With one minute, 26 seconds to spare until the 5pm Eastern deadline on April 9, Zachary Sagayaga, a 24-year-old amateur from Honolulu, Hawaii, submitted the last of the record-breaking 10,202 accepted for the 2025 US Open.
It was one of a handful of notable facts the USGA revealed Wednesday upon announcing the close of entries and the road ahead for those looking to gain entry into this year’s 156-player field at Oakmont Country Club.
This year’s total broke the previous entry record of 10,187 for at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. It also marked the fourth time overall that the USGA received more than 10,000 entries into its marquee championship. To be eligible to compete, players had to have a Handicap Index no highter than 0.4 or be a professional.
“The US Open’s two-stage qualifying framework provides thousands of professional and amateur golfers worldwide an opportunity to earn a place in the field,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA Chief Championships Officer, in a press release.
“Based on the record number of entries, there continues to be tremendous interest in competing in our national championship.”
According to the USGA, it accepted from all 50 American states, including 372 from the host state of Pennsylvania, as well as Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and 80 other countries.
The youngest entrant in 2025 is Beck Patrick, an amateur from Magnolia, Texas, who turns 13 on April 16. The oldest entrant is 73-year-old former PGA Tour winner Mac O’Grady.
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As of now, 50 players are fully exempt into the final 156-player field, including nine recent US Open winners. To round out the field, the USGA conducts Local Qualifying over 18 holes at 110 sites between April 16-19. Those players who advance will join locally exempt players into Final Qualifying, which takes place over 36 holes at 10 US and three international sites.
Interestingly, four past US Open champions exempt only into Final Qualifying submitted entries: Lucas Glover (2009), Graeme McDowell (2010), Webb Simpson (2012) and Justin Rose (2013). According to the USGA, Rose is scheduled to play on May 19 in England. Glover (Columbus, Ohio), McDowell (Florida) and Simpson (North Carolina) will attempt to qualify on June 2.
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The number of fully exempt players will rise in the coming weeks with more categories for inclusion are triggered. Among them will be the top 60 players in the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 19 and June 9. The 2025 PGA Championship winner and any player who has won multiple PGA Tour events that award full FedEx Cup points also will be exempt, as will the top five players on the 2025 FedEx Cup points list.
Other exemptions will come from the top player on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai ranking not otherwise in the field (as of May 19) and the top player off the 2025 LIV Golf individual standings who is not in the field but is inside the top three of the circuit’s ranking. The 2025 NCAA Division I men’s individual champion also earns a spot.
