Kisner, Sullivan & Four Alternates Complete Field for 2015 U.S. Open


The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that two additional players have earned full exemptions into the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, to be contested June 18-21 at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., bringing the number of fully exempt players to 76. Additionally, four alternates from sectional qualifying were added to complete the 156-player field.

Kevin Kisner earned an exemption based on the current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Kisner, who is No. 55 in the OWGR, is playing in his second U.S. Open. The 31-year-old from Aiken, S.C., has finished second twice on the PGA Tour this season. He lost playoffs at the RBC Heritage (won by Jim Furyk) and the Players Championship (won by Rickie Fowler). Kisner, who owns two Web.com Tour victories, was a member of the University of Georgia squad that won the 2005 NCAA Championship.

Andy Sullivan, No. 58 in the OWGR, is making his first U.S. Open appearance. The 29-year-old from England has won twice on the PGA European Tour this season. He captured the South Africa Open and the Joburg Open. Sullivan represented Great Britain & Ireland in the 2011 Walker Cup Match.

The USGA held six spots in the field for those players who could potentially qualify by moving into the top 60 of the OWGR, as of June 15. Since Kisner and Sullivan were the only players to earn an exemption, four alternates from sectional qualifying were added to the field. They are Kevin Chappell, Jimmy Gunn, Steve Marino and Josh Persons.

Chappell, 28, was the first alternate from the Columbus, Ohio, sectional. He will play in his fourth U.S. Open. His best finish was a tie for third at Congressional Country Club in 2011. Chappell, who won on the Nationwide Tour in 2010, tied for 10th in the 2012 Open at The Olympic Club, in San Francisco, Calif.

Gunn, 34, of Scotland, was the first alternate from the Memphis Tenn., sectional. He is competing in his first U.S. Open. Gunn caddied at Scotland's Royal Dornoch and worked as a part-time carpenter before moving to the United States to play professionally seven years ago. He plays primarily on the eGolf Gateway Tour.

Marino, 35, of St. Simons Island, Ga., is playing in his fifth U.S. Open. He was the first alternate from the Dallas, Texas, sectional. His best finish in an Open was a tie for 63rd in 2010 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. He has made the 36-hole cut in all four major professional championships.

Persons is competing in his first U.S. Open. He was the first alternate from the Rockville, Md., sectional qualifier. The 31-year-old from Fargo, N.D., has played in nine Web.com Tour events this season. He advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2003 U.S. Amateur.

There were 111 U.S. Open local qualifying sites that led to 12 sectional qualifiers, including international sites in Japan and England on May 25. Sectional qualifying in the United States took place at 10 sites on June 8. The USGA accepted 9,882 entries by the deadline of April 29, the second-highest total ever (10,127 entries were accepted for the 2014 U.S. Open).

The full field for the 2015 U.S. Open can be found at www.usga.org.