Australian amateur Aaron Baddeley was among four golfers who received special exemptions into this year's US Open, the US Golf Association announced at its annual meeting in San Francisco yesterday. Greg Norman, Tom Watson and Curtis Strange have also been exempted.
Baddeley (18), burst to international prominence when he won the Australian Open at Royal Sydney in November. He was the tournament's first amateur champion in 39 years and its youngest winner ever.
So impressive was Baddeley's performance that he earned an invitation to the Masters in April. Now he can also prepare for the US Open at Pebble Beach from June 15th-18th.
Norman and former Open champions Watson (1982) and Strange ('88 and '89) were not otherwise exempt for the championship, but the USGA decided to spare them the worry of sectional qualifying.
Jack Nicklaus (60) is expected to play his 44th consecutive Open after receiving a three-year special exemption which began in 1998.
The USGA also announced big increases in prize money. The purse will jump $1 million to $4.5 million.
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