FARMINGDALE, New York: Not since 1981 have there been so many amateur players in a US Open field as the 15 who are set to tee off here Thursday at Bethpage Black in the 109th US Open.

While it's unlikely any of them will replace 1933 winner John Goodman as the last amateur to claim the title, their success through qualifying rounds serves notice about the strength of talent development at the pre-professional stages.

"I just think the level of competition as amateurs now has gone way up," said Bronson Burgoon, the American who sparked Texas A-and-M to the US college crown and hopes to follow in the footsteps of recent college-to-PGA standouts.