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| Wednesday Jul 01, 2026 |
EDITOR'S NOTE
In observance of the Independence Day holiday, The First Call will not publish on Friday, July 3. We will resume publishing on Monday, July 6.
U.S. SENIOR OPEN TALKING POINTS
➡️ Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, will host its third U.S. Senior Open this week, tying the championship record for the most times as a playing site. The event marks the 100th anniversary of the club's first USGA championship, the 1926 U.S. Open won by Bob Jones. Scioto is one of only five clubs to host the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and U.S. Amateur.
➡️ Stewart Cink enters the 46th U.S. Senior Open on a dominant run, having already won the 2026 Senior PGA Championship and the 2026 Regions Tradition. The 53-year-old former Georgia Tech standout narrowly missed winning his senior major debut last year, finishing just one stroke behind champion Padraig Harrington. Cink is a former Open Championship winner and a veteran of five Ryder Cup teams.
➡️ European Ryder Cup stars Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter are making their U.S. Senior Open debuts after celebrating their 50th birthdays earlier this year. Stenson, who turned 50 in April, won the 2016 Open Championship and the 2009 Players Championship. Poulter turned 50 in January and is a veteran of seven Ryder Cups. Both players currently compete on the LIV Golf circuit.
➡️ The USGA accepted 2,780 entries from 49 states and 38 foreign countries for the 2026 U.S. Senior Open. The final 156-player field features 88 fully exempt golfers. For the remaining spots, the USGA utilized a two-stage qualifying framework — consisting of 18-hole local and final stages — for just the second time in championship history. The average age of the field is 55.90 years.
➡️ Reigning champion Padraig Harrington leads a star-studded field that includes six World Golf Hall of Fame members. Harrington won his second U.S. Senior Open title last year at The Broadmoor and is looking to join Miller Barber, Gary Player and Allen Doyle as the only golfers to successfully defend the title. The 54-year-old Irishman is a three-time major champion.
POLL OF THE WEEK
What's Next?
With the PGA Tour going to the two-tier series structure in 2028, should it shutter the Korn Ferry Tour?
>> Vote
Last Week: Give the 2026 U.S. Open a grade, factoring in the course, the setup, the drama, media coverage and outcome. | Results
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Major Worthy
Which golf course that has never hosted a major championship would you like to see host one, and why?
>> Respond
Last Week: What are your thoughts on the 2026 U.S. Open, specifically regarding the course, the finish and the tournament in general? | Read
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➡️ Photos from Trump’s golf course tour reveal extensive overhaul of East Potomac
Rick Maese | Washington Post | Read
➡️ What's the land worth at golf's greatest courses?
Stephen Hennessey | Golf Digest | Read
➡️ Jordan Spieth believes sports betting might play a factor in how crowds treat golfers
Nick Stavas | Golfweek | Read
➡️ Ian Poulter faces an uncertain golf future, but he's relishing chance to play in U.S. Senior Open
Dave Shedloski | Golf Digest | Read
➡️ The wild story of how a ferry once ended up on Liberty National Golf Club
Christopher Powers | Golf Digest | Read
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Following Wyndham Clark’s dramatic U.S. Open victory, Ping is seeing a massive surge in demand for the distinctive, white Scottsdale TEC mallet putter he put in play just days before the Open's start. [$]
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Host Nate Moore interviews the content creator, an NFL coach's son, about how a unique upbringing inspired a storytelling passion and the hurdles of filming inside private clubs.
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JULY
7-9: International Indoor Golf and Technology Trade Show and Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada | Info
27-29: PGA Buying Summit, Frisco, Texas | Info
To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.
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