PINEHURST, N.C. -- The 156-player field for the U.S. Open was set Monday morning when two players earned exemptions through the Official World Golf Ranking and three were added from the pool of alternates.
Kevin Na and Austria's Bernd Wiesberger made it through the World Ranking, with Na moving to 40th after losing in a playoff at the Memorial on June 1. Wiesberger lost in a playoff Sunday at the European Tour's Lyoness Open and earned just enough points to get the 60th and the last exemption spot. He will be playing in his first U.S. Open.
Because the United States Golf Association had left five spots available via the World Ranking, three players from the sectional qualifying alternate list were added. They are Craig Barlow and amateurs Cameron Wilson and Brandon McIver.
All three were the first alternate from their various sectional sites. Barlow is a veteran tour pro who is making his sixth U.S. Open start. Wilson recently won the NCAA Division I individual title and was a first-team All America selection at Stanford and will play the Open for the second time. McIver is a junior at the University of Oregon and is making his first appearance.
There ended up being 74 players exempt into the tournament, which begins Thursday at Pinehurst No. 2.
