Adam Scott will play in his 23rd consecutive U.S. Open, receiving an exemption from the U.S. Golf Association on Monday.
The top 60 players in the world rankings have automatic exemptions into the tournament, which begins Thursday at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2 in North Carolina. Scott is No. 61. But when the USGA removed the late Grayson Murray from the list, for purposes of U.S. Open qualification, Scott moved to No. 60.
Murray, who died by suicide on May 25, was ranked No. 59.
Scott, a 43-year-old Australian, will be making his 92nd consecutive appearance in a major when he tees off at Pinehurst No. 2. He is second to Jack Nicklaus, who played in 146 in a row from 1962-1998, and has appeared in every major since The Open in 2001.
Jordan Spieth is next in line for consecutive majors played with 43.
Five other players were added to the 156-person field on Monday, including Spain’s Sergio Garcia, who will be playing in his 25th consecutive U.S. Open. As a member of the LIV Golf league, Garcia does not earn ranking points.
Scott’s best finish in the U.S. Open came in 2015 at Chambers Bay with a tie for fourth. Garcia’s highest place on the leaderboard came in 2005 when he tied for third at Pinehurst No. 2.
Others receiving spots were Robert MacIntyre, who won the RBC Canadian Open a week ago and is solidly in the top 60 of the rankings, amateur Brendan Valdes, pro Otto Black and Maxwell Moldovan, a recent Ohio State graduate who just turned pro.
–Field Level Media