PINEHURST Np 2 PULLS THEM IN FOR JUNE MAJOR

MEGA BUCKS IN ENTRY FEES! USGA

ACCEPTS 10,127 U S OPEN ENTRIES 

The United States Golf Association has accepted a record number of entries for the 2014 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 in the Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The total of 10,127 entrants eclipses the 9,860 for last year’s championship at Merion Golf Club. Among the record total are 51 players, including 12 past champions, who are currently fully exempt into the field (see list below).
“The number of entries, from across the world, affirms both the great appeal of playing in our national championship and the history surrounding Pinehurst No. 2,” said Daniel B. Burton, USGA vice president and chairman of the Championship Committee. 
“We look forward to local and sectional qualifying and to conducting the unprecedented U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open in consecutive weeks at this renowned Donald Ross-designed course in June.”
The U.S. Open will be held for the third time at Pinehurst No. 2 on June 12-15. To be eligible, a player had to have a handicap not exceeding 1.4, or be a professional. 
Local qualifying, which will be played over 18 holes at 111 sites in the United States, will take place between May 2-19.
Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted on Monday, May 26 at two international sites (Japan and England) and on Monday, June 2, at 10 sites in the United States, ranging from New York to California. 
This will be the 10th year with two international qualifiers, which were established in 2005, the last time the U.S. Open was contested at Pinehurst No. 2.
Justin Rose, the 2013 champion, and 11 other champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the championship. They are: 
Angel Cabrera (2007), Michael Campbell (2005), Ernie Els (1994, 1997), Jim Furyk (2003), Lucas Glover (2009), Retief Goosen (2001, 2004), Graeme McDowell (2010), Rory McIlroy (2011), Geoff Ogilvy (2006), Webb Simpson (2012) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2002, 2008).

For the fourth consecutive year, only online entries were accepted.
The number of fully exempt players will increase with the inclusion of the top 60 and ties from the Official World Golf Ranking, as of May 26 and June 9. The winners of The Players Championship (May 8-11) and European Tour BMW PGA Championship (May 22-25) will also earn exemptions.
This year marks the sixth time that the USGA accepted more than 9,000 entries for the U.S. Open.
More information about the U.S. Open before, during and after the 2014 championship at Pinehurst No. 2 is available at www.usopen.com.