What happened: Fifty-four Open Division clubs will contest the opening round, while 101 received byes into October. Geography and random selection determined the pairings and byes, with hosts also selected at random.
Why it matters: The winners advance to a 128-team second qualifying round on Oct. 3-4. Four fall windows will produce 16 amateur entrants for the Tournament Proper, where professional clubs enter in April 2027.
By the numbers: The opening round includes 54 of the 155 entrants, or 34.8%, while 65.2% received byes. California, Florida, Texas, New York and New Jersey account for 78 clubs, just over half the qualifying field.
What to watch: The first weekend features 13 matches Saturday and 14 Sunday. The Nov. 21-22 final qualifying round will determine the Tournament Proper berths.