USGA President Tom O'Toole, Jr. (right) announces the
U.S. Senior Women's Open with
USGA Executive Director Mike Davis
NEW YORK, N.Y. (
Feb. 7,
2015) – The United States Golf
Association
(USGA) today announced the establishment of a
new
championship, the U.S. Senior Women’s Open
Championship, which will debut in 2018.
The addition of the U.S. Senior Women’s
Open increases the number of national
championships conducted annually by the USGA
to
14.
“We have studied and discussed the need
for this championship for many years and now
we
can celebrate its introduction,” said USGA
President Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. “The
USGA has been leading and supporting
women’s golf since 1895 and it has never
been stronger. We hope that current and
younger
players will be inspired to
see national championship
competition long into their playing
careers.”
The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is the
third new championship added to the USGA
schedule
in the past two years. The U.S. Amateur Four-
Ball
and U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball were
announced in February 2013, with the inaugural
championships to be contested in 2015.
“The necessary equation for success and
long-term viability of this championship has
gradually and finally come together,” said
USGA Executive Director Mike Davis. “Even
though we have not yet decided on a venue or
an
exact date for the inaugural championship, we
wanted to celebrate its coming.
“We feel strongly that factors such as the
international strength of the LPGA and the
increasing
number of age-eligible quality competitors from
around the world, as well as the growth of
women’s golf, are key to reaching this
historic announcement. The number of entries in
our
women’s championships continues to grow.
We hope this new championship will inspire both
amateurs and professionals.”
The addition of the championship further
illustrates the USGA’s continued commitment
to supporting the needs of competitive golfers
and
promoting a welcoming and accessible game, as
well
as fostering its ongoing dialogue with the golf
industry and its varied constituencies.
Eligibility for the U.S. Senior Women’s
Open championship will be limited to
professional
and amateur female players, age 50 and
older.
The championship format will mirror that of
the
U.S. Open: 72 holes of stroke play on four
consecutive days with a cut after 36 holes. To
mirror
the other Open championships conducted by the
USGA, the U.S. Senior Women’s Open will be
a walking-only competition.
Field size and composition, playoff and other
competitive format details of the inaugural U.S.
Senior Women’s Open will be announced by
the USGA at a later date.
USGA Championship Competition Roster:
- U.S. Open Championship
- U.S. Women’s Open Championship
- U.S. Senior Open Championship
- U.S. Amateur Championship
- U.S. Women’s Amateur
Championship
- U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
- U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship
- U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship
- U.S. Women’s Amateur
Championship
- U.S. Senior Amateur Championship
- U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur
Championship
- U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship
(begins
in 2015)
- U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball
Championship (begins in 2015)
- U.S. Women’s Senior Open
Championship (begins in 2018)
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 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.
ABOUT THE U.S. Senior Women's Open
The U.S. Senior Women's Open is one of 14 national
championships conducted by the USGA. The
event is open to any female age 50 and over who
has a
USGA
Handicap Index not exceeding 7.4.
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