Hosting one of golf's biggest events doesn't come cheap, and interestingly, Southampton Town isn't footing the bill alone.

The organizers of the 2026 U.S. Open Golf Championship will give the town up to $850,000 to cover the cost of staging the tournament this June at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

Ryan Murphy, Southampton's Town Code Compliance & Emergency Management Administrator, said that the figure covers projected personnel costs for police, public safety, and the highway department. The figure is not a fixed commitment, however.

"The value is a not-to-exceed value, not necessarily a locked-in number," Murphy said.

Overtime work, changes in staff, and last-minute updates can all affect the final cost. Murphy said that the town’s main focus will always stay the same, no matter the cost.

“The town wants to make sure everyone at the event and in the community stays safe,” he said.

Practice rounds for the 126th U.S. Open will start on June 15. The official championship rounds will be played from Thursday, June 18, to Sunday, June 21. Shinnecock Hills is hosting the championship for the sixth time.

The Road to Shinnecock Has Already Begun

While Southampton is working on the plans, the qualifying matches are already happening across the country.

There are more than 100 local qualifying locations in the U.S., where players compete from late April to mid-May. California has the most locations with 14 courses, and Florida comes next with 13.

Players from the local events move on to 13 final qualifying locations. The first two will take place at Dallas Athletic Club in Texas and Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England, starting on May 18. Another event in Japan will happen a week later.

The remaining 10 final qualifying events are planned for June 8.

It's a long road for most, and only two players in history, Ken Venturi in 1964 and Orville Moody in 1969, have won the U.S. Open after coming through both qualifying stages.

Last year at Oakmont, several final qualifiers finished inside the top 25. Carlos Ortiz tied for fourth. That kind of result is exactly what keeps hopefuls showing up to qualifiers every spring.

Follow Club Golf for more.

Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Kalp Thaker