin – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to win by one stroke (1998)
Gary Player – the last winner without a round in the 60s (1988)
Steve Stricker – the last winner with all rounds in the 60s (2019)
Gene Sauers – the last defending champion to miss the cut (2017)
Don Pooley – the last winner to come through final qualifying (2002)
FUTURE SITES IN THIS DECADE
June 26-29, 2025: The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo.
2026: Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
2027: Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla.
2028: Crooked Stick Golf Club, Carmel, Ind.
2029: Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kan.
PAST SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONS – Since the U.S. Senior Open began in 1980, three players have successfully defended their title: Miller Barber (1984-’85), Gary Player (1987-’88) and Allen Doyle (2005-’06). In 2018, David Toms became the second player to win the championship after missing the cut the previous year.
WHAT THE CHAMPION RECEIVES
Among the benefits the 2024 U.S. Senior Open champion receives are:
►A gold medal and custody of the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy for the ensuing year
►An exemption from qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club
►An exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Senior Open Championships
SENIOR MAJOR CHAMPIONS – Steve Stricker won three senior major championships and was runner-up in the U.S. Senior Open during the 2023 season. Bernhard Langer has won 12 senior major professional titles, including last year’s U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld. Langer became the all-time leader in that category with his 2017 Senior PGA Championship victory.
Winners of Recent Senior Major Championships
Year Winner (Championship) Result
2024 Richard Bland (Senior PGA) (-17, 267)
2024 Doug Barron (Tradition) (-17, 271)
2023 Alex Cejka (Sr. Open Champ.) (+5, 289, def. Harrington in playoff)
2023 Steve Stricker (Senior Players) (-11, 269)
2023 Bernhard Langer (U.S. Senior Open) (-7, 277)
2023 Steve Stricker (Senior PGA) (-18, 270, def. Harrington in playoff)
2023 Steve Stricker (Tradition) (-23, 265)
2022 Darren Clarke (Sr. Open Champ.) (-10, 270)
2022 Jerry Kelly (Senior Players) (-11, 269)
2022 Padraig Harrington (U.S. Senior Open) (-10, 274)
2022 Steven Alker (Senior PGA) (-16, 268)
2022 Steve Stricker (Tradition) (-21, 267)
2021 Stephen Dodd (Sr. Open Champ.) (-13, 267)
2021 Jim Furyk (U.S. Senior Open) (-7, 273)
2021 Steve Stricker (Senior Players) (-7, 273)
2021 Alex Cejka (Senior PGA) (-8, 272)
2021 Alex Cejka (Tradition) (-18, 270)
2020 Jerry Kelly (Senior Players) (-3, 277)
2019 Bernhard Langer (Sr. Open Champ.) (-6, 274)
2019 Retief Goosen (Senior Players) (-6, 274)
2019 Steve Stricker (U.S. Senior Open) (-19, 261)
2019 Ken Tanigawa (Senior PGA) (-3, 277)
2019 Steve Stricker (Tradition) (-18, 270)
2018 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Sr. Open Champ.) (-12, 276)
2018 Vijay Singh (Senior Players) (-20, 268)
2018 David Toms (U.S. Senior Open) (-3, 277)
2018 Paul Broadhurst (Senior PGA) (-19, 265)
2018 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Tradition) (-19, 269)
