Date: June 05, 2017
Author: Bernie McGuire, Columbus, Ohio

Guide: US Open qualifying

It's the "last chance saloon" for 630 US Open wannabes, including a dozen Australians, teeing up at 10 venues the length and breadth of the United States tonight.

A total of 65 spots are up for grabs into the year’s second major at Erin Hills in Wisconsin next week.

Heading the Australians will be the ultra-talented Cameron Smith, the 23-year old who recently teamed recently with Swede Jonas Blixt to capture the Zurich Classic on the US PGA Tour.

Smith is among six Aussies competing at one of the biggest qualifying sessions – on two courses in the Columbus, Ohio area close to Muirfield Village, the venue for the recently completed Memorial Tournament.

Brett Coletta, who finished T25 at Memorial, is a last-minute addition to that bunch after a reprieve on his planned dash to the west coast to play at Tacoma, near Seattle.

Here is a full list of the 10 qualifying venues and the Australians teeing up:

Big Canyon CC/Newport Beach CC – Newport Beach, California

103 starters for five spots. No Australians in the field.

Jupiter Hills Club – Tequesta, Florida

49 starters including Robert Allenby for three spots.

Allenby has competed in 14 previous US Opens with a best finish of T7 in 2004. He most recently played in 2014 and missed the cut.

Hawks Ridge Golf Club – Ball Ground, Georgia

36 starters including Rhein Gibson for two spots.

The 31-year old from Lismore has never contested a US Open.

Woodmont Country Club – Rockville, Maryland

50 starters including Aron Price for three spots.

The 35-year old from Sydney last year competed on the Web.com Tour and qualified to play the US Open last year via qualification, but missed the cut at Oakmont as he did in 2014.

Canoe Brook Country Club – Summit, New Jersey

80 starters for five spots.  No Australians.

Brookside Golf & CC/The Lakes Golf & CC – Columbus, Ohio

120 starters including six Australians for 12 spots.

Ashley Hall, 33, from Melbourne. Has not contested a US Open.

Matthew Goggin, 42, from Tasmania.  Has contested four US Opens with a best finish of T21 in his most recent showing in 2013.

Rod Pampling, 47, from Brisbane. Contested eight US Opens with a best finish of T14 in 2008.

Cameron Smith, 23, from Brisbane. Finishing superb T4 on debut in 2015 and was T59 a year ago despite carrying injury.

Curtis Luck, 20, from Perth. Won last year’s US Amateur but forfeited Erin Hills tee time in turning pro.

Brett Coletta, 20, from Melbourne. Fresh from second US PGA Tour event at Memorial. First crack at qualifying.

Springfield Country Club – Springfield, Ohio

77 starters for four spots. No Australians competing.

Germantown CC/Ridgeway CC – Memphis, Tennessee

108 starters including two Australians with the likelihood of 12 spots.

Stuart Appleby, 46, from Cohuna, Victoria. Contested 14 US Opens from 1997 to 2010 with best finish T10 in 1998.

Matt Jones, 34, from Sydney. Contested two US Opens, with a WD in 2009 and MC in 2014.

Lakewood Country Club – Dallas, Texas

58 starters for three spots.  No Australians.

Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Tacoma, Washington

70 starters including  for four spots.

Lucas Herbert, 21, from Bendigo, Victoria. Yet to contest a major.