With the US Masters now well and truly in the rear view mirror attention is turning to next month's US Open with the USGA announcing last week the fourth highest number of entries in the championship's history were accepted by the April 25 deadline last Thursday Australian time.

9,006 applications have been received from all over the world with competitors to face up to three stages of qualifying to try to earn a spot in the field at San Francisco's Olympic Club from June 14-17.

The number is just 80 shy of the record applications which came in 2009 when the event was played at New York's Bethpage State Park.

“It is always gratifying to see how many golfers, from across the world, are interested in playing in the National Open Championship,”said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis.

“The great appeal of the U.S. Open is that anyone can enter, provided they meet the Handicap Index standards set forth.

"We look forward to the qualifying process, conducting the 2012 championship in San Francisco and identifying this year’s United States Open champion.”

53 players are already exempt into the field including five Australians; Aaron Baddeley, Jason Day, Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden and Adam Scott and many more will doubtless try their luck at both international and US qualifying later this month.