June 13, 2006

EVANSTON, Ill. -- While most college students look forward to their graduation day, Northwestern senior Dillon Dougherty (Woodland, Calif./Woodland) will be playing hooky from his ceremonies held in Evanston on Friday and Saturday.

As Dougherty's classmates receive their diplomas, the 23-year-old Dougherty will be teeing it up at the 106th playing of the U.S. Open Championship at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

Finishing as the 2005 U.S. Amateur runner-up, Dougherty received and accepted honorary one-year invitations to play in the U.S. Open and the Masters. He fired a two-round score of 160 at Augusta National Golf Club in early April to finish the tournament in a tie for 85th place.

Dougherty, a 2006 second team All-Big Ten selection, is set to tee off at 7:33 a.m. CT on Thursday, two time slots ahead of Phil Mickelson (the reigning champion at the PGA Championship and Masters). Dougherty will be playing alongside Billy Mayfair and Nick O'Hern.

Dougherty will be one of nine amateurs in the 156-golfer field. The field will try to overcome the long primary rough to vie for the $1,225,000 first-place money. Dougherty will receive no money for his finish due to his amateur status.

Television coverage for Thursday and Friday will be provided by both ESPN (9 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. CT) and NBC (2 to 4 p.m.). Live scoring can be found by logging on to the U.S. Open web site.