More than 9,000 golfers register for U.S. Open

The world number one was among nine former winners given automatic entry into the June 17-20 championship.

The number of exemptions will increase on May 24 with the inclusion of players on rankings and money lists but the vast majority of the 9,052 entrants must chance their luck in qualifying tournaments in the U.S., Japan and Britain.

Only 156 players will make the final field. The youngest entrant was a 10-year-old from Louisiana while the oldest was an 81-year-old from California.

(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)