2018 U.S. Women's Open Qualifying Roundup
5/28/2018 | by Chris Brauner of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for U.S. Women's Open Qualifying, Wellesley Country Club
Qualifying is complete at 25 sites in the U.S. and around the world; see which amateurs have made it to Shoal Creek
VARIOUS SITES, USA - U.S. Women's Open qualifying has been completed, as golfers from across the country and around the world tried to punch their ticket to the 73rd U.S. Women's Open Championship in June at Shoal Creek Country Club in Shoal Creek, Alabama.
Nearly 2000 professional and amateur golfers competed across 21 sectional qualifying sites in the U.S., with additional sites in England, Japan, Korea, and China.
Highlights from qualifying include:
May 2
University of Louisville junior Olivia Cason (Owensboro, KY) took the only qualifying spot at the Indiana, PA qualifier, shooting 143 and winning by 6 shots.
Dallas Baptist sophomore Evelyn Arguelles (Mexico), the day after being named the Heartland Conference's Women's Golf Player of the Year, won a three-way playoff for the final qualifying spot at the Summit, NJ qualifier.
May 3
UCLA freshman Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), coming off a win at the Pac-12 Championship, shot 72-68 at Industry Hills GC to earn medalist honors at the Industry Hills, CA qualifier. High schooler Elizabeth Wang (San Marino, CA) took the other qualifying spot with rounds of 72-69.
May 7
17-year-old Yujeong Son (Norman, OK), winner of this year's Harder Hall Invitational as well as back-to-back Dixie Amateurs in 2016 and 2017, was the co-medalist at the Elgin, IL qualifier with rounds of 67-73 (-4) at Elgin Country Club.
May 14
Iowa State senior Celia Barquin Arozamena (Spain) shot a 78 in the first round of the qualifier at Stillwater (Minn.) Country Club, and then called her mother between rounds for a pep talk. It worked, as she came back out in the afternoon with a course-record 66 to get her into a playoff for the final spot. One the first playoff hole she made birdie and punched her ticket to Shoal Creek.
University of Colorado sophomore Robyn Choi (Australia) medaled by four shots at the Westminster, CO qualifier, shooting rounds of 66-70 (-6). University of Georgia junior Jillian Hollis took the other qualifying spot with rounds of 69-71 (-2).
16-year-old Lei Ye of China shot rounds of 71-64 (-9), making birdies on 7 of her last 10 holes, to advance from the Sarasota, FL qualifier at TPC Prestancia.
At Incheon, South Korea, amateurs Gaeun Song and Eunsu Ryu took two of the four spots, each shooting 141.
Duke University commit Gina Kim shot rounds of 67-71 (-6) at Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot, VA to qualify by one shot.
In the only qualifier held in England, Sweden's Linn Grant put in a dominating performance. The 18-year-old winner of last year's Ladies British Stroke Play and the Scottish Ladies Open Amateur shot rounds of 67-70 (-7) to medal by seven shots over 2019 Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew. After the qualifier, Grant had to rush home to take a math exam at 8am the next morning.
University of Idaho junior Sophie Hausmann of Germany shot 69-75 (E) to take one of two available spots at Rainier Golf & Country Club in Seattle, WA.
University of Alabama sophomore Kristen Gillman was the medalist at Deerwood Golf Club in Kingwood, TX, shooting rounds of 70-70 (-4) and clearing the field by three shots. University of Arkansas junior Maria Fassi of Mexico, winner of five tournaments this year including last week's NCAA Regional, took the other spot with rounds of 69-74 (-1).
Fassi's teammates at Arkansas, juniors Dylan Kim and Kaylee Benton, shared medalist honors at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, TX. Kim had rounds of 70-68 (-4) and Benton shot 68-70 to take the only two available spots.
