Far Hills, NJ – The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced Tuesday that 26 players, including 2011 U.S. Open runner-up Jason Day and last week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial winner Boo Weekley, earned full exemptions to the 2013 U.S. Open Championship.
Twenty-five of the exemptions were given to players ranked in the top 60 of the world golf rankings as of May 27. Day is ranked No. 25, while Weekley jumped 56 places to No. 55 with his victory at Colonial. Also earning full exemptions through the official world golf rankings were: Tim Clark, George Coetzee, Nicolas Colsaerts, Jamie Donaldson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Branden Grace, Bill Haas, Peter Hanson, Russell Henley, Billy Horschel, Fredrik Jacobson, Thongchai Jaidee, Martin Laird, Paul Lawrie, Marc Leishman, Francesco Molinari, Thorbjorn Olesen, D.A. Points, Ian Poulter, Marcel Siem, Henrik Stenson, Richard Sterne and Kevin Streelman. The number of fully exempt players may increase with the inclusion of the top 60 from the world golf rankings as of Monday, June 10.
The 26th player to earn a full exemption was the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship winner Matteo Manassero. The 20-year-old secured a spot in the U.S. Open and became the youngest-ever victor at the circuit's flagship event when he ousted Simon Khan and Marc Warren in a four-hole playoff on May 26.
Sectional qualifying in the United States for the 2013 U.S. Open will take place at 11 sites on Monday, June 3. The first two sectional qualifiers were held May 27 in Japan, where five players secured places in the field, and in Surrey, England, where 12 spots were secured.
The 2013 U.S. Open Championship will be played June 13-16 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
Here is the exemption list (as of May 27):
Keegan Bradley, Angel Cabrera, Michael Campbell, Roger Chapman, Kevin Chappell, K.J. Choi, Stewart Cink, Tim Clark, Darren Clarke, George Coetzee, Nicolas Colsaerts, Jason Day, Luke Donald, Jamie Donaldson, Jason Dufner, Ernie Els, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Rickie Fowler, Steven Fox, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Robert Garrigus, Lucas Glover, Retief Goosen, Branden Grace, Bill Haas, Peter Hanson, Padraig Harrington, Russell Henley, Billy Horschel, John Huh, Fredrik Jacobson, Thongchai Jaidee, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Matt Kuchar, Martin Laird, Paul Lawrie, Marc Leishman, Hunter Mahan, Matteo Manassero, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Francesco Molinari, Ryan Moore, Geoff Ogilvy, Thorbjorn Olesen, Louis Oosthuizen, John Peterson, Carl Pettersson, Scott Piercy, D.A. Points, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, John Senden, Marcel Siem, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Henrik Stenson, Richard Sterne, Kevin Streelman, Steve Stricker, Michael Thompson, David Toms, Bo Van Pelt, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Michael Weaver, Boo Weekley, Lee Westwood, Chris Williams, Casey Wittenberg, Tiger Woods, Y.E. Yang.
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