FAR HILLS, N.J. (May 31, 2006) – Four USGA champions were among the 10 golfers to earn full exemptions into the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open with the close of another exemption category. There are now 71 players fully exempt into the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, which will be contested June 29 – July 2 at Newport Country Club in Newport, R.I.
Brandie Burton (1989 Girls’ Junior), Julieta Granada (2004 Girls’ Junior), Virada Nirapathpongporn (2003 Women’s Amateur) and Aree Song (1999 Girls’ Junior) were added to the field based on their ranking in the top 35 on the LPGA money list as of May 29.
Also earning full exemptions by being in the top 35 on the money list were Helen Alfredsson, Kyeong Bae, Sarah Lee, Seon Hwa Lee, Brittany Lincicome and Suzann Pettersen.
Three spots are being held for the winners of the three LPGA events prior to the start of the 2006 Women’s Open, should they not already be fully exempt. Sectional qualifying for the remaining 82 spots will take place at nine sites between June 5 and 13.
Following is the list of the 71 golfers who are fully exempt:
Helen Alfredsson: 8
Shi Hyun Ahn: 7, 8
Kyeong Bae: 8
Marisa Baena: 7, 9
Tina Barrett: 6
Heather Bowie Young: 6, 7, 8, 9
Brandie Burton: 8
Paula Creamer: 6, 7, 8, 9
Laura Davies: 7
Laura Diaz: 7, 8
Yuri Fudoh: 11
Julieta Granada: 8
Natalie Gulbis: 6, 7, 8
Sophie Gustafson: 7
Hee-Won Han: 7, 8, 9
Rachel Hetherington: 7
Maria Hjorth: 10
Jamie Hullett: 6
Pat Hurst: 7, 8, 9
Karine Icher: 6, 7
Juli Inkster: 1, 7, 8, 9
Jeong Jang: 4, 7, 8, 9
Young Jo: 6
Rosie Jones: 6, 7
Lorie Kane: 6, 7
Jimin Kang: 7
Soo-Yun Kang: 6, 7, 9
Cristie Kerr: 6, 7, 8, 9
Birdie Kim: 1, 6, 7
Christina Kim: 7, 8
Mi Hyun Kim: 7, 8
Young Kim: 7
Carin Koch: 7
Candie Kung: 6, 7
Brittany Lang: 6, 8
Jee Young Lee: 8, 9
Sarah Lee: 8
Seon Hwa Lee: 8
Brittany Lincicome: 8
Hilary Lunke: 1
*Paige Mackenzie: 6
Meg Mallon: 1, 6
*Maru Martinez: 2
Catriona Matthew: 7
Jill McGill: 7
Patricia Meunier-Lebouc: 5
Ai Miyazato: 8, 11
Liselotte Neumann: 6, 7
Virada Nirapathpongporn: 8
Lorena Ochoa: 6, 7, 8, 9
Se Ri Pak: 1, 3, 4
Gloria Park: 7
Grace Park: 5, 7
*Jane Park: 2
Nicole Perrot: 7, 9
Suzann Pettersen: 8
Stacy Prammanasudh: 7, 8
Morgan Pressel: 6, 8
Michele Redman: 7, 8
Kelly Robbins: 12
Jennifer Rosales: 7
Aree Song: 8
Annika Sorenstam: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Angela Stanford: 6, 8
Karen Stupples: 4, 6
Iben Tinning: 10
Wendy Ward: 7
Karrie Webb: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Michelle Wie: 12
Sung Ah Yim: 8, 9
Veronica Zorzi: 10
* = amateur
Key to Player Exemptions
1) Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open for the last 10 years (1996-2005)
2) Winners of the U.S. Women’s Amateur for the last two years (2004-2005) and runner-up for the most recent year (2005)
3) Winners of the LPGA Championship for the last five years (2002-2006)
4) Winners of the Women’s British Open Championship for the last five years (2001-2005)
5) Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship the last five years (2002-2006)
6) From the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place
7) From the 2005 final official LPGA money list, the top 40 money leaders
8) From the 2006 official LPGA money list, the top 35 money leaders through May 29
9) Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Championship to the initiation of the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open Championship
10) Top three players from the 2005 Ladies European Tour Final Exemption Money List
11) Two leading money winners from the 2005 Japan LPGA Tour
12) Special exemptions selected by the USGA
Contact:
Beth Murrison
USGA Media Relations
908-234-2300
mediarelations@usga.org
www.usga.org
