Path to Pebble Beach Golf Links features 23 U.S. and three international qualifiers; entries open tomorrow
Qualifying sites for the 78th U.S. Women’s Open Championship, to be held at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links, from July 6-9, have been announced by the USGA. Pebble Beach is hosting its first U.S. Women’s Open and 14th USGA championship.
Conducted over 36 holes, qualifying will be held at 23 sites across the United States, plus Canada, Japan and Belgium between May 9 and June 7. Online entry applications open on Wednesday, Feb. 15, and will continue through Wednesday, May 3, at 5 p.m. EDT (champs.usga.org).
“The USGA is excited to bring the U.S. Women’s Open and the world’s greatest female players to Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of America’s iconic and treasured courses,” said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer. “The qualifying process is valued greatly by the USGA and we thank Allied Golf Associations throughