United States Women's Open Championship (golf)

Infobox Golf Tournament
tournament_name = U.S. Women's Open
nickname =


location = USA
establishment = 1946
course = Interlachen Country Club in 2008
par = 72 in 2008
yardage = 6,789 in 2008
tour = LPGA
format = Stroke play
purse=$3,100,000 in 2008
month_played = June-July
defunct = No
aggregate = 272 Juli Inkster (1999)
to-par = −16 Juli Inkster (1999)
Current Champion = flagicon|South Korea Inbee ParkThe 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. [ [http://www.pgatour.com/2007/r/06/26/uswonotebook062607/index.html U.S. Women's Open Notebook] , "Associated Press" article on "pgatour.com", June 26, 2007.] 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. [ [http://www.2008uswomensopen.com/qualifying.php U.S. Women's Open Qualifying] , web page from 2008 U.S. Open web site]

There is no lower age limit. The youngest ever qualifier was 12-year-old Alexis Thompson, who qualified in 2007. cite web
last = Dixon
first = Peter
title = Thompson proves that youngsters can have fun
publisher = Times Newspapers Ltd.
year = 2007
url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/golf/article2007602.ece
accessdate = 2008-04-24]

Winners

^PO - Won in playoff
Am = Amateur
MP = Match play tournament

Multiple winners

*4 wins: Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright
*3 wins: Babe Zaharias, Susie Berning, Hollis Stacy, Annika Sörenstam
*2 wins: Louise Suggs, Donna Caponi, JoAnne Carner, Betsy King, Patty Sheehan, Karrie Webb, Juli Inkster, Meg Mallon

Future sites

*2009 - Saucon Valley Golf Club, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
*2010 - Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
*2011 - Broadmoor Golf Club, Colorado Springs, Colorado
*2012 - Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wisconsin
*2013 - Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, New York

References

External links

* [http://www.usga.org/ United States Golf Association website]
* [http://www.uswomensopen.com/ U.S. Women's Open official site]