Scioto Country Club, designed by Donald Ross, opened for play in 1916. The course was renovated by Dick Wilson in the 1960s, by four-time U.S. Open and two-time U.S. Senior Open champion Jack Nicklaus and Dr. Michael Hurdzan in 2008 and most recently in 2021 by Andrew Green, who reclaimed the course to Ross’ original intent. In addition to the golf course, Scioto has acclaimed facilities and programs for aquatics, fitness, tennis, platform tennis and pickleball. Nicklaus and Bob Jones, two legends of the game, are tied to Scioto Country Club.
Jones won the U.S. Open, one of his nine USGA championships, at the club in 1926, while Nicklaus honed his game there with teaching professional Jack Grout. Scioto will become the third club to host three U.S. Senior Opens. Saucon Valley Country Club, in Bethlehem, Pa., was a host site for a third time in 2022 and The Broadmoor’s East Course, in Colorado Springs, Colo., hosted its third in 2025.
PAR AND YARDAGE
Scioto Country Club will be set up at 7,170 yards and will play to a par of 35-35—70. The yardage for each round of the championship will vary due to course setup and conditions.
HOLE BY HOLE
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 35 |
Yards | 420 | 459 | 392 | 205 | 463 | 563 | 393 | 508 | 156 | 3,559 |
Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In |
Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 |
Yards | 416 | 397 | 547 | 468 | 249 | 445 | 433 | 174 | 482 | 3,611 |
WHO CAN ENTER
The championship is open to any professional or amateur golfer who is 50 years of age or older as of July 2, 2026. An amateur is eligible with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4.
ENTRIES
The USGA accepted 2,780 entries for the 2026 U.S. Senior Open. Entries were accepted for the 2026 championship from golfers in 49 U.S. states, including 118 from host state Ohio, as well as the District of Columbia and 38 foreign countries.
QUALIFYING
For the second consecutive year, the U.S. Senior Open featured a qualifying framework that is comparable to the U.S. Open, with two stages split into local and final sites. Local qualifying was conducted over 18 holes at 32 sites in 25 U.S. states and took place from April 2-May 7. The players who advanced joined a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying, which was also conducted over 18 holes. This final stage of qualifying is currently being held at 12 sites across the U.S., from May 18-June 15. Additional spots in the 156-player field are reserved for eligible winners of official PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions events in the weeks remaining before the 2026 U.S. Senior Open.
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
The starting field of 156 golfers will be cut after 36 holes to the low 60 scorers and ties.
SCHEDULE OF PLAY
Eighteen holes of stroke play are scheduled each day from Thursday, July 2, through Sunday, July 5. In the case of a tie after 72 holes, a two-hole aggregate playoff will commence immediately after the conclusion of the fourth round.
TELEVISION COVERAGE
NBC, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Network and Peacock will provide live broadcast coverage of all four rounds of the 46th U.S. Senior Open Championship. Rolex will be the exclusive presenting partner of coverage for six USGA championships, including the U.S. Senior Open. Rolex’s commitment will allow uninterrupted coverage of these championships, providing fans hours of continuous live action.
Date/Day Time (Local/EDT) Channel Coverage
Thursday, July 2 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Golf Channel First Round
5:30-7:30 p.m. Peacock/NBCSN First Round
Friday, July 3 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Golf Channel Second Round
5:30-7:30 p.m. Peacock/NBCSN Second Round
Saturday, July 4 Noon-2 p.m. Peacock/NBCSN Third Round
2 p.m.-5 p.m. NBC Third Round
Sunday, July 5 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Peacock/NBCSN Fourth Round
3 p.m.-6 p.m. NBC Fourth Round
2025 CHAMPION
Padraig Harrington, of the Republic of Ireland, outdueled American Stewart Cink and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez on the East Course of The Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs, Colo., to register his second U.S. Senior Open title. Harrington, who won the 2022 championship at Saucon Valley C.C., carded a final-round, 3-under-par 70 for a 72-hole total of 11-under 269, one shot ahead of Cink and two ahead of Jimenez.
WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES
Among the benefits enjoyed by the U.S. Senior Open winner are:
► A U.S. Senior Open exemption for the next 10 years
► An exemption into the 2027 U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links
► Custody of the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy for one year and a gold medal
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
This is the 46th U.S. Senior Open Championship. The first U.S. Senior Open, played in 1980, was conducted for golfers 55 and older. The next year, the USGA lowered the minimum age to 50.
Miller Barber captured the first of his three U.S. Senior Open titles in 1982 – he also won in 1984 and 1985. The U.S. Senior Open has seven two-time champions: Gary Player (1987, 1988), Jack Nicklaus (1991, 1993), Hale Irwin (1998, 2000), Allen Doyle (2005, 2006), Kenny Perry (2013, 2017), Bernhard Langer (2010, 2023) and Padraig Harrington (2022, 2025). Doyle became the championship’s oldest winner in 2006 at the age of 57 years, 11 months, 14 days, until he was surpassed by Langer.
The youngest champion is Dale Douglass, who won in 1986 at the age of 50 years, 3 months, 24 days.
PURSE
The 2026 purse is $4 million; the winner will earn $800,000.
► Scioto Country Club is hosting its fifth USGA championship dating back to the 1926 U.S. Open
► Scioto C.C. will host its third U.S. Senior Open, which ties a record for most times as a playing site
► This year’s championship features 6 World Golf Hall of Famers including Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington
► Scioto C.C. will host the 1,033rd USGA championship with this year’s U.S. Senior Open
► The 46th U.S. Senior Open is the 42nd USGA championship to be conducted in the state of Ohio (T-7th most)
► Scioto is one of only five clubs to host the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, and the U.S. Amateur.
► The 2026 U.S. Senior Open marks the 40th anniversary of the 1986 championship at Scioto and 100th anniversary of the USGA’s first championship at the club, the 1926 U.S. Open
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT SCIOTO
2016 U.S. Senior Open (Gene Sauers)
1986 U.S. Senior Open (Dale Douglass)
1968 U.S. Amateur (Bruce Fleisher)
1926 U.S. Open (Bobby Jones)
PLAYERS WHO PLAYED IN 2016 U.S. SENIOR OPEN AT SCIOTO (23) – Stephen Ames, Billy Andrade, Woody Austin, Olin Browne, Mark Calcavecchia, Stephen Dodd, Scott Dunlap, Joe Durant, Paul Goydos, Jay Haas, Lee Janzen, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Brandt Jobe, Brad Lardon, Jeff Maggert, Michael McCoy, Colin Montgomerie, Kenny Perry, Gene Sauers (Champion), Vijay Singh, Kevin Sutherland, Kirk Triplett and Scott Verplank
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN OHIO
This will be the 41st USGA championship played in Ohio and the seventh U.S. Senior Open contested in the state.
Recent USGA/Ohio Championships (champion in parenthesis)
2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, NCR C.C., Dayton (Jill McGill)
2019 U.S. Junior Amateur, Inverness Club, Toledo (Preston Summerhayes)
2016 U.S. Senior Open, Scioto C.C., Columbus (Gene Sauers)
2013 Women’s State Team, NCR C.C., Dayton (New Jersey)
2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur, The Country Club, Cleveland (Lydia Ko)
2011 U.S. Senior Open, Inverness Club, Toledo (Olin Browne)
2005 U.S. Senior Open, NCR C.C., Dayton (Allen Doyle)
2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links, Shaker Run Golf Club, Lebanon (Clay Ogden)
2003 U.S. Senior Open, Inverness Club, Toledo (Bruce Lietzke)
CLUBS THAT HAVE HOSTED THE U.S. OPEN, U.S. SENIOR OPEN & U.S. AMATEUR
Scioto is one of twelve clubs to have hosted a U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur.
Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif. - (Open – 1948; Senior – 1998; Amateur – 2017)
Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills, Colo. - (Open – 1938, 1960, 1978; Senior – 1993; Amateur – 1990, 2012, 2023)
Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, Ill. - (Open – 1928, 2003; Senior – 1997; Amateur – 2015)
Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Township, Mich. - (Open – 1924, 1937, 1951, 1961, 1985, 1996; Senior – 1981, 1991; Amateur – 2002, 2016)
Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn. - (Open – 1970, 1991; Senior – 1983; Amateur – 2006, 2024)
Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, N.Y. - (Open – 1929, 1959, 1974, 1984, 2006, 2020; Senior – 1980; Amateur – 1940, 2004)
Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N.Y. - (Open – 1956, 1968, 1989; Senior – 1984; Amateur – 1949, 1998)
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club - (No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C. (Open – 1999, 2005, 2014, 2024; Senior – 1994; Amateur – 1962, 2008, 2019)
Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio - (Open – 1920, 1931, 1957, 1979; Senior – 2003, 2011; Amateur – 1973)
Canterbury Golf Club, Cleveland, Ohio - (Open – 1940, 1946; Senior – 1996; Amateur – 1964, 1979)
Newport Country Club, Newport, R.I. - (Open – 1895; Senior – 2024; Amateur – 1895, 1995)
WINNERS OF U.S. OPEN AND U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Arnold Palmer (1960 U.S. Open; 1981 U.S. Senior Open)
Billy Casper (1959, 1966 U.S. Open; 1983 U.S. Senior Open)
Gary Player (1965 U.S. Open; 1987, 1988 U.S. Senior Open)
Orville Moody (1969 U.S. Open; 1989 U.S. Senior Open)
Lee Trevino (1968, 1971 U.S. Open: 1990 U.S. Senior Open)
Jack Nicklaus (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 U.S. Open; 1991, 1993 U.S. Senior Open)
Hale Irwin (1974, 1979, 1990 U.S. Open; 1998, 2000 U.S. Senior Open)
Jim Furyk (2003 U.S. Open: 2021 U.S. Senior Open)
THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED AT THE SENIOR OPEN
Padriag Harrington – the last international winner (2025)
Allen Doyle – the last to defend title successfully (2006)
Richard Bland – the last to win on his first attempt (2024)
David Toms – the last to win on his second attempt (2018)
Olin Browne – the last start-to-finish winner with no ties (2011)
Hale Irwin – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to win by one stroke (1998)
Gary Player – the last winner without a round in the 60s (1988)
Richard Bland – the last winner with all rounds in the 60s (2024)
Gene Sauers – the last defending champion to miss the cut (2017)
Don Pooley – the last winner to come through qualifying (2002)
FUTURE U.S. SENIOR OPEN SITES
2027: Oak Tree National, Edmond, Okla./July 1-4
2028: Crooked Stick Golf Club, Carmel, Ind./June 29-July 2
2029: Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kan./TBD
2030: Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, Calif./TBD
2031: The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo./TBD
2032: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old Course), Bethlehem, Pa./TBD
2033: Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte, N.C./TBD
2037: The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo./TBD
2038: Plainfield Country Club, Edison, N.J./TBD
2042: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old Course), Bethlehem, Pa./TBD
CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
The U.S. Senior Open, first contested in 1980, is a relatively new national championship when compared with others conducted by the USGA. Yet the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy is actually the oldest among the USGA’s championship trophies.
On Sept. 24, 1894, the Tuxedo Club of Tuxedo Park, N.Y., invited three other clubs to compete in the first American interclub tournament. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Saint Andrew’s Golf Club and The Country Club agreed to the challenge. While there is still some dispute as to which team won, The Country Club, consisting of H.C. Leeds, Laurence Curtis, Robert Bacon and W.B. Thomas, returned home with the trophy. The sterling silver, hourglass-shaped cup remained in the club’s possession until the mid-1950s, when it was given to the USGA for exhibition.
In June 1980, with the USGA preparing for the first U.S. Senior Open, The Country Club suggested that the trophy be used as the formal award for the championship. The cup was presented “by The Country Club and Golfers of Massachusetts,” and formally dedicated as the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy. Roberto De Vicenzo received it at Winged Foot Golf Club as the inaugural champion. A replica of the trophy, complete with engraving of the 1894 Brookline team, was produced by the USGA in 1997 and awarded to Graham Marsh at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club. The original was then given its second and final retirement.
The original Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy is on display at the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J.
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