Tournament information | |
---|---|
Location | Lancaster, Pennsylvania (in 2024) |
Established | 1946, 78 years ago |
Course(s) | Lancaster Country Club Meadowcreek/Dogwood Course (in 2024) |
Par | 70 (in 2024) |
Length | 6,546 yd (5,986 m) (in 2024) |
Organized by | USGA (since 1953) |
Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
Format | Stroke play |
Prize fund | $12 million (in 2024) |
Month played | May/June |
Tournament record score | |
Aggregate | 271 Minjee Lee (2022) |
To par | –16 Juli Inkster (1999) |
Current champion | |
Yuka Saso | |
2024 U.S. Women's Open |
The U.S. Women's Open, one of 15 national golf championships conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is the oldest of the LPGA Tour's five major championships, which includes the Chevron Championship, Women's PGA Championship, Women's Open Championship, and The Evian Championship.
Established 78 years ago in 1946, the U.S. Women's Open is the only event to have been recognized as a major by the LPGA since the group's founding in 1950. Originally operated by the Women's Professional Golfers Association (WPGA) for its first three years and the LPGA for the next four, it became a USGA event in 1953. [1] Since 2018, the tournament has normally been held the week after Memorial Day. The U.S. Women's Open is the second major of the LPGA season and has the highest purse in women's golf. The most recent increase, announced in January 2022, saw the purse nearly double from its previous $5.5 million (2019–2021) [2] to $10 million starting in 2022. The 2022 purse increase came about when the nonprofit health care company ProMedica was announced as the tournament's presenting sponsor. [3]
For 2020, it was the final major of the year and be held for the first time over two courses, as it was postponed to December, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that postponed golf tournaments from March through June. [4]
In 2007, international players outnumbered Americans for the first time. [5] The 2008 tournament was won South Korean Inbee Park, who became the event's youngest winner ever at age 19 years, 11 months, 17 days. In 2021, Yuka Saso matched Park as the youngest winner ever. [6]
Since 2018, the U.S. Women's Open has normally been held prior to its men's counterpart rather than following it and the U.S. Senior Open. In announcing this schedule change, the USGA stated that it would "provide optimum playing conditions for the world's best players across a broader variety of the country's finest golf courses." [7]
The playoff format was modified in 2018, reduced from three to two aggregate holes, followed by sudden death. [8] The last 18-hole playoff was in 2006; the three-hole playoff was introduced the following year and used in 2011 and 2016.
The USGA announced on May 29, the men's and women's open winner for 2024 now earns 20% of the total purse; $2.4 million for this year's Women's Open winner. [9] The boost in prize money also came with a change in presenting sponsor, with Ally Financial taking over as headline partner.
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 2.4, [10] lowered in 2014 from 4.4 in 2013. [11] 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. [12]
There is no upper or lower age limit. The youngest-ever qualifiers were 11-year-old Lucy Li in 2014, [13] and 12-year-old Lexi Thompson in 2007. [14]
Winners of major amateur tournaments are also exempt. Currently, winners of the U.S. Girls' Junior, and U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and the finalist of the U.S. Women's Amateur (all USGA events) are exempt provided they did not turn professional beforehand. Winners of the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship will qualify effective with the inaugural tournament in 2019. The U.S. Women's Amateur champion is exempt, regardless of turning professional between the Women's Amateur and the U.S. Women's Open as a result of an August 2019 rule change by the USGA. [15]
The number following some winners' names indicates the cumulative number of U.S. Women's Open wins for that player.
(a) = Amateur
† = Won 5 and 4 over Betty Jameson in 36-hole match play final
This table lists the golfers who have won more than one U.S. Women's Open.
Career 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 | United States | 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 |
Inbee Park | South Korea | 2 | 2008, 2013 |
Yuka Saso | Japan | 2 | 2021, 2024 |
The defending champion has retained the title on seven occasions, most recently in 2001:
Year | Edition | Course | Location | Dates | Previous championships hosted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | 80th | Erin Hills | Erin, Wisconsin | May 29 – June 1 | |
2026 | 81st | Riviera Country Club | Pacific Palisades, California | June 4–7 | |
2027 | 82nd | Inverness Club | Toledo, Ohio | TBD | |
2028 | 83rd | Oakmont Country Club | Plum, Pennsylvania | TBD | 1992, 2010 |
2029 | 84th | Pinehurst No. 2 | Pinehurst, North Carolina | TBD | 2014 |
2030 | 85th | Interlachen Country Club | Edina, Minnesota | TBD | 2008 |
2031 | 86th | Oakland Hills Country Club | Bloomfield Township, Michigan | TBD | |
2032 | 87th | Los Angeles Country Club | Los Angeles, California | TBD | |
2033 | 88th | Chicago Golf Club | Wheaton, Illinois | TBD | |
2034 | 89th | Merion Golf Club | Haverford, Pennsylvania | TBD | |
2035 | 90th | Pebble Beach Golf Links | Pebble Beach, California | TBD | 2023 |
2036 | 91th | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | Shinnecock Hills, New York | TBD |
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open national championship of golf in the United States. It is the third of the four men's major golf championships, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. Since 1898 the competition has been 72 holes of stroke play, with the winner being the player with the lowest total number of strokes. It is staged by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in mid-June, scheduled so that, if there are no weather delays, the final round is played on the third Sunday. The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, set up in such a way that scoring is very difficult, with a premium placed on accurate driving. As of 2024, the U.S. Open awards a $21.5 million purse, the largest of all four major championships.
