USGA Names Merion Fourth U.S. Open Anchor Site

Merion Golf Club has officially joined championship golf's most exclusive club. The USGA announced Thursday that the Ardmore, Pennsylvania, course becomes its fourth U.S. Open anchor site, alongside Pinehurst, Oakmont and Pebble Beach — a designation that locks in long-term planning, strategic investment and a steady pipeline of championships. The history speaks for itself: Merion's East Course has hosted five U.S. Opens, most recently Justin Rose's 2013 triumph, and it was there that Bobby Jones completed his grand slam in 1930 and Ben Hogan struck his famous 1-iron in 1950, a shot marked by a plaque to this day. The club has also staged multiple U.S. Amateurs and Women's Amateurs — Jack Whaley won the 2026 U.S. Amateur there just two months ago — along with two Curtis Cups and a Walker Cup. USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer called Merion "one of the defining venues in championship golf," noting the anchor designation is about planning decades ahead, not just prestige. The schedule is now set: U.S. Opens at Merion in 2030, 2040 and 2050, with U.S. Women's Opens coming in 2034 and 2046.