Massive entry for US Open's return to Congressional

The overall total of 8,300 includes 752 applicants from outside the United States for the 16-19 June tournament, the second of the season's four majors.

All 65 exempt players have entered, including defending champion Graeme McDowell and three-time winner Tiger Woods.

For the first time, only on-line entries were accepted for the US Open and 49-year-old Kevin Hayashi of Hilo, Hawaii was the final applicant processed after submitting his entry just 15 seconds before the deadline.

To be eligible to enter the US Open, a player must be a professional or have a handicap of 1.4 or better.

Local qualifying for the US Open starts on 6 May at more than 100 venues, after which 36 holes of sectional qualifying will take place at 13 venues from 23 May to 6 June.

For the seventh year in a row, two of the sectional qualifiers are international. One will be held in Japan, on 23 May, and the other in England - at Walton Heath - on 30 May.

The US Open will be held for the third time on the Blue course at Congressional, where South African Ernie Els won the most recent edition in 1997, beating Colin Montgomerie by a single shot despite the Scot closing with rounds of 67 and 69.