Tiger Woods accepted a special exemption for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, the first time the three-time champion has needed an exemption to play.
Woods has been exempt for every U.S. Open since he first played in 1995 as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. His five-year exemption from winning the 2019 Masters expired last year.
The exemption was expected and likely to be the first of many. The USGA is particular about who is exempt from qualifying, last awarding one in 2021 to Phil Mickelson.
Jack Nicklaus, with four U.S. Open titles among his 18 professional majors, received a record eight special exemptions, including five in a row until he stopped playing the U.S. Open after 2000 at Pebble Beach.
Arnold Palmer received five U.S. Open exemptions, the last one in 1994 when he returned to Oakmont near his hometown for a tearful farewell.
Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 shots, a record margin of victory for any major champion. He added another title in 2002 at Bethpage Black in New York, and he famously won his third U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2008 just a week before he had reconstructive surgery on his left knee.
“The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career,” Woods said in a statement. “I’m honored to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year’s U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game.”
The U.S. Open is June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2, which is staging the Open for the fourth time. Woods tied for third, two shots behind the late Payne Stewart, in 1999. He was runner-up at Pinehurst in 2005 to Michael Campbell. He missed the most recent Open at Pinehurst in 2014 while recovering from the first of what would be four back surgeries.
PGA: Matt Wallace was relegated to watching the Masters amid a self-described “terrible” season when he found himself pondering what makes some of the best golfers in the world so good.
Asked if Scottie Scheffler was among the players he was watching, Wallace stumbled over his words just a bit.
“Well, him, but, I mean, so good that it’s difficult to take a lot from him because he’s playing unbelievable golf,” Wallace said. “It’s not as realistic for everyone else out there.”
Well, maybe Wallace can take advantage of the world No. 1 sitting out his hometown tournament awaiting the birth of his first child.
The one-time PGA Tour winner shot an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead over seven players in the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
Taiga Semikawa, a 23-year-old from Japan playing on a sponsor exemption, settled for 64 after a three-putt par on the par-5 18th just before a rain-delayed round with preferred lies was suspended by darkness with nine players on the course.
Taylor Pendrith, Alex Noren, Chesson Hadley, Jake Knapp, Davis Riley and Kelly Kraft also were at 7 under at TPC Craig Ranch, just north of Scheffler’s hometown of Dallas.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden maintained his impressive form by shooting a bogey-free 9-under 63 to take a share of the first-round lead at the China Open on the European tour on Thursday.
Soderberg has had runner-up finishes in the last two events – the Indian Open and the ISPS Handa Championship – and five top 10s in his nine tournaments in the 2024 season, helping him move to a career-best No. 98 in the world ranking.
Romain Langasque of France was tied for the lead after also being bogey-free around Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen, with his round including seven straight birdies from No. 16 after starting at the 10th hole.
OBIT: Peter Oosterhuis, a two-time winner of the European Tour money title who later brought his distinguished British voice to CBS golf telecasts as an analyst, died Thursday. He was 75.
The PGA Tour announced his death without listing a cause, though Oosterhuis had retired from broadcasting in 2014 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Oosterhuis won seven times on the European Tour, twice at the French Open, and his lone PGA Tour victory was the Canadian Open in 1981 when he beat Jack Nicklaus, Andy North and Bruce Lietzke by one shot.
CADDIE CHANGE: Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan, a Winslow, Maine, native, and Jim Furyk have parted amicably after 25 years, according to report.
Cowan, who was Tigers Woods’ caddie from 1996-99, is the caddie now for C.T. Pan.
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