2017 Bernhard Langer (Sr. Open Champ.) (-4, 280)
2017 Scott McCarron (Senior Players) (-18, 270)
2017 Kenny Perry (U.S. Senior Open) (-16, 264)
2017 Bernhard Langer (Senior PGA) (-18, 270)
2017 Bernhard Langer (Tradition) (-20, 268)
2016 Gene Sauers (U.S. Senior Open) (-3, 277)
2016 Paul Broadhurst (Sr. Open Champ.) (-11, 277)
2016 Bernhard Langer (Senior Players) (+1, 281)
2016 Rocco Mediate (Senior PGA) (-19, 265)
2016 Bernhard Langer (Tradition) (-17, 271)
2015 Marco Dawson (Sr. Open Champ.) (-16, 264)
2015 Jeff Maggert (U.S. Senior Open) (-10, 270)
2015 Bernhard Langer (Senior Players) (-19, 265)
2015 Colin Montgomerie (Senior PGA) (-8, 280)
2015 Jeff Maggert (Tradition) (-14, 274, def. K. Sutherland in playoff)
2014 Bernhard Langer (Sr. Open Champ.) (-18, 266)
2014 Colin Montgomerie (U.S. Senior Open) (-5, 279, def. G. Sauers in playoff)
2014 Bernhard Langer (Senior Players) (-15, 265, def. J. Sluman in playoff)
2014 Colin Montgomerie (Senior PGA) (-13, 271)
2014 Kenny Perry (Tradition) (-7, 281)
CAREER SENIOR MAJOR LEADERS – Bernhard Langer, who has won all five senior major professional titles, is the career leader in that category with 12. Jack Nicklaus, a two-time U.S. Senior Open champion, is second with eight senior major professional titles. Hale Irwin, who won the U.S. Senior Open in 1998 and 2000, and Steve Stricker, the 2019 U.S. Senior Open champion, are tied for third with seven senior majors.
Career Senior Major Leaders
Number, Winners, Years of Championships
12, Bernhard Langer (2010, ’23 U.S. Senior Open; 2014, ’15, ‘16 Senior Players; 2010, ’14, ’17, ‘19 Sr. Open Champ.; 2016, ‘17 Tradition; 2017 Senior PGA)
8, Jack Nicklaus (1991, ’93 U.S. Senior Open; 1990, ’91, ’95, ’96 Tradition; 1990 Senior Players, 1991 Senior PGA)
7, Hale Irwin (1998, 2000 U.S. Senior Open; 1996, ’97, ’98, 2004 Senior PGA; 1999 Senior Players)
7, Steve Stricker (2019 U.S. Senior Open; 2019, ’22, ’23 Tradition; 2021, ‘23 Senior Players, 2023 Senior PGA)
6, Gary Player (1987, ’88 U.S. Senior Open; 1986 ‘88, ’90 Senior PGA; 1987 Senior Players)
6, Tom Watson (2003, ’05, ’07 Sr. Open Champ.; 2001, ’11 Senior PGA; 2003 Tradition)
5, Miller Barber (1982, ’84, ’85 U.S. Senior Open; 1981 Senior PGA; 1983 Senior Players)
5, Arnold Palmer (1981 U.S. Senior Open; 1980, ’84 Senior PGA; 1984, ’85 Senior Players)
4, Allen Doyle (2005, ’06 U.S. Senior Open; 1999 Senior PGA; 2001 Senior Players)
4, Raymond Floyd (1996, 2000 Senior Players; 1994 Tradition; 1995 Senior PGA)
4, Kenny Perry (2013, ‘17 U.S. Senior Open; 2013 Senior Players; 2014 Tradition)
4, Loren Roberts (2006, ’09 Sr. Open Champ.; 2005 Tradition; 2007 Senior Players)
4, Lee Trevino (1990 U.S. Senior Open; 1992, ’94 Senior PGA; 1992 Tradition)
3, Alex Cejka (2021 Tradition; 2021 Senior PGA, 2023 Sr. Open Champ.)
3, Fred Funk (2009 U.S. Senior Open; 2008, ’10 Tradition)
3, Jay Haas (2006, ’08 Senior PGA; 2009 Senior Players)
3, Tom Lehman (2011, ’12 Tradition; 2010 Senior PGA)
3, Colin Montgomerie (2014 Senior PGA; 2014 U.S. Senior Open; 2015 Senior PGA)
3, Gil Morgan (1997, ’98 Tradition; 1998 Senior Players)
3, Dave Stockton (1996 U.S. Senior Open; 1992, ’94 Senior Players)
Bold – 2024 U.S. Senior Open competitor
