USGA Announces "Long-Term Relationships" With Oakmont And Merion
/For Immediate Release even though most of these are not immediate! My analysis for The Quadrilateral is here and due to this breaking news, open to all.
USGA ANNOUNCES LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB AND MERION GOLF CLUB
Venerable Pennsylvania courses to welcome 10 more U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open Championships; Oakmont named second U.S. Open anchor site
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Aug. 11, 2021) – As part of its commitment to stage golf’s greatest championships at the nation’s most iconic venues, the USGA has awarded five more U.S. Open Championships and four U.S. Women’s Open Championships to two of the country’s most storied golf courses, Oakmont Country Club and Merion Golf Club, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
As part of the announcement, the USGA has also committed to bring its national championships to the Keystone State with greater frequency, beyond the now 18 championships scheduled to be played in the commonwealth between now and 2050.
This week’s U.S. Amateur at Oakmont marks the 88th USGA championship conducted in Pennsylvania, the most of any state and the latest in a relationship between the state and the USGA that began with the 1899 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Philadelphia Country Club and continued with the 1904 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Merion and the 1919 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont.
“Oakmont and Merion are iconic in every sense of the word – they’re in rare company in golf and continue to test the best in the game,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships. “We’re making history and kicking off a new era for our national championships in Pennsylvania, and we couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead.”
Oakmont Country Club, which was previously announced as the host site for the 2025 U.S. Open, will host the 2028 and 2038 U.S. Women’s Opens, the 2034, 2042 and 2049 U.S. Opens, the 2033 Walker Cup Match and the 2046 U.S. Women’s Amateur. It will become the second U.S. Open anchor site named by the USGA, in an effort to return to iconic venues with deep and meaningful USGA championship history every five to six years. Pinehurst Resort & Country Club was designated an anchor site last year.
Including this week’s U.S. Amateur, Oakmont has hosted 17 USGA championships, identifying winners such as Dustin Johnson (U.S. Open, 2016), Paula Creamer (U.S. Women’s Open, 2010), Ernie Els (U.S. Open, 1994), Patty Sheehan (U.S. Women’s Open, 1992), Johnny Miller (U.S. Open, 1973), Jack Nicklaus (U.S. Open, 1962), Ben Hogan (U.S. Open, 1953), and Bob Jones (U.S. Amateur, 1925).
“Our members and all of Pittsburgh are so excited to host the USGA and the best players in the game at Oakmont, which we believe is one of the most exacting tests of golf anywhere in the world,” said Ed Stack, president of Oakmont Country Club. “It is the perfect venue to identify the best golfers around the globe, in concert with the USGA’s mission for championship golf. The new champions who will be crowned over the next 30 years will join a distinguished list of past champions and etch their names in golf history. We are proud and humbled to showcase Oakmont Country Club, Pittsburgh, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a number of USGA championships through 2049.”
Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, which was previously named the host site for the 2022 Curtis Cup Match and the 2026 U.S. Amateur, will host four additional Opens – the 2030 U.S. Open, 2034 U.S. Women’s Open, 2046 U.S. Women’s Open and 2050 U.S. Open, with additional championships to be named in the future.
Merion, a key long-term strategic partner of the USGA, has hosted 18 USGA championships – the most of any site – and is synonymous with legendary championship moments. Bob Jones won two of his five U.S. Amateur titles at Merion (1924, 1930), while Hall of Famers Ben Hogan (1950) and Lee Trevino (1971) are among the five U.S. Open champions to have hoisted a trophy there, joining Olin Dutra (1934), David Graham (1981) and Justin Rose (2013). In total, Merion has hosted six different USGA championships, including the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Amateur, Curtis Cup Match and Walker Cup Match.
"Starting with its formation, the desire to host significant championships has been at Merion’s core. It is no wonder Merion has hosted more USGA championships than any other club in America,” said Buddy Marucci, championship chair for Merion Golf Club. “Our friendship with the USGA dates to its first decade and has produced some of the most incredible moments in golf history. We are thrilled to celebrate those moments by announcing four more Open championships, and we look forward to bringing the best players in the world to compete on Hugh Wilson’s timeless masterpiece.”
The announcement was made on Wednesday at Oakmont, supported by representatives from both clubs, as well as several legislators, including Pennsylvania Senate Pro Tempore Jake Corman, Pennsylvania State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and Pennsylvania State Representative Carrie Lewis DelRosso.
“Golf – an $84 billion industry – is one of America’s favorite pastimes, and Pennsylvania is proud to enter into this new partnership with the United States Golf Association,” said Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development Dennis Davin. “When visitors come to our state to watch or play golf, they’re staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and shopping at our small businesses. We look forward to hosting new visitors at our world-class golf courses, generating tourism revenue and creating new opportunities for golf fans for years to come.”
The U.S. Open Championship alone drives $500 million in economic impact annually to communities across America and delivers $70 million to golf programs and events that grow and advance the game worldwide each year. Programs funded through the U.S. Open and USGA include The First Tee and LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, as well as an annual investment of $10 million in the economic and environmental sustainability of golf courses.
The announcement affirms Pennsylvania as one of golf’s most active regions. The commonwealth boasts 671 golf courses and a thriving $2.3 billion golf economy that employs more than 50,000 statewide, as reported by the National Golf Foundation. The vast majority – 480 in total – are open to the public or are municipally owned. Charitable giving through golf events raises more than $131 million annually, supporting countless local causes for veterans, homeless shelters, healthcare research, children’s programs, scholarships and more. Annual golf tourism spending accounts for more than $700 million.
Pennsylvania golf is supported by the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association. They are both USGA-designated Allied Golf Associations that welcome hundreds of thousands of golfers to play and enjoy the game in cities and towns across the commonwealth, the majority of whom are recreational amateur golfers who play for the love of the game. They also conduct qualifiers for all 14 USGA championships each year, giving competitive male and female golfers of all ages the chance to compete for a national title.
Many of golf’s greatest champions have called Pennsylvania home, including Arnold Palmer (Latrobe), Carol Semple Thompson (Sewickley), Johnny McDermott (Philadelphia), Buddy Marucci (Villanova), Jay Sigel (Bryn Mawr), Jim Furyk (West Chester), Nathan Smith (Brookville) and Betsy King (Reading).
A complete list of current/future USGA championships in Pennsylvania follows*:
Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont, Pa.)
2021 U.S. Amateur
2025 U.S. Open
2028 U.S. Women’s Open
2033 Walker Cup Match
2034 U.S. Open
2038 U.S. Women’s Open
2042 U.S. Open
2046 U.S. Women’s Amateur
2049 U.S. Open
Merion Golf Club (Ardmore, Pa.)
2022 Curtis Cup Match
2026 U.S. Amateur
2030 U.S. Open
2034 U.S. Women’s Open
2046 U.S. Women’s Open
2050 U.S. Open
Additional USGA championships to be announced later
Additional Future USGA Championships in Pa.
2022 U.S. Senior Open at Saucon Valley Country Club
2024 U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club
2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Philadelphia Cricket Club
*New USGA championship announcements in bold
