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's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship. It is the only event to have been recognized as a major by the LPGA since its founding in 1950; the other current majors were established later.
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. However the significance of this is limited as the LPGA Tour is more dominant in women's golf than the PGA Tour is in men's golf.
In 2007, non-American 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.
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 fully exempt or by competing successfully in qualifying.
In 2002, the current two stage method of qualification was introduced - 18 holes for local qualifying and 36 holes for sectional qualifying.
There are eleven full 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 40 from the previous year's LPGA Tour money list, the top 3 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.[2]
There is no lower age limit. The youngest ever qualifier was 12-year-old Alexis Thompson, who qualified in 2007.[3]
Winners
| Year |
Champion |
Country |
Venue |
Location |
Score |
| 2009 |
Eun-Hee Ji |
 South Korea |
Saucon Valley Country Club |
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
E |
| 2008 |
Inbee Park |
South Korea |
Interlachen Country Club |
Edina, Minnesota |
-9 |
| 2007 |
Cristie Kerr |
 United States |
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club |
Southern Pines, North Carolina |
-5 |
| 2006 |
Annika Sörenstam (3) |
 Sweden |
Newport Country Club |
Newport, Rhode Island |
E PO |
| 2005 |
Birdie Kim |
South Korea |
Cherry Hills Country Club |
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado |
+3 |
| 2004 |
Meg Mallon (2) |
United States |
The Orchards Golf Club |
South Hadley, Massachusetts |
-10 |
| 2003 |
Hilary Lunke |
United States |
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Witch Hollow Course |
North Plains, Oregon |
-1 PO |
| 2002 |
Juli Inkster (2) |
United States |
Prairie Dunes Golf Club |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
-4 |
| 2001 |
Karrie Webb (2) |
 Australia |
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club |
Southern Pines, North Carolina |
-7 |
| 2000 |
Karrie Webb |
Australia |
The Merit Club |
Gurnee, Illinois |
-6 |
| 1999 |
Juli Inkster |
United States |
Old Waverly Golf Club |
West Point, Mississippi |
-16 |
| 1998 |
Se Ri Pak |
South Korea |
Blackwolf Run |
Kohler, Wisconsin |
+6 PO |
| 1997 |
Alison Nicholas |
 England |
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Witch Hollow Course |
North Plains, Oregon |
-10 |
| 1996 |
Annika Sörenstam (2) |
Sweden |
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club |
Southern Pines, North Carolina |
-8 |
| 1995 |
Annika Sörenstam |
Sweden |
Broadmoor Golf Club, East Course |
Colorado Springs, Colorado |
-2 |
| 1994 |
Patty Sheehan (2) |
United States |
Indianwood Golf and Country Club, Old Course |
Lake Orion, Michigan |
-7 |
| 1993 |
Lauri Merten |
United States |
Crooked Stick Golf Club |
Carmel, Indiana |
-4 |
| 1992 |
Patty Sheehan |
United States |
Oakmont Country Club |
Oakmont, Pennsylvania |
E PO |
| 1991 |
Meg Mallon |
United States |
Colonial Country Club |
Fort Worth, Texas |
-1 |
| 1990 |
Betsy King (2) |
United States |
Atlanta Athletic Club, Riverside Course |
Duluth, Georgia[N 1] |
-4 |
| 1989 |
Betsy King |
United States |
Indianwood Golf and Country Club, Old Course |
Lake Orion, Michigan |
-2 |
| 1988 |
Liselotte Neumann |
Sweden |
Baltimore Country Club, Five Farms, East Course |
Baltimore, Maryland |
-7 |
| 1987 |
Laura Davies |
England |
Plainfield Country Club |
Edison, New Jersey |
-3 |
| 1986 |
Jane Geddes |
United States |
NCR Country Club |
Kettering, Ohio |
-1 |
| 1985 |
Kathy Guadagnino |
United States |
Baltusrol Golf Club |
Springfield, New Jersey |
-8 |
| 1984 |
Hollis Stacy (3) |
United States |
Salem Country Club |
Peabody, Massachusetts |
+2 |
| 1983 |
Jan Stephenson |
Australia |
Cedar Ridge Country Club |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
+6 |
| 1982 |
Janet Anderson |
United States |
Del Paso Country Club |
Sacramento, California |
-5 |
| 1981 |
Pat Bradley |
United States |
La Grange Country Club |
La Grange, Illinois |
-9 |
| 1980 |
Amy Alcott |
United States |
Richland Country Club |
Nashville, Tennessee |
-4 |
| 1979 |
Jerilyn Britz |
United States |
Brooklawn Country Club |
Fairfield, Connecticut |
E |
| 1978 |
Hollis Stacy (2) |
United States |
Country Club of Indianapolis |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
+5 |
| 1977 |
Hollis Stacy |
United States |
Hazeltine National Golf Club |
Chaska, Minnesota |
+4 |
| 1976 |
JoAnne Carner (2) |
United States |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
Springfield, Pennsylvania |
+8 PO |
| 1975 |
Sandra Palmer |
