 The tournament starts with 36 holes of stroke play, with the top 64 competitors advancing to the match play portion of the tournament.Golfers must have a USGA handicap index of 7.4 or lower to enter.The tournament was founded in 1955, expanding on a tournament conducted by the U.S. Senior Golf Association (not affiliated with the USGA), which itself had grown from a senior amateur event at the Apawamis Club in 1905.