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WHO’S HERE – Among the 156 golfers in the 2023 U.S. Senior Open field, there are:
U.S. Senior Open champions (10): Brad Bryant (2007), Fred Funk (2009), Jim Furyk (2021), Padraig Harrington (2022), Bernhard Langer (2010), Jeff Maggert (2015), Colin Montgomerie (2014), Kenny Perry (2013, ’17), Steve Stricker (2019) and David Toms (2018)
U.S. Senior Open runners-up (13): Fred Funk (2008, ’12, ‘13), Retief Goosen (2021), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2016, ‘18), Jerry Kelly (2018, ‘19), Bernhard Langer (2012), Tom Lehman (2012), Colin Montgomerie (2015), Mark O’Meara (2011), Tim Petrovic (2018), David Toms (2019), Steve Stricker (2022), Kirk Triplett (2017) and Mike Weir (2021).
U.S. Open champions (5): Michael Campbell (2005), Ernie Els (1994, ’97), Jim Furyk (2003), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04) and Lee Janzen (1993, ’98)
U.S. Open runners-up (8): Ernie Els (2000), Jim Furyk (2006, ’07, ’16), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2000), Tom Lehman (1996), Davis Love III (1996), Rocco Mediate (2008), Colin Montgomerie (1994, ‘97, 2006) and Jeff Sluman (1992)
U.S. Amateur champions (3): Justin Leonard (1992), Mark O’Meara (1979) and Scott Verplank (1984)
U.S. Amateur runners-up (1): a-Trip Kuehne (1994)
U.S. Junior Amateur champions (2): Brett Quigley (1987) and Jason Widener (1988)
U.S. Mid-Amateur champions (2): a-Ken Bakst (1997) and a-Trip Kuehne (2007)
U.S. Senior Amateur champions (2): a-Doug Hanzel (2013) and a-Rusty Strawn (2022)
U.S. Senior Amateur runners-up (1): a-Doug Hanzel (2022)
USGA champions (23): a-Ken Bakst (1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Brad Bryant (2007 U.S. Senior Open), Michael Campbell (2005 U.S. Open), Ernie Els (1994, ’97 U.S. Open), Fred Funk (2009 U.S. Senior Open), Jim Furyk (2003 U.S. Open, 2021 U.S. Senior Open), Retief Goosen (2001, ’04 U.S. Open), Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur), Padraig Harrington (2022 U.S. Senior Open), Lee Janzen (1993, ’98 U.S. Open), a-Trip Kuehne (2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Bernhard Langer (2010 U.S. Senior Open), Justin Leonard (1992 U.S. Amateur), Jeff Maggert (2015 U.S. Senior Open), Colin Montgomerie (2014 U.S. Senior Open), Mark O’Meara (1979 U.S. Amateur), Kenny Perry (2013, ’17 U.S. Senior Open), Brett Quigley (1987 U.S. Junior Amateur), Rusty Strawn (2022 U.S. Senior Amateur), Steve Stricker (2019 U.S. Senior Open), David Toms (2018 U.S. Senior Open), Scott Verplank (1984 U.S. Amateur), Jason Widener (1988 U.S. Junior Amateur)
Walker Cup Team Members:
United States (9): Billy Andrade (1987), Notah Begay III (1995), Brian Gay (1993), Tim Herron (1993), a-Trip Kuehne (1995, 2003, ’07), Justin Leonard (1993), Davis Love III (1985), Bob May (1991), Scott Verplank (1985)
Great Britain & Ireland (5): Stephen Dodd (1989), Padraig Harrington (1991, ’93, ’95), a-Lee James (1995), Colin Montgomerie (1985, ’87) and Iain Pyman (1993)
NCAA Division I champions (2): Justin Leonard (1994) and Scott Verplank (1986)
NCAA Division II champions (1): Lee Janzen (1986)
World Amateur Team Championship competitors (11): Stephen Alker (1990, 1994, New Zealand), Robert Allenby (1990, Australia), Stephen Ames (1986, Trinidad & Tobago), Billy Andrade (1986, USA), Michael Campbell (1992, New Zealand), a-Lee James (1984, Great Britain & Ireland), a-Trip Kuehne (2006, USA), Justin Leonard (1992, USA), Colin Montgomerie (1984, 1986, Great Britain & Ireland), Vijay Singh (1980, Fiji), Scott Verplank (1984, USA)
TOTAL U.S. SENIOR OPENS WON BY 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD (11): Brad Bryant (1), Jim Furyk (1), Fred Funk (1), Padraig Harrington (1), Bernhard Langer (1), Jeff Maggert (1), Colin Montgomerie (1), Kenny Perry (2), Steve Stricker (1) and David Toms (1)
PLAYERS IN FIELD WITH MOST U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2022 included) – Brad Bryant (15), Fred Funk (14), Bernhard Langer (14), Mark O’Meara (14) and Jeff Sluman (14)
ACTIVE CONSECUTIVE U.S. SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES (2022 included) – Bernhard Langer (14), and Jeff Sluman (14)
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD – The USGA accepted 3,066 entries in 2023, the second-highest total in championship history. Lance Gilliland, a 51-year-old professional from Birmingham, Ala., submitted his entry 3 minutes, 20 seconds before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on May 3. Matt Schalk, a 52-year-old professional from Erie, Colo., was the first entrant on Feb. 21. The record for entries is 3,101 in 2002.