Amateurs took both spots at the Pleasant Hill, CA qualifier. Lucy Li, who in 2014 became the youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open at the age of 11, returns to the championship after rounds of 70-70 (-4) at Contra Costa Country Club. USC sophomore Allisen Corpuz was the other co-medalist, shooting 69-71. Interestingly, Corpuz and Li were the two youngest players ever to qualify for the U.S. Women's Public Links; Corpuz at 10 years, 3 months old in 2008 and Li at 10 years, 8 months old in 2013.
May 16
Celeste Dao, a 17-year old Canadian junior who traveled over 3000 miles from the west coast of Canada to play at Cape Cod National in Brewster, MA, shot rounds of 71-69 (-4) to medal by four shots. “It’s just amazing,” said Dao to the Massachusetts Golf Association. “[It’s been my goal] since I was a little girl to play with the pros, and now it’s going to happen in two weeks.”
May 17
17-year-old Dana Williams of Boca Raton, FL will be playing in the U.S. Women's Open for the second year in a row after taking one of two spots at the Delray Beach, FL qualifier. Williams shot rounds of 75-73 (+4) in wet weather at Seagate Country Club.
May 28
Today the USGA announced the final five players added to the U.S. Women's Open field, four of which are amateurs: Jennifer Chang, Hailee Cooper, Andrea Lee, and Olivia Mehaffey. All were first alternates in their respective qualifiers.
From the USGA:
Chang, 18, of Cary, N.C., was the first alternate from the Pleasant Hill, Calif., sectional qualifying site. A freshman standout at the University of Southern California, Chang finished runner-up in the 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship to fellow 2018 U.S. Women’s Open competitor Erica Shepherd and also advanced to the semifinals of the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with Gina Kim.
Cooper, 18, of Montgomery, Texas, was the first alternate from the Kingwood, Texas, qualifier and will attend the University of Texas in the fall. Cooper won the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball alongside future Texas teammate Kaitlyn Papp.
Lee, 19, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., was the first alternate from the City of Industry, Calif., qualifier. A sophomore at Stanford University, Lee is one of the top amateurs in the world, and is No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™. A member of the 2018 USA Curtis Cup Team – the Curtis Cup Match will be contested June 6-8 at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y. – Lee finished runner-up in the 2016 U.S. Girls’ Junior and reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Lee also competed in the 2016 Curtis Cup.
Mehaffey, 20, of Northern Ireland, was the first alternate from the Phoenix, Ariz., qualifier. She plays college golf in the U.S. at Arizona State University and ranks 20th in the WAGR. She will represent Great Britain and Ireland in the 2018 Curtis Cup, her second consecutive appearance in the biennial competition. She went 2-1-1 in the 2016 Match.
Nearly 2000 professional and amateur golfers competed across 21 sectional qualifying sites in the U.S., with additional sites in England, Japan, Korea, and China.
May 2
|
Olivia Cason
|
Dallas Baptist sophomore Evelyn Arguelles (Mexico), the day after being named the Heartland Conference's Women's Golf Player of the Year, won a three-way playoff for the final qualifying spot at the Summit, NJ qualifier.
May 3
UCLA freshman Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), coming off a win at the Pac-12 Championship, shot 72-68 at Industry Hills GC to earn medalist honors at the Industry Hills, CA qualifier. High schooler Elizabeth Wang (San Marino, CA) took the other qualifying spot with rounds of 72-69.
Congratulations to freshman Patty Tavatanakit for winning the Industry Hills Qualifier today! She will play in the 2018 US Women's Open this coming May 31-June 3 at Shoal Creek Club. #PattyGolf #GoBruins
— UCLA Women's Golf (@UCLAWomensGolf) May 4, 2018
Qualifying Scores: https://t.co/S1yd4gylb7 pic.twitter.com/eLJn2O2Sgo
May 7
|
Yujeong Son
|
May 14
Iowa State senior Celia Barquin Arozamena (Spain) shot a 78 in the first round of the qualifier at Stillwater (Minn.) Country Club, and then called her mother between rounds for a pep talk. It worked, as she came back out in the afternoon with a course-record 66 to get her into a playoff for the final spot. One the first playoff hole she made birdie and punched her ticket to Shoal Creek.
