PAR AND YARDAGE -- Crooked Stick Golf Club is set up at 7,244/7,316 yards and par is 36-36—72. It will be the longest course in U.S. Senior Open history, surpassing the 7,254-yard setup at the East Course at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 2008.

HOLE BY HOLE -- Holes 1-9 will play at 3,587 yards and par 36

COURSE SETUP – The fairways, on average, will be 35 yards wide. On either side of the fairways, a 6-foot wide swath of intermediate rough running the length of each hole will be set to 1½ inches. Then an 8-foot band of first cut of primary rough will be grown to 2 ½ inches. The balance of the rough (secondary cut) will be 3 ½ inches. Putting greens will be kept at 11-11½ feet on the Stimpmeter. The championship setup will result in a USGA Course Rating® of 77.1 and a Slope Rating® of 146.

ARCHITECT AND HONORARY CHAIRMAN -- Pete Dye, a 2008 inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame, designed the course, which opened in 1964. He is the honorary chairman of the 2009 U.S. Senior Open.

WHO CAN ENTER -- The U.S. Senior Open is open to any professional or amateur with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 who turns 50 on or before July 30, 2009.

SECTIONAL QUALIFYING -- Sectional qualifying (18 holes) at 42 sites was conducted June 25 through July 6.

2008 U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP -- Eduardo Romero shot 6-under-par 274 to win the 2008 U.S. Senior Open by four strokes over Fred Funk at The Broadmoor’s East Course to become the second Argentine winner of the championship, joining Roberto De Vicenzo (1980).

Romero, 54, joined De Vicenzo and 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera as the third USGA champion from Argentina. He held onto his 54-hole lead over the longest course in Senior Open history (7,254 yards) in Colorado Springs, Colo., despite shooting a 3-over-par 73 in the final round.

TROPHY -- The U.S. Senior Open champion receives a gold medal and custody of the Francis Ouimet Trophy for the ensuing year.

PURSE -- The 2009 purse is $2.6 million and the winner will receive $470,000.

FORMAT -- The championship is played at stroke play over 72 holes. There are 156 players in the championship field, comprising those advancing from sectional qualifying and those exempt from sectional qualifying. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the 60 lowest scorers and ties or anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

PLAYOFF FORMAT -- If there is a tie at the end of 72 holes, a three-hole aggregate score playoff will immediately follow. If the playoff results in a tie, play will continue hole by hole until a champion is determined.

TELEVISION COVERAGE -- A total of 14.5 hours of live television is slated for the 2009 U.S. Senior Open. All times listed are Eastern and are subject to change. Mark Rolfing, Gary Koch, Bob Murphy, Roger Maltbie and Dottie Pepper will provide coverage.

If necessary, a three-hole playoff for the 2009 U.S. Senior Open would be played Sunday, Aug. 2, starting immediately after the completion of 72 holes. NBC will broadcast the playoff in its entirety.

ENTRIES -- The USGA received 2,794 entries in 2009. The record is 3,101 in 2002. Entries for the 2009 U.S. Senior Open closed June 10.

WEB SITE -- Visit the U.S. Senior Open Web site at www.ussenioropen.com for the latest information prior to and during the championship.

TICKETS -- Individual and group tickets are available at various prices. For more information, visit http://www.2009ussenioropen.com/tickets.php or any participating Indiana Kroger’s, or call (877) 281-OPEN for tickets.

JUNIOR TICKET OFFER – Children, 17 and under, receive free admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult (one adult may escort up to nine juniors). 

USGA CHAMPIONS – There are 31 USGA champions in the field including defending U.S. Senior Open champion Eduardo Romero and 11 other past winners. The other U.S. Senior Open champions are: Brad Bryant (2007), Dale Douglass (1986), Allen Doyle (2005 and 2006), Dave Eichelberger (1999), Bruce Fleisher (2001), Hale Irwin (1998 and 2000), Peter Jacobsen (2004), Larry Laoretti (1992), Bruce Lietzke (2003), Don Pooley (2002) and Dave Stockton (1996).

U.S. OPEN WINNERS – The field also includes seven U.S. Open champions: Hale Irwin (1974, 1979, 1990), Tom Kite (1992), Larry Nelson (1983), Jerry Pate (1976), Scott Simpson (1987), Tom Watson (1982) and Fuzzy Zoeller (1984).

