Jack Nicklaus received a special exemption to the US Open 8 times, his last when he was 59 years old. Pretty much the biggest names in the history of the sport have all received and accepted special exemptions. They hand them out all the time. Phil got one in 2021. Ernie Els did in 2018 and 2019. So, did none of these guys below have any integrity?

Here's a list.

quote:

1966: Ben Hogan: 12, 72-73-76-70—291

1977: Sam Snead, MC, 74-78; Tommy Bolt, MC, 75-78; Julius Boros, MC, 77-76

1978: Arnold Palmer, MC, 76-75; Bill Casper, T30, 71-76-73-77—297; Seve Ballesteros, T16, 75-69-71-77—292

1980: Arnold Palmer, 63, 73-73-77-78—301; Gene Littler, T38, 72-68-75-75—290; a-Jay Sigel, MC, 76-71

1981: Arnold Palmer, MC, 77-78; Gary Player, T26, 72-72-71-71—286; Lou Graham, MC, 76-74

1983: Arnold Palmer, T60, 74-75-78-76—303; Gary Player, T20, 73-74-76-71—294; Lee Trevino, WD

1984: Isao Aoki, T16, 72-70-72-74—288; Lee Trevino, T9, 71-72-69-74—286

1986: Scott Verplank, T15, 75-72-67-74—288

1988: David Ishii, T36, 73-73-75-68—289

1990: Hale Irwin, 1, 69-70-74-67—280

1991: Jack Nicklaus, T46, 70-76-77-74—297

1993: Jack Nicklaus, T72, 70-72-76-71—289; Tom Watson, T5, 70-66-73-69—278

1994: Arnold Palmer, MC, 77-81; Johnny Miller, MC, 81-76; Larry Nelson, MC, 75-73; Ben Crenshaw, T33, 71-74-70-78—293; Seve Ballesteros, T18, 72-72-70-73-287

1995: Jack Nicklaus, MC, 71-81

1996: Jack Nicklaus, T27, 72-74-69-72—287; Tom Watson, T13, 70-71-71-72—284

1997: Jack Nicklaus, T52, 73-71-75-74—293

1998: Jack Nicklaus, T43, 73-74-73-75—279; Scott Simpson, 58, 72-71-78-79—300

1999: Jack Nicklaus, MC, 78-75

2000: a-Aaron Baddeley, MC, 79-75; Michael Campbell, T12, 71-77-71-73—292; Jack Nicklaus, MC, 73-82; Greg Norman, MC, 77-82; Curtis Strange, MC, 81-81; Tom Watson, T27, 71-74-78-73—296

2002: Hale Irwin, MC, 82-81; Nick Faldo, T5, 70-76-66-73—285

2003: Hale Irwin, WD; Tom Kite, MC, 72-76; Tom Watson, T28, 65-72-75-72—284

2004: Raymond Floyd, MC, 75-75

2005: Nick Price, T9, 72-71-72-72—287

2010: Tom Watson, T29, 78-71-70-73—295; Vijay Singh, T40, 74-72-75-76—297

2016: Retief Goosen, MC, 73-77

2018: Ernie Els, MC, 78-79; Jim Furyk, T48, 73-71-72-80—296

2019: Ernie Els, MC, 75-73

2021: Phil Mickelson, T62, 75-69-76-75