Eighty-five golfers currently fully exempt into USGA championship
Far Hills, N.J. (May 4, 2012) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that it has accepted a record 1,364 entries for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open. Considered among the premier women’s golf events worldwide, the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open will be conducted July 5-8 at Blackwolf Run® in Kohler, Wis.
The 1,364 entries surpassed the previous record of 1,296, set at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 2010. It is the ninth consecutive year the number of entries for the championship has exceeded 1,000.
“The women who have applied to play in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open represent the best female golfers in the world,” said Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., USGA vice president and chairman of the Championship Committee. “This record number of entries is indicative of the international reach of women’s golf, and we are very excited to host these players in our national championship.”
The first to file an entry was Abby Newton, a 17-year-old amateur from Katy, Texas, who was one of 55 people to enter on March 5, the first day applications were available. The last to file was Canada’s Ashley Sholer, who submitted her entry five minutes before the deadline of 5 p.m. on May 2. Sholer’s entry was one of 69 received on the final day, and one of 16 received in the last hour.
The youngest entrant is 11-year-old Elizabeth Wang, of San Marino, Calif., who will turn 12 on May 22. The oldest is Bobbi Lancaster, 61, of Gold Canyon, Ariz.
“The list of U.S. Women’s Open champions includes some of the most iconic names in the history of the game,” said Martha Lang, chairman of the USGA’s Women’s Committee. “We look forward to adding yet another name to that illustrious group in July at Blackwolf Run.”
Entries were received from 47 states (all except Alaska, Delaware and Maine) and 44 other countries. In addition to the USA, entries were received from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, the People’s Republic of China, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
Eighty-five golfers are currently fully exempt from sectional qualifying for the upcoming championship, led by defending champion So Yeon Ryu, who won the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. Eight other past winners who are fully exempt have also entered: Paula Creamer (2010); Juli Inkster (1999, 2002); Eun-Hee Ji (2009); Cristie Kerr (2007); Birdie Kim (2005); Se Ri Pak (1998); Inbee Park (2008) and Karrie Webb (2000, 2001). One other past champion, Laura Davies (1987), has entered sectional qualifying. Davies will attempt to qualify on Tuesday, May 29, at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.
Eleven spots are reserved for the winner of the 2012 Wegmans LPGA Championship, any non-exempt players who win an official LPGA Tour event through the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship (which ends July 1), and those who enter the top 25 of the Rolex Rankings as of July 2.
The remainder of the field will be filled via 36-hole sectional qualifying, which will be played at 19 sites. Qualifying begins May 14 and runs through June 3.
A list of the 85 golfers who are currently fully exempt into the Women’s Open follows:
Sun Ju Ahn
Yukari Baba
Kyeong Bae
Amanda Blumenherst
Christel Boeljon
Heather Bowie Young
Chella Choi
Na Yeon Choi
Paula Creamer
Shanshan Feng
Katie Futcher
Sandra Gal
Julieta Granada
Natalie Gulbis
Sophie Gustafson
Hee Won Han
Mina Harigae
Caroline Hedwall
Maria Hjorth
Katherine Hull
Amy Hung
Pat Hurst
Vicky Hurst
Juli Inkster
Eun-Hee Ji
Tiffany Joh
Jennifer Johnson
Yeon Ju Jung
(a) Moriya Jutanugarn
Jimin Kang
Cristie Kerr
Birdie Kim
Christina Kim
I K Kim
Mindy Kim
Song Hee Kim
(a) Lydia Ko
Jessica Korda
Candie Kung
Cynthia Lacrosse
Brittany Lang
Jihee Lee
Meena Lee
Stacy Lewis
Brittany Lincicome
Diana Luna
Paige Mackenzie
Catriona Matthew
Kristy McPherson
Ai Miyazato
Mika Miyazato
Becky Morgan
Belen Mozo
Azahara Munoz
Anna Nordqvist
Ryann O’Toole
Lee-Anne Pace
Se Ri Pak
Hee Young Park
Inbee Park
Suzann Pettersen
Pornanong Phatlum
Gerina Piller
Stacy Prammanasudh
Morgan Pressel
Beatriz Recari
Melissa Reid
So Yeon Ryu
Dewi Claire Schreefel
Hee Kyung Seo
Jenny Shin
Jiyai Shin
Hyun Hwa Sim
Angela Stanford
Karen Stupples
Alexis Thompson
Yani Tseng
Momoko Ueda
Wendy Ward
Karrie Webb
Michelle Wie
Amy Yang
Soo Jin Yang
Sakura Yokomine
Sun Young Yoo
Bold = U.S. Women’s Open champion
(a) = amateur
About the USGA
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.
The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.
For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
Contact:
Christina Lance (clance@usga.org)
Web Address: www.usga.org
USGA Phone: (908) 234-2300
