United States Women's Open Championship (golf)
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Southampton, New York in 2013 |
| Established | 1946 |
| Course(s) | Sebonack Golf Club in 2013 |
| Par | 72 in 2013 |
| Length | ? in 2013 |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $3,250,000 in 2012 |
| Month played | June in 2013 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 272 Annika Sörenstam (1996) 272 Juli Inkster (1999) |
| To par | −16 Juli Inkster (1999) |
| Current champion | |
 Na Yeon Choi |
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 2013 U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship |
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The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is one of the LPGA Tour's five major championships along with the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and The Evian Championship. Established in 1946, it is the oldest women's major and the only event to have been recognized as a major by the LPGA since its founding in 1950. Usually held in early July, the U.S. Women's Open is the third major of the LPGA season and has the highest purse in women's golf, at $3.25 million in 2012.
Unlike its men's counterpart, the U.S. Women's Open is not globally recognized as a major championship. The Ladies European Tour does not sanction any of the three majors held in the United States, and the LPGA of Japan Tour has its own set of majors. The significance of this is limited, as the LPGA Tour is the dominant tour in women's golf.
In 2007, international players outnumbered Americans for the first time.[1] The 2008 tournament was won by 19-year-old South Korean Inbee Park, who became the event's youngest winner ever.
The 2012 championship, won by Na Yeon Choi, was played July 5–8 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin, which previously hosted the event in 1998, won by Se Ri Pak in a Monday playoff that extended to 20 holes.[2] The Original Championship Course for 2012 played just under 7,000 yards (6,400 m), over 500 yards (460 m) longer than in 1998.[3]
Qualification
The U.S. Women's Open is open to any professional or amateur female golfer. Amateurs must have an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4. Players may obtain a place by being exempt or by competing successfully in qualifying.
In 2002, a two-stage method of qualification was introduced: 18 holes for local qualifying and 36 holes for sectional qualifying. In 2010, the qualification process reverted to a single sectional stage of 36 holes played on a single day.
The criteria for exemption from qualifying has changed through the years. In 2010, there were eleven exemption categories, including winners of the U.S. Women's Open for the last ten years, winners of the other three majors for the last five years, the top 50 from the previous year's LPGA Tour money list, the top five from the previous year's Japan LPGA Tour, Korea LPGA Tour, and Ladies European Tour money lists, and official winners of LPGA co-sponsored events for the 52-week period prior to the U.S. Women's Open.[4]
There is no upper or lower age limit. The youngest-ever qualifier was 12-year-old Lexi Thompson, who qualified in 2007.[5]
Winners
The number following some winners' names indicates the cumulative number of U.S. Women's Open wins for that player.
PO - Won in playoff
(a) = Amateur
† = Won 5 and 4 over Betty Jameson
- ^ The club is located in a portion of the Duluth postal area that became part of the newly incorporated city of Johns Creek in 2006. Although the club is still served by the Duluth post office, it now lists its mailing address as Johns Creek.
Multiple champions
This table lists the golfers who have won more than one U.S. Women's Open.
| Deceased golfer † |
| Grand Slam winners ‡ |
| Golfer | Country | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betsy Rawls |  United States |
4 | 1951, 1953, 1957, 1960 |
| Mickey Wright ‡ | United States |
4 | 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964 |
| Babe Zaharias † | United States |
3 | 1948, 1950, 1954 |
| Susie Berning | United States |
3 | 1968, 1972, 1973 |
| Hollis Stacy | United States |
3 | 1977, 1978, 1984 |
| Annika Sörenstam ‡ |  Sweden |
3 | 1995, 1996, 2006 |
| Louise Suggs ‡ | United States |
2 | 1949, 1952 |
| Donna Caponi | United States |
2 | 1969, 1970 |
| JoAnne Carner | USA |
2 | 1971, 1976 |
| Betsy King | United States |
2 | 1989, 1990 |
| Patty Sheehan | United States |
2 | 1992, 1994 |
| Karrie Webb ‡ |  Australia |
2 | 2000, 2001 |
| Juli Inkster ‡ | United States |
2 | 1999, 2002 |
| Meg Mallon | United States |
2 | 1991, 2004 |
Champions by nationality
This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality.
| Nationality | Number of wins |
|---|---|
| United States |
49 |
| South Korea |
6 |
| Sweden |
4 |
| Australia |
3 |
 England |
2 |
 France |
1 |
 Uruguay |
1 |
Future sites
| Year | Course | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Sebonack Golf Club | Southampton, New York | June 27–30 |
| 2014 | Pinehurst #2 | Pinehurst, North Carolina | June 19–22 |
| This will be the first year in which a single course will host both the men's and women's Opens. The events will also be held in consecutive weeks, with the men's Open first on the calendar (June 12–15). |
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| 2015 | Lancaster Country Club | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | July 9–12 |
| 2016 | TBD | July 7–10 | |
| 2017 | Trump National Golf Club | Bedminster, New Jersey | July 13–16 |
Source:[3]
References
- ^ "U.S. Women's Open Notebook". PGA Tour. Associated Press. June 26, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
- ^ Clarke, Liz (July 7, 1998). "Pak wins Open on 92nd hole". Spokesman-Review. p. C1. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
- ^ a b "2012 U.S. Women's Open: Fact Sheet". USGA. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
- ^ "2010 U.S. Open Qualifying".
- ^ Dixon, Peter (June 30, 2007). "Thompson proves that youngsters can have fun". The Times (London). Retrieved April 24, 2008.
- ^ "1946-2010 - US Women's Open - history - purses & winners' shares". LPGA. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
External links
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