The U.S. Senior Open is one of the five major championships in senior golf, introduced 44 years ago in 1980. It is administered by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and is recognized as a major championship by both the PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour. The lower age limit was 55 in 1980, but it was lowered to 50 for the second edition in 1981, which is the standard limit for men's senior professional golf tournaments. By definition, the event is open to amateurs, but has been dominated by professionals; through 2022, all editions have been won by pros. Like other USGA championships, it has been played on many courses throughout the United States.
The 2010 U.S. Women's Open was the 65th U.S. Women's Open, played July 8–11 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, a suburb northeast of Pittsburgh. Paula Creamer, in her fourth tournament after surgery to her left thumb, won her first major championship, four shots ahead of runners-up Na Yeon Choi and Suzann Pettersen.
The 2011 U.S. Women's Open was the 66th U.S. Women's Open, played July 7–11 at The Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA). The course is at an elevation of over 6,200 feet (1,890 m) above sea level and previously hosted the U.S. Women's Open in 1995, the first major championship won by Annika Sörenstam. Broadmoor East was the first course in the history of the tournament to play longer than 7,000 yards (6,400 m)
The 2012 U.S. Women's Open was the 67th U.S. Women's Open, held July 5–8 at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin. Na Yeon Choi won her first major championship, four strokes ahead of runner-up Amy Yang.
The 2013 U.S. Women's Open was the 68th U.S. Women's Open, held June 27–30 at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York. It was first time the championship was played on Long Island and marked a return to the greater New York City area, which last hosted the U.S. Women's Open in 1987. Inbee Park won her second U.S. Women's Open title, four strokes ahead of runner-up I.K. Kim. It was Park's fourth major title and third consecutive in 2013. She is the first to win the opening three majors of a season since Babe Zaharias in 1950. The event was televised by ESPN and NBC Sports.
The 2014 U.S. Women's Open was the 69th U.S. Women's Open, held June 1922 at Pinehurst Resort Course No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. It marked the first time that the U.S. Women's Open was played on the same course in the same year as the U.S. Open. The U.S. Women's Open was played a week after the U.S. Open.
The 2015 U.S. Women's Open was the 70th U.S. Women's Open, held July 9–12 at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The 2016 U.S. Women's Open was the 71st U.S. Women's Open, held July 7–10 at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California, southeast of San Jose.
The U.S. Senior Women's Open is one of fourteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. This USGA championship is open to women whose 50th birthday falls on or before the first day of competition and hold a handicap index not exceeding 7.4. It is part of the Legends of the LPGA Tour. The inaugural championship was held in 2018 at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.
The 2018 U.S. Women's Open was the 73rd U.S. Women's Open, played May 31 – June 3 at Shoal Creek Club in Shoal Creek, Alabama, a suburb southeast of Birmingham.
The 2018 U.S. Senior Women's Open was the inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association, open to women over 50 years of age. The championship was played at the Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Illinois, from July 12 to 15 and was won by Laura Davies, England.
The 2019 U.S. Women's Open was the 74th U.S. Women's Open, played May 30 – June 2 at Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina.
The 2020 U.S. Women's Open was the 75th U.S. Women's Open, played December 10–14 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, having been postponed from its original date of June 4–7, 2020, on April 3, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was played on both the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses.
The 2021 U.S. Women's Open was the 76th U.S. Women's Open, played June 3–6, 2021 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California.
The 2021 U.S. Senior Women's Open was the third U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association, open to women over 50 years of age. The championship was played at the Brooklawn Country Club, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States, from July 29 to August 1 and won by Annika Sörenstam.
The 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Open took place August 25–28 at NCR Country Club in Dayton, Ohio, and was the fourth U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association, open to women over 50 years of age.
The 2019 U.S. Senior Women's Open was the second U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association, open to women over 50 years of age. The championship was played at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States, from May 16 to 19. The championship was won by Helen Alfredsson.
The 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open took place August 24–27 at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon, and was the fifth U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), open to women over 50 years of age and one of two yearly senior women's major golf championships.
The 2024 U.S. Women's Open was the 79th U.S. Women's Open, played May 30 to June 2 at the Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.