NEWPORT, Rhode Island – Hey New England golf fans stop sulking because the clubs are officially in storage for the next four months! Here’s a suggestion if you’re looking to buy that elusive gift for the finicky golfer in your family.
The U.S.G.A recently announced that tickets are available for the 44th U.S. Senior Open Championship scheduled June 27-30 at historic Newport Country Club. Since there is very little live professional golf played in New England lately, this tournament will attract a field of the best senior professional golfers over age 50 in the world, and qualifies as a fun road trip and really good gift.
The 156-player field are all ‘over the hill’ but they still have game. Many Golf Hall of Famers and legends of the game will tee it up including Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Stewart Cink, Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker.
Historic Newport Country Club will add another chapter to its illustrious lore in 2024 and this will be the first U.S.G.A. championship Newport has hosted since 2006 and fifth overall. Newport was originally scheduled to be the host site of the 2020 championship, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Golf history buffs know that Newport was home of the inaugural U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur championships in 1895 and is a founding club of the U.S.G.A.
“This championship will add another chapter to the storied 130-year history between the USGA and Newport Country Club,” says Eric Mills, Senior Manager, 2024 U.S. Senior Open Championship. “It is in our USGA DNA to conduct championships at historical golf landmarks like Newport Country Club. Newport is a bucket-list destination for many Americans. Founded in 1703, as a waterfront city Newport presents a beautiful array of summertime festivities ranging from sailing, beaches, cuisine, golf and more. Off the course, we anticipate the players enjoying the opportunity to explore everything the city has to offer.”
Newport will become the sixth club to have held a U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, and U.S. Senior Open. The other clubs to have hosted those four USGA championships are Cherry Hills, Hazeltine National, Oakmont, Pinehurst, and Winged Foot.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to host the 2024 U.S. Senior Open Championship,” said Newport Club President Barclay Douglas in a recent press release. “The state of Rhode Island, the city of Newport, and the club are enthusiastic to support this USGA championship. Our ‘City by the Sea’ will be enhanced by having the world’s best senior players compete for the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy on our historic Tillinghast course.”
Golf history buffs know that Newport was home of the inaugural U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur championships in 1895 and is a founding club of the U.S.G.A. In 1995, 100 years later, the U.S. Amateur returned to Newport part of the USGA’s centennial celebration where Tiger Woods won the second of his three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles by defeating Buddy Marucci.
In 2006, no one will forget the epic 18-hole playoff in the U.S. Women’s Open Championship where Annika Sorenstam shot a 1-under-par 70 to defeat Pat Hurst by four strokes. The two players were tied at even-par 284 after 72 holes. Sorenstam recorded her third U.S. Women’s Open victory, tying her for third for most wins behind Betsy Rawls and Mickey Wright.
Bernhard Langer won this year’s 2023 U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld. Langer, who turned 66 on August 27, became the oldest champion in history and the winningest PGA Tour Champions golfer ever with 46 titles, besting Hale Irwin.
Langer won the Masters in 1985 and 1993. His win at SentryWorld marked his second U.S. Senior Open victory. The 2024 event gives Langer an opportunity for a third title and brings a major golf tournament to a sports-loving region.
“New England is one of the best sports markets in the world,” says Mills. “Newport is 40 miles from Gillette Stadium, 59 miles from Fenway Park, 61 miles from TD Garden, and 60 miles south of The Country Club in Brookline. This is a region of champions. The golf season in New England is short due to winter, but New England sports and golf fans show up and are extremely loyal and embracive.”
Daily gallery tickets are priced at $45 for Thursday’s first round, $55 for the second and third rounds on Friday and Saturday and $50 for the fourth and final round on Sunday. Practice round tickets for Wednesday, June 26 are available for $25. A daily ticket includes general admission to the grounds, access to walk the course, grandstand availability, access to food and beverage concessions for purchase, free parking and shuttle service.
https://www.usga.org/championships/2024/2024-us-senior-open-tickets.html
https://championships.usga.org/ussenioropen.html
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