United States |
Atlantic City Country Club |
Northfield, New Jersey |
+7 |
| 1974 |
Sandra Haynie |
United States |
La Grange Country Club |
La Grange, Illinois |
+7 |
| 1973 |
Susie Berning (3) |
United States |
Country Club of Rochester |
Rochester, New York |
+2 |
| 1972 |
Susie Berning (2) |
United States |
Winged Foot Golf Club, East Course |
Mamaroneck, New York |
+11 |
| 1971 |
JoAnne Carner |
United States |
Kahkwa Club |
Erie, Pennsylvania |
E |
| 1970 |
Donna Caponi (2) |
United States |
Muskogee Country Club |
Muskogee, Oklahoma |
-1 |
| 1969 |
Donna Caponi |
United States |
Scenic Hills Country Club |
Pensacola, Florida |
+6 |
| 1968 |
Susie Berning |
United States |
Moselem Springs Golf Club |
Fleetwood, Pennsylvania |
+5 |
| 1967 |
Catherine Lacoste (Am) |
 France |
The Homestead |
Hot Springs, Virginia |
+6 |
| 1966 |
Sandra Spuzich |
United States |
Hazeltine National Golf Club |
Chaska, Minnesota |
+9 |
| 1965 |
Carol Mann |
United States |
Atlantic City Country Club |
Northfield, New Jersey |
+2 |
| 1964 |
Mickey Wright (4) |
United States |
San Diego Country Club |
Chula Vista, California |
-3 PO |
| 1963 |
Mary Mills |
United States |
Kenwood Country Club |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
-3 |
| 1962 |
Murle Lindstrom |
United States |
Dunes Golf and Beach Club |
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina |
+13 |
| 1961 |
Mickey Wright (3) |
United States |
Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course |
Springfield, New Jersey |
+6 |
| 1960 |
Betsy Rawls (4) |
United States |
Worcester Country Club |
Worcester, Massachusetts |
+4 |
| 1959 |
Mickey Wright (2) |
United States |
Churchill Valley Country Club |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
-1 |
| 1958 |
Mickey Wright |
United States |
Forest Lake Country Club |
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan |
-2 |
| 1957 |
Betsy Rawls (3) |
United States |
Winged Foot Golf Club, East Course |
Mamaroneck, New York |
+7 |
| 1956 |
Kathy Cornelius |
United States |
Northland Country Club |
Duluth, Minnesota |
+11 PO |
| 1955 |
Fay Crocker |
 Uruguay |
Wichita Country Club |
Wichita, Kansas |
+11 |
| 1954 |
Babe Zaharias (3) |
United States |
Salem Country Club |
Peabody, Massachusetts |
+3 |
| 1953 |
Betsy Rawls (2) |
United States |
Country Club of Rochester |
Rochester, New York |
+12 PO |
| 1952 |
Louise Suggs (2) |
United States |
Bala Golf Club |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
-4 |
| 1951 |
Betsy Rawls |
United States |
Druid Hills Golf Club |
Atlanta, Georgia |
+5 |
| 1950 |
Babe Zaharias (2) |
United States |
Rolling Hills Country Club |
Wichita, Kansas |
+3 |
| 1949 |
Louise Suggs |
United States |
Prince Georges Golf and Country Club |
Landover, Maryland |
+3 |
| 1948 |
Babe Zaharias |
United States |
Atlantic City Country Club |
Northfield, New Jersey |
+12 |
| 1947 |
Betty Jameson |
United States |
Starmount Forest Country Club |
Greensboro, North Carolina |
+7 |
| 1946 |
Patty Berg |
United States |
Spokane Country Club |
Spokane, Washington |
MP |
PO - Won in playoff
Am = Amateur
MP = Match play tournament
- ^ 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.
| Golfer |
Total |
Years |
| Betsy Rawls |
4 |
1951, 1953, 1957, 1960 |
| Mickey Wright |
4 |
1958, 1959, 1961, 1964 |
| Babe Zaharias |
3 |
1948, 1950, 1954 |
| Susie Berning |
3 |
1968, 1972, 1973 |
| Hollis Stacy |
3 |
1977, 1978, 1984 |
| Annika Sörenstam |
3 |
1995, 1996, 2006 |
| Louise Suggs |
2 |
1949, 1952 |
| Donna Caponi |
2 |
1969, 1970 |
| JoAnne Carner |
2 |
1971, 1976 |
| Betsy King |
2 |
1989, 1990 |
| Patty Sheehan |
2 |
1992, 1994 |
| Karrie Webb |
2 |
2000, 2001 |
| Juli Inkster |
2 |
1999, 2002 |
| Meg Mallon |
2 |
1991, 2004 |
Champions by nationality
This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality.
Future sites
- 2010 – Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
- 2011 – Broadmoor Golf Club, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- 2012 – Blackwolf Run, River Course, Kohler, Wisconsin
- 2013 – Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, New York
- 2014 – Pinehurst #2, Pinehurst, North Carolina
- 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.
- 2015 – Lancaster Country Club, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
References
External links
|
U.S. Women's Open Championships |
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1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955
1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965
1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985
1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995
1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005
2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010
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