University of Colorado sophomore Robyn Choi (Australia) medaled by four shots at the Westminster, CO qualifier, shooting rounds of 66-70 (-6). University of Georgia junior Jillian Hollis took the other qualifying spot with rounds of 69-71 (-2).
Congrats to Robyn Choi who will compete in the U.S. Women's Open for the second straight year after shooting 6-under at today's CGA qualifier https://t.co/TCcWa1OdIy pic.twitter.com/AF6KxnbgTq
— Colorado Buffaloes Women's Golf (@CUBuffsWGolf) May 15, 2018
16-year-old Lei Ye of China shot rounds of 71-64 (-9), making birdies on 7 of her last 10 holes, to advance from the Sarasota, FL qualifier at TPC Prestancia.
At Incheon, South Korea, amateurs Gaeun Song and Eunsu Ryu took two of the four spots, each shooting 141.
Duke University commit Gina Kim shot rounds of 67-71 (-6) at Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot, VA to qualify by one shot.
|
Linn Grant (Ladies European Tour photo)
|
University of Idaho junior Sophie Hausmann of Germany shot 69-75 (E) to take one of two available spots at Rainier Golf & Country Club in Seattle, WA.
|
|
Kristen Gillman
| Maria Fassi
|
Fassi's teammates at Arkansas, juniors Dylan Kim and Kaylee Benton, shared medalist honors at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, TX. Kim had rounds of 70-68 (-4) and Benton shot 68-70 to take the only two available spots.
|
|
Lucy Li
| Allisen Corpuz
|
May 16
|
Celeste Dao
|
May 17
17-year-old Dana Williams of Boca Raton, FL will be playing in the U.S. Women's Open for the second year in a row after taking one of two spots at the Delray Beach, FL qualifier. Williams shot rounds of 75-73 (+4) in wet weather at Seagate Country Club.
May 28
Today the USGA announced the final five players added to the U.S. Women's Open field, four of which are amateurs: Jennifer Chang, Hailee Cooper, Andrea Lee, and Olivia Mehaffey. All were first alternates in their respective qualifiers.
From the USGA:
Chang, 18, of Cary, N.C., was the first alternate from the Pleasant Hill, Calif., sectional qualifying site. A freshman standout at the University of Southern California, Chang finished runner-up in the 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship to fellow 2018 U.S. Women’s Open competitor Erica Shepherd and also advanced to the semifinals of the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with Gina Kim.
Cooper, 18, of Montgomery, Texas, was the first alternate from the Kingwood, Texas, qualifier and will attend the University of Texas in the fall. Cooper won the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball alongside future Texas teammate Kaitlyn Papp.
Lee, 19, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., was the first alternate from the City of Industry, Calif., qualifier. A sophomore at Stanford University, Lee is one of the top amateurs in the world, and is No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™. A member of the 2018 USA Curtis Cup Team – the Curtis Cup Match will be contested June 6-8 at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y. – Lee finished runner-up in the 2016 U.S. Girls’ Junior and reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Lee also competed in the 2016 Curtis Cup.
Mehaffey, 20, of Northern Ireland, was the first alternate from the Phoenix, Ariz., qualifier. She plays college golf in the U.S. at Arizona State University and ranks 20th in the WAGR. She will represent Great Britain and Ireland in the 2018 Curtis Cup, her second consecutive appearance in the biennial competition. She went 2-1-1 in the 2016 Match.
Results: U.S. Women's Open Qualifying
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medalist | Norman, OK | 500 | ||
| Medalist | , Thailand | 500 | ||
| Medalist | Owensboro, KY | 500 | ||
| Medalist | , Australia | 500 | ||
| Medalist | , Sweden | 500 |
About the U.S. Women's Open Qualifying
36 hole stroke play qualifying held at sites across the United States with a handful of international sites. Handicap limit of 2.4 for amateurs.
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