OTHER PAST USGA CHAMPIONS – John Cook (1978 U.S. Amateur), Jerry Courville (1995 U.S. Mid-Amateur), David Eger (1988 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Bruce Fleisher (1968 U.S. Amateur), Danny Green (1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur), John Harris (1993 U.S. Amateur), Tim Jackson (1994 and 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur), George ‘Buddy’ Marucci (2008 USGA Senior Amateur), Mark O’Meara (1979 U.S. Amateur), Jerry Pate (1974 U.S. Amateur), Kemp Richardson (2001 and 2003 USGA Senior Amateur), Craig Stadler (1973 U.S. Amateur), Hal Sutton (1980 U.S. Amateur), Lanny Wadkins (1970 U.S. Amateur) and George Zahringer (2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur) are the other USGA trophy winners in the field.

USGA AND CROOKED STICK – This is the sixth USGA championship to be conducted at Crooked Stick. The 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur (won by Maria Jose Uribe) was the last USGA championship at the club. Lauri Merten won the 1993 U.S. Women’s Open at Crooked Stick. Previously, the 1982 U.S. Junior Amateur (won by Rick Marik), the 1983 USGA Senior Amateur (won by William Hyndman III) and the 1989 U.S. Mid-Amateur (won by James Taylor) were played at Crooked Stick.

OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS – The 1991 PGA Championship, won by alternate John Daly, was conducted at Crooked Stick. The 2005 Solheim Cup, won by the USA, was also played at the club.

INDIANA AND THE USGA – The USGA has conducted 15 previous championships in the state of Indiana, most recently the 2007 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Crooked Stick. The 2009 USGA Women’s State Team Championship will be played Sept. 1-3 at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne.

IRON MAN – Dale Douglass, 73, who won the U.S. Senior Open in 1986 on his first try, has entered the championship for the 24th consecutive year. That is the second-longest string in Senior Open history, surpassed only by the 25 consecutive starts by Arnold Palmer (1981-2005). Douglass, from Castle Rock, Colo., has made the cut 14 times and has three top-five finishes in his 23 previous U.S. Senior Open appearances.

MOST SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES – Counting the 2009 U.S. Senior Open, following are the players with the most appearances at the championship.

FUTURE SENIOR OPENS -- The U.S. Senior Open will be played July 29-Aug. 1, 2010 at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., near Seattle; July 28-31, 2011 at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio; July 12-15, 2012 at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion, Mich., and Aug. 1-4, 2013 at Omaha (Neb.) Country Club.

USGA MEDIA CONTACT – Pete Kowalski will be on-site at Crooked Stick for the U.S. Senior Open from July 27 to Aug. 3. Contact him at (908) 216-8435 (cell) or pkowalski@usga.org. The media center phone number is (317) 218-3789.

FULLY EXEMPT PLAYERS FOR THE 2009 U.S. SENIOR OPEN - (76)

Key to Player Exemptions

1. Former winners of the U.S. Senior Open

2. Winners of the U.S. Open in the last 10 years (2000-2009)

3. Winners of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years (1999-2008) and the runner-up from 2008 (must be an amateur)

4. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 years (2000-2009)

5. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 years (2000-2009)

6. Winners of the PGA Championship in the last 10 years (1999-2008)

7. Winners of the PGA Seniors Championship in the last 10 years (2000-2009)

8 Winners of the Senior British Open Championship in the last 5 years (2005-2009)

9. The 15 lowest scorers and ties from the 2008 U.S. Senior Open

10. From the 2009 U.S. Open, any amateur returning a 72-hole score

11. The low amateur at the 2008 U.S. Senior Open

12. From the 2008 USGA Senior Amateur, the winner and the runner-up

13. Playing members of the 2005 and 2007 USA Walker Cup teams and 2006

and 2008 USA World Amateur teams

14. Playing members of the five most recent U.S. and European Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams

15. The top 30 money leaders from the 2008 Champions Tour money list

16. The top 50 players on the Champions Tour all-time money list through June 10

17. The top 20 money leaders on the 2009 Champions Tour money list through June 10

18. Winners of Champions Tour co-sponsored events - excluding team events - in the last two years (2007-2008) and the current calendar year

19. The top four money winners from the 2008 Senior PGA European Tour Order of Merit

20. The top two money winners from the 2008 Japan Seniors Tour

21. Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored events in the last five years (2004-2008) and during the current calendar year

22. Any player in his first five years of age eligibility who has won the U.S. Open championship

23. Any player who has won a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Masters Tournament, British Open, British Amateur, or PGA Championship (one-time exemption)

24. Special exemptions as selected by the USGA