Record 1,702 Entries Accepted For 2014 U.S. Women's Open
Far Hills, NJ (PRWEB) May 01, 2014 -- The United States Golf Association (USGA) has accepted a record number of entries for the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, to be conducted at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2 in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., June 19-22. The 1,702 entries surpass the 1,420 entries accepted for the 2013 championship at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
Eighty players are fully exempt into the championship, led by two-time and defending champion Inbee Park and nine other past Women’s Open winners.
"This record number of U.S. Women’s Open entrants is further illustration of the broad appeal of this national championship," said Daniel B. Burton, USGA vice president and chairman of the Championship Committee. "With the best players in the women’s game competing on famed Pinehurst No. 2 immediately following the U.S. Open, this year’s U.S. Women’s Open is poised to be one of the most thrilling and memorable in history. We are extremely excited for this opportunity to showcase the talent of the female players on the same layout as the men.”
Considered the world’s premier women’s golf championship, the U.S. Women’s Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA. It is open to professional female golfers and amateur females with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4.
Park is one of 10 U.S. Women’s Open champions who are fully exempt into the field. She is joined by Na Yeon Choi (2012), Paula Creamer (2010), Juli Inkster (1999, 2002), Eun-Hee Ji (2009), Cristie Kerr (2007), Birdie Kim (2005), Se Ri Pak (1998), So Yeon Ryu (2011) and Karrie Webb (2000, 2001).
Entries were received from 46 states (all except Delaware, Maine, South Dakota and Vermont), the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as 52 foreign countries.
Players can still earn full exemptions by winning the North Texas LPGA Shootout, Kingsmill Championship, Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, ShopRite LPGA Classic or Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Additionally, those who are among the top 25 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as of June 16 will earn a full exemption, provided they were not previously exempt.
The remainder of the field will be filled via 36-hole sectional qualifying, which will be conducted at 20 sites. For the first time in championship history, international qualifying will be conducted, at sites in the People’s Republic of China, England, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Qualifying begins May 5 and runs through May 30, with all four international qualifiers scheduled for Monday, May 19.
“The tremendous international growth of women’s golf is very exciting and encouraging for the future health of the game,” said Dot Paluck, chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee. “The USGA is proud to add international qualifying to the championship schedule, and we are looking forward to hosting the world’s best players at Pinehurst.”
The first player to file an entry was Katy McNicoll, a 26-year-old professional from Scotland. The last to file was 17-year-old amateur Mackenzie Peyton, of New Castle, Ky., who submitted her entry eight minutes before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on April 30. Alexa Pano, 9, of Lake Worth, Fla., who finished third in her age group at the 2014 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, is the championship’s youngest entrant. Bobbi Lancaster, 63, of Gold Canyon, Ariz., is the oldest entrant for the second consecutive year.
More information about the U.S. Women’s Open before, during and after the 2014 championship at Pinehurst No. 2 is available at http://www.uswomensopen.com.
The following 80 golfers are exempt into the Women’s Open:
Sun-Ju Ahn
Chie Arimura
Christel Boeljon
Nicole Castrale
Chella Choi
Na Yeon Choi
Yoo Lim Choi
Carlota Ciganda
Irene Coe
Jacqui Concolino
Paula Creamer
Shanshan Feng
Sandra Gal
Julieta Granada
Natalie Gulbis
Mina Harigae
Caroline Hedwall
Karine Icher
Juli Inkster
Ha-Na Jang
Eun-Hee Ji
Jennifer Johnson
Moriya Jutanugarn
Danielle Kang
Haeji Kang
Cristie Kerr
Birdie Kim
I.K. Kim
Sei Young Kim
Katherine Kirk
Lydia Ko
Jessica Korda
Candie Kung
Brittany Lang
Ilhee Lee
Jee Young Lee
Meena Lee
Stacy Lewis
Brittany Lincicome
Pernilla Lindberg
Teresa Lu
Mo Martin
Caroline Masson
Catriona Matthew
Ai Miyazato
Mika Miyazato
Rikako Morita
Azahara Munoz
Gwladys Nocera
Anna Nordqvist
Lee-Anne Pace
Se Ri Pak
Hee Young Park
Inbee Park
Jane Park
Suzann Pettersen
Pornanong Phatlum
Gerina Piller
Morgan Pressel
Beatriz Recari
Jennifer Rosales
So Yeon Ryu
Lizette Salas
Dewi Claire Schreefel
Giulia Sergas
Jodi Ewart Shadoff
Jenny Shin
Angela Stanford
(a) Emma Talley
Lexi Thompson
Yani Tseng
Ayako Uehara
Mariajo Uribe
Alison Walshe
Karrie Webb
Michelle Wie
Amy Yang
Sakura Yokomine
Sun Young Yoo
Yumiko Yoshida
(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, attracting players and fans from more than 160 countries. 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 reach is global with a working jurisdiction in the United States, its territories and Mexico, serving more than 25 million golfers and actively engaging 150 golf associations.
The USGA is one of the world’s foremost authorities on research, development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and invests in the development of the game through the delivery of its services and its ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants 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 http://www.usga.org.
Christina Lance, United States Golf Association, http://www.usga.org, +1 908-326-1882, [email protected]
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