The 156-player field includes 73 fully exempt golfers, 10 of whom are U.S. Senior Open champions. Qualifying was played over 18 holes at 33 sites across the United States between May 8 and June 8. There were qualifying sites in 25 states, including five in California, three in Florida and two each in Wisconsin and Texas.
The USGA accepted entries from golfers in 48 U.S. states, including 60 from host state Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia and 46 foreign countries.
AMATEURS – There are 24 amateurs in the 156-player field. Twenty or more amateurs are competing for the eighth consecutive U.S. Senior Open. Rusty Strawn, last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur champion, is among this group.
Strawn became the fourth player from Georgia to win the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship with his 3-and-2 victory over Doug Hanzel in the final at The Kittansett Club, in Marion, Mass. Strawn joined Hanzel (2013), Bill Ploeger (1999) and Bob Royak (2019) as fellow Peach State residents to hoist the Frederick L. Dold Trophy. Strawn, 60, of McDonough, Ga., also won last year’s Canadian Men’s Senior Amateur, a three-stroke victory with a 72-hole score of 5-under 283. He is playing in his first U.S. Senior Open.
Doug Hanzel, 66, of Savannah, Ga., was the runner-up to Strawn in last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur. Hanzel, who has competed in 40 USGA championships, won the 2013 Senior Amateur at Wade Hampton Golf Club, in Cashiers, N.C. He has competed in five U.S. Senior Opens and was low amateur in 2012 and 2013. A retired pulmonologist, Hanzel is a Type 1 diabetic and plays golf with an insulin pump. In 2013, he became the only player to qualify for match play in the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur in the same year.
Lee James, who won the 1994 R&A Amateur and played in the 1994 Open Championship and 1995 Masters Tournament, is competing in his first U.S. Senior Open. The 50-year-old from England defeated Gordon Sherry, 2 and 1, to win his Amateur title nearly 30 years ago and the victory earned him a place on the 1995 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team. He won five times as a professional on the Challenge Tour and was reinstated as an amateur in 2016.
Trip Kuehne, 51, of Dallas, Texas, is a member of a championship golf family. He won the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur, played on three USA Walker Cup Teams and was runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur. Kuehne caddied for his brother, Hank, when Hank captured the 1998 U.S. Amateur, and his sister, Kelli, claimed two U.S. Women’s Amateur titles (1995, 1996). He owns an investment firm.
Note: There were 23 amateurs in the 2022 U.S. Senior Open at Saucon Valley Country Club but none made the 36-hole cut. William C. (Bill) Campbell (1980) and Tim Jackson (2009) are the only amateurs to hold the lead at a U.S. Senior Open through 36 holes.
Year Number Made Cut Top Finisher 2023 24 ^^ ^^^^^ 2022 23 0 none 2021 35 4 William Mitchell, 46th (tie) 2020 ^^ ^^ No Championship 2019 23 0 none 2018 24 3 Jeff Wilson, 31st (tie) 2017 20 1 Robby Funk, 54th (tie) 2016 23 1 Chip Lutz, 37th (tie) 2015 27 3 Michael McCoy, 26th (tie) 2014 17 2 Michael McCoy, 26th (tie) 2013 28 1 Doug Hanzel, 56th 2012 35 2 Doug Hanzel, 53rd (tie) 2011 29 1 Tim Jackson, 50th (tie) 2010 30 3 Tim Jackson, 32nd (tie) 2009 28 3 Tim Jackson, 11th (tie) 2008 29 6 Danny Green, 37th (tie) 2007 31 5 Danny Green, George Zahringer, 33rd (tie) 2006 33 1 Randy Reifers, 47th (tie) 2005 30 4 Greg Reynolds, George Zahringer, 31st (tie) 2004 25 1 Patrick Tallent, 54th (tie) 2003 33 0 none 2002 29 2 Bob Clark, 56th (tie) 2001 26 4 Paul Simson, 40th (tie) 2000 26 4 Kemp Richardson, 47th (tie) 1999 23 2 Kemp Richardson, 46th (tie) 1998 30 1 Joel Hirsch, 59th (tie) 1997<
