To even be eligible to compete in a local qualifier, a golfer either needs a 0.4 handicap or better, or needs to be a professional.
Woods has been through the qualifying process before. In February, he attempted to qualify for the Cognizant Classic, a PGA Tour event. He shot a 16-over-par 86 and failed to qualify in a round that was marred by poor behavior from the fans who followed Woods around the course.
Though Woods was a long shot, someone his age advancing out of local qualifying isn’t unheard-of. Last year, 13-year-old Jaden Soong became the youngest male golfer to advance to a U.S. Open sectional qualifier after winning a playoff at his local qualifier in California (Soong finished 16 strokes off the pace at the sectional and failed to qualify for the U.S. Open).
Andy Zhang of China is the youngest player to ever qualify for the men’s U.S. Open. He was 14 in 2012 when he earned a spot in the field at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. In 2014, Lucy Li qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at the age of 11 after winning her sectional qualifier by seven strokes.
Tiger Woods, a three-time winner of the U.S. Open, does not have an exemption into this year’s U.S. Open, though it’s all but certain that the USGA will extend him a special exemption before the event begins June 13.