OAKMONT, Pa. — Getting 200,000 people through the gates at the 2025 U.S. Open is no easy task, but the USGA has invested in AI technology to help make the process smoother.
It’s the start of a new era at the Oakmont Country Club when it comes to admitting ticketholders for the U.S. Open. Gone are the days of will-call and physical tickets. Instead, everything is on your phone. All fans have to do is hold it up to the barcode reader and walk through the gate.
“You almost don’t even need to break stride. It’s literally that quick,” said Chris Tobia, USGA senior director of ticket operations and accreditation. “We’re really focused on the fan experience, and that starts at the gate.”
It’s a single-scanning solution using the same hardware for all tickets, badges, credentials and more, allowing for a quicker and more seamless entry. Tobia said that as crowds ramp up over the course of the next few days, they’ll monitor the lanes at perimeter and hospitality gates and will deploy hand-held devices if need be, but Tobia said so far, the technology is working as it’s intended, giving his team the flexibility to respond instantly to crowd flow challenges.
“So far, so good. Last couple of days, we’ve had really good attendance. Obviously, there was some weather last week, that slowed us down a little bit, but yeah, everything is working as it should,” Tobia said.
Facial identification technology is also being used on certain groups who volunteered and gave prior approval. It’s new to Oakmont this year, but Tobia said USGA officials tested the technology last year at Pinehurst.
‘You don’t have to pull out the phone, you don’t have to use your badge, basically smile and you’re inside the perimeter,” Tobia said.
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