FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RECORD 1,702 ENTRIES ACCEPTED FOR 2014 U.S.
WOMEN’S OPEN
Eighty golfers currently
fully exempt into USGA championship
FAR HILLS,
N.J. (May 1, 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 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
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, 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 www.usga.org.
