SAN DIEGO – Planning to attend the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course next month?

If you're driving south on Interstate 5 from the North Coast or Orange County, don't expect any out-of-the-ordinary treatment.

You'll need to park at Qualcomm Stadium, like everyone else.

Due to limited room for parking near the course, and the start of the San Diego County Fair in nearby Del Mar about the same time, golf officials will run free shuttle buses from Qualcomm Stadium to Torrey Pines throughout the event, from June 9 to 15.

Reg Jones, managing director of the U.S. Open, said 10 percent of those who bought U.S. Open tickets live in coastal Southern California and north of Torrey Pines.

Because of the relatively small number – about 4,250 tickets out of the 42,500 sold – organizers decided not to make special accommodations for those driving to the event on southbound I-5, Jones said.

Jones said the U.S. Golf Association looked into setting up satellite parking along I-5 north of Torrey Pines, but couldn't find a suitable lot. “We looked at other options and Qualcomm was still our best option,” he said.

He said 75 percent of those who bought tickets live outside Southern California. He said many of them are as anxious to visit San Diego as they are to watch championship golf.

“That says a lot about the popularity of the Open and it says a lot about the popularity of San Diego,” he said.

The last two days of the golf tournament will coincide with the first two days of the fair, which opens Saturday, June 14. The usual fair parking lots will be open for business, including the 1,700-space main lot on the fairgrounds' doorstep.

A fair spokeswoman said the Del Mar lots will be closed before the fair opens.

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Steve Schmidt: (619) 293-1380; steve.schmidt@uniontrib.com