VARIOUS SITES (June 12, 2017) - Over 1600 players entered U.S. Women's Open qualifying, held at 25 sites--21 in the United States, one in Japan, one in Korea, one in China, and one in England. The 2017 U.S. Women's Open will be held July 13-16 at Trump International Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Highlights from qualifying include:
May 22
Bailey Tardy of Norcross, GA who just finished her sophomore season at the University of Georgia, was the medalist at Butler Country Club in Butler, PA with a 140 total. This is the third time Hardy has medaled at U.S. Women's Open qualifying, having done so in 2014 and in 2016.
May 24
Amateurs took both spots at Riverdale Dunes Golf Course in Brighton, CO. Jennifer Kupcho of Denver, CO who just finished her sophomore season at Wake Forest University and who was so close to an individual NCAA title last month, shot a 138 to take medalist honors by one shot. Australian Robyn Choi of the University of Colorado also qualified by shooting 139.
May 28
Korean teenager So Whi Kang took the only spot at Poipu Bay Golf Course in Koloa, HI shooting even par 144 to lead the field by two shots.
May 30
Amateurs took both spots at Diamond Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, TX. Dylan Kim of Plano, TX who just finished her sophomore season at Baylor and then announced that she was leaving the school, shot a 137 to earn medalist honors by two shots. Kim also qualified for the U.S. Women's Open in 2015. Morgane Metraux of Switzerland, who just finished her junior year at Florida State University, took the other spot by shooting 139.
June 2
16-year-old Dana Williams of Boca Raton, FL was the medalist at Ballenisles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Williams shot a 139 to win the qualifier by five shots.
June 5
Another 16-year-old, Ty Akabane of Danville, CA finished second at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, CA with a 148 total.
Yet another teenager, Rachel Heck of Memphis, TN who just finished her freshman year of high school and who has committed to Stanford University, took one of the two spots at The Legends at Chateau Elan in Braselton, GA. Heck's total of 141 was eight shots behind the medalist, professional Jane Park, but it was seven shots ahead of the third-place finisher.
Amateurs took both spots at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, CA. Paphangkorn Tavatanakit of Thailand, the 2016 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, shot a 140, three shots clear of Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, HI. Galdiano also qualified for the U.S. Women's Open in 2011, 2013 and 2015, and she finished tied 42nd at the 2015 U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club.
Samantha Wagner of Orlando, FL who played at the University of Florida, was medalist at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, NJ with a 137 total. Wagner turned pro after the qualifier.
June 7
15-year-old Anne Chen of Sugar Land, TX shot 75-67--142 to earn co-medalist honors at The Woodlands Country Club in Spring, TX.
June 12
Another teenager, 16-year-old Brooke Seay of Rancho Santa Fe, CA shot a five-under 139 to take one of two spots at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, OR. Seay won the ANNIKA Invitational earlier this spring.
Hye Jin Choi of Korea, who along with Leona Maguire of Ireland has topped the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women's Golf Ranking all spring, won the qualifier held in Korea by seven shots.
Amateurs took both spots at the Governors Club in Chapel Hill, NC. Natalie Srinivasan of Spartanburg, SC who just finished her freshman year at Furman University, was the medalist with a 141 total. Lauren Stephenson of Lexington, SC, a University of Alabama golfer and a past champion of both the Women's Dixie Amateur and the Women's Eastern Amateur, won a playoff to earn the other spot in the championship.
Teenager Emma Bradley of Naples, FL who has verbally committed to Ole Miss University, shot a 142 to claim the only qualifying spot at Bradenton (Fla.) Country Club by a single shot.