Seven-time USGA champion Carol Semple Thompson makes her U.S. Senior Women's Open debut this week. (John Mummert/USGA)
The third U.S. Senior Women's Open gets underway on Thursday at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Conn., where 33 amateurs are included among the 120-player field.
There are seven past U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champions, four U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champions and 16 past Curtis Cup participants, including three former captains.
Here's a breakdown of the field at this week's U.S. Senior Women's Open and their amateur paths to Brooklawn.
Amateurs in the field (33): Tina Barker, Nancy Beck, Denise Callahan, Laura Coble, Susan Cohn, Lynne Cowan, Susan Curtin, Kay Daniel, Danielle Davis, Robin W. Donnelley, Patricia Ehrhart, Amy Ellertson, Kathy Glennon, Julie Harrison, Gigi Higgins, Sarah Ingram, Amy Kennedy, Sally Krueger, Kathy Kurata, Judith Kyrinis, Martha Leach, Danielle Lee, Megan Grosky McGowan, Janet Moore, Leela Narang-Benaderet, Ellen Port, Regina Quintero, Lara Tennant, Carol Semple Thompson, Sydney Wells, Corey Weworski, Sue Wooster, Sherry Wright
U.S. Women’s Amateur champions (7): Laura Baugh (1971), JoAnne Carner (1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968), Joanne Foreman (1983), Carolyn Hill (1979), Pat Hurst (1990), Juli Inkster (1980, 1981, 1982), Carol Semple Thompson (1973)
U.S. Women’s Amateur runners-up (5): JoAnne Carner (1956, 1964), Sarah Ingram (1993), Annika Sorenstam (1992), Carol Semple Thompson (1974), Kimberly Williams (1984)
U.S. Girls’ Junior champions (7): Amy Alcott (1973), JoAnne Carner (1956), Dana Dormann (1985), Pat Hurst (1986), Michelle McGann (1987), Laurie Rinker (1980), Hollis Stacy (1969, 1970, 1971)
U.S. Girls’ Junior runners-up (3): Amy Alcott (1971), JoAnne Carner (1955), Missie McGeorge (1977)
U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champions (7): Robin W. Donnelley (1989), Sarah Ingram (1991, 1993, 1994), Martha Leach (2009), Ellen Port (1995, 1996, 2000, 2011), Laura Shanahan Rowe (2001), Carol Semple Thompson (1990, 1997), Corey Weworski (2004)
U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur runners-up (2): Martha Leach (2011), Ellen Port (2002)
U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champions (4): Judith Kyrinis (2017), Ellen Port (2012, 2013, 2016), Lara Tennant (2018, 2019), Carol Semple Thompson (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur runners-up (4): Susan Cohn (2013), Judith Kyrinis (2014), Carol Semple Thompson (2005), Sue Wooster (2018, 2019)
U.S. Women’s Public Links champions (2): Danielle Ammaccapane (1985), Cindy Schreyer (1986)
USA Curtis Cup Players (12): Danielle Ammaccapane (1986), Laura Baugh (1972), JoAnne Carner (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), Robin W. Donnelley (1990, 1992, 2000), Carolyn Hill (1978), Sarah Ingram (1992, 1994, 1996), Juli Inkster (1982), Ellen Port (1994, 1996), Cindy Schreyer (1986), Hollis Stacy (1972), Carol Semple Thompson (1974, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002), Kimberly Williams (1986)
GB&I Curtis Cup Players (4): Laura Davies (1984), Kathryn Imrie (1990), Trish Johnson (1986), Catriona Matthew (1994)
USA Curtis Cup Captains (3): Sarah Ingram (2021), Ellen Port (2014), Carol Semple Thompson (2006, 2008)
Amateurs to Watch
Kay Daniel, 50, of Covington, La., is competing in her first U.S. Senior Women’s Open. Daniel, who has competed in over 20 USGA championships, won the 2005 Louisiana Women’s State Amateur. Her daughter Abby is a rising junior at Mississippi State University who competed in the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. In 2019, Kay and Abby became the first mother-daughter duo to make match play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.
Sarah Ingram, 55, of Nashville, Tenn., will captain the USA Curtis Cup Team this August in Wales. Ingram, a three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and a Tennessee Sports Hall of Famer, competed in three Curtis Cup Matches in the 1990s. She recently began playing competitively again and won the 2020 Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur and the inaugural LNGA Senior Amateur title in April. This will be her first U.S. Senior Women’s Open appearance.
Judith Kyrinis, 57, of Canada, won the 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship by defeating Terrill Samuel at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Ore. Kyrinis, a 2019 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame inductee, tied Sally Krueger for low amateur in the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Kyrinis is a two-time Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior champion (2016, 2019).
Ellen Port, 59, of St. Louis, Mo., is a seven-time USGA champion. She has won four U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships as well as three U.S. Senior Women’s Amateurs, with the last coming in 2016. She is tied with Carol Semple Thompson for second among female USGA champions, trailing only JoAnne Carner (eight).
Lara Tennant, 54, of Portland, Ore., won the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and successfully defended her title in 2019, defeating Sue Wooster of Australia in both finals. Tennant is competing in her third U.S. Senior Women’s Open. She made the first hole-in-one in U.S. Senior Women’s Open history in the inaugural championship at Chicago Golf Club on the 163-yard 7th hole. Tennant is a four-time Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur champion and also won the 2020 California Senior Women’s Amateur.
Carol Semple Thompson, 72, of Sewickley, Pa., is a World Golf Hall of Famer with seven USGA championship titles in 116 USGA championships played, tied for second-most among all women in victories with Ellen Port, one behind JoAnne Carner. Thompson has competed on a record 12 USA Curtis Cup Teams and has captained another two teams. Thompson is competing in her first USGA championship since the 2014 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Hollywood Golf Club in Deal, N.J.
By Joey Geske, USGA