US Open Qualifying To Return For 2021

Local qualifying begins in April across 109 sites, with around 10,000 golfers expected to attempt to make the field at Torrey Pines

US Open Qualifying To Return
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Local qualifying begins in April across 109 sites, with around 10,000 golfers expected to attempt to make the field at Torrey Pines

US Open Qualifying To Return For 2021

The US Open is returning to its usual qualification process for this year after the qualifying events were cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Last year's tournament ended up handing spots to players via new ways, including the top 70 in the Official World Golf Ranking instead of the top 56 and the top 10 finishers in the European Tour's UK Swing.

Local qualifying for the US Open will take place from 26th April to 18th May, with 109 sites across 43 US states as well as Canada.

It costs $200 to enter for golfers with a handicap index of 1.4 or less.

There is an expected number of around 10,000 golfers set to attempt to make the field.

Torrey Pines will host the US Open in 2021 for the second time. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Last time the US Open ran its qualifiers, in 2019, more than 9,000 golfers tried to make the field at Pebble Beach.

17 players made it all the way from local qualifiers to the 156-man field, with four going on to make the cut.

Final or Sectional qualifying will then take place between 24th May and 7th June.

There are normally 15 sites including the UK, Japan, Canada and the US.

It seems likely that the UK qualifier will return, with Walton Heath the regular venue.

Michael Campbell famously won the US Open at Pinehurst in 2005 after making it through qualifying at Walton Heath.

Torrey Pines will host the 121st US Open from 17th-20th June.

The US Women's Open will also be running its usual qualifiers this year, with the event taking place at the Olympic Club from 3rd to 6th June.

Bryson DeChambeau will defend his title at Torrey Pines this year after winning by six shots at Winged Foot in September.

The California course will host the US Open for the first time since 2008, when Tiger Woods won his 14th Major after 91 holes, beating Rocco Mediate after a Monday playoff.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV