USGA Announces Future Championship Sites


Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore., will host the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, June 27 - July 2, 2011. This will be the first time that the Amateur Public Links Championships are conducted jointly.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is built on a stretch of sand dunes perched along Oregon's Pacific coastline. The first course, Bandon Dunes, opened in 1999 and was designed by David McLay Kidd. A second course, Pacific Dunes, followed in 2001 and was designed by Tom Doak. The design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw fashioned a third layout, Bandon Trails, in 2005. A fourth course, called Old McDonald and created by resort owner Mike Keiser, is scheduled to open in 2010.

"Mike Keiser's vision for Bandon Dunes was to build golf courses that would compare to some of the top private clubs in America, yet remain open to the public," said Josh Lesnik, president of Kemper Sports, which manages the property. "Mike also has a history of supporting and promoting amateur golf."

Bandon Dunes has previously hosted the 2006 Curtis Cup Match (won by the USA 11½ to 6½) and the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship (won by Trip Kuehne). The state of Oregon has hosted 31 previous USGA championships, most recently the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur at Eugene Country Club (won by Amanda Blumenherst).

The 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links will be played at Red Tail G.C., in Devens, Mass., June 22-27, and the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links will be played at Jimmie Austin OU G.C. in Norman, Okla., July 13-18.

The 2010 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links will be played at Warren G.C. in Notre Dame, Ind., June 21-26, and the 2010 U.S. Amateur Public Links will be played at Bryan Park G & C.C. in Greensboro, N.C., July 12-17.

The U.S. Amateur Public Links was first contested in 1922 as a way to give public course players an opportunity to compete for a national championship. It is open to amateur golfers who are bona fide public course players and hold a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4.

First staged in 1977, the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links is open to women golfers who are bona fide public course players and have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4.

Oakmont Country Club To Host 2016 U.S. Open

Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club has been selected by the USGA as the site of the 2016 U.S. Open, marking a record ninth time the venerable layout will host the national championship. The dates of the championship are June 13-19.

Designed by Henry C. Fownes and opened in 1903, Oakmont Country Club has been the site of 14 previous USGA championships, the most recent in 2007 when Angel Cabrera held off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk to win the U.S. Open. In 2010, the Pittsburgh-area club will be the site of the U.S. Women's Open, July 5-11.

"The USGA is extremely pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Oakmont Country Club," said USGA President Jim Vernon. "As evident from the results of the 2007 championship, the course is a wonderful and complete test of golf. Equally important is the fact that since the early 1900s, Oakmont has been a proud supporter of the game. The USGA remains grateful that we have been invited back to conduct our 16th championship, which includes our recent visits in 2003 for the U.S. Amateur and in 2007 for the U.S. Open, as well as next year's U.S. Women's Open."

The nation's first course to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark, Oakmont has been the site of the crowning of these U.S. Open champions: Tommy Armour (1927); Sam Parks Jr. (1935); Ben Hogan (1953); Jack Nicklaus (1962); Johnny Miller (1973); Larry Nelson (1983); Ernie Els (1994) and Angel Cabrera (2007).

"We are honored that the USGA has accepted our invitation to return to our historic course for a record ninth U.S. Open Championship," said Oakmont Country Club President Bill Griffin. "We value our longtime relationship with the USGA and are looking forward to building on the success of the 2007 U.S. Open, which is regarded as one of the best in that storied championship's history."

In addition to hosting more U.S. Opens than any other venue, Oakmont has served as the site for six other USGA championships: the U.S. Amateur in 1919, 1925, 1938, 1969 and 2003, and the U.S. Women's Open in 1992. Prior to 2016, the U.S. Open will be played at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links in 2010; Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., in 2011; The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., in 2012; Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., in 2013; Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., in 2014; and Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., in 2015.