The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced local qualifying sites for the 121st U.S. Open Championship. The U.S. Open will be contested at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course), in San Diego, Calif., for the second time from June 17-20, 2021. Local qualifying, conducted over 18 holes at 109 sites in 43 U.S. states and Canada, will take place between April 26-May 18.

“Professional and amateur golfers worldwide have a pathway to emerge from the thousands who will attempt to earn a place in this year’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course by competing in this two-stage qualifying process that was established in 1959,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships. “Allied Golf Associations and Golf Canada, with the cooperation of the USGA’s five regional offices, are joined in this collaborative effort for both stages. We appreciate their diligence in overcoming the challenging times we confront each day.”

In 2020, U.S. Open qualifying was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an all-exempt field at Winged Foot Golf Club. The USGA accepted 9,125 entries for the 2019 championship at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. The record of 10,127 entries was established for the 2014 championship on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Those players who advance out of local qualifying will join a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which will be conducted over 36 holes. Dates and courses will be announced in February.

In 2019, 17 players advanced through local and final qualifying to the 156-player U.S. Open Championship field at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. Of those 17, four players made the 36-hole cut. Ken Venturi (1964) and Orville Moody (1969) are the only players to win the U.S. Open after qualifying through both local and final play.

Several U.S. Open champions have advanced to the championship through both local and final qualifying at some point in their careers, including Lucas Glover, David Graham, Lou Graham, Hale Irwin, Tony Jacklin, Lee Janzen, Tom Kite, Johnny Miller, Corey Pavin, Curtis Strange, Lee Trevino, Gary Woodland and Fuzzy Zoeller.

To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index® not exceeding 1.4, or be a professional.

NorCal Qualifiers:

May 4---El Macero CC

May 4--The Club at Ruby Hill

May 5--The Preserve GC

May 10--Dragonfly GC

May 10--Peachtree G&CC

May 10--Edgewood Tahoe