The USGA announced overnight its one-time exemption categories for the 120th US Open, with the one-day, 36-hole marathon sectional qualifiers having been replaced by season standings, world-ranking positions and good old-fashioned results.
The feeling going into the week was that if the USGA couldn’t get Pebble Beach right, perhaps it shouldn’t even bother showing up at Winged Foot next year.
Riding a red-hot putter to scorch the notoriously bumpy Poa annua, Woodland carved up the Monterey Peninsula today with a bogey-free, six-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Justin Rose heading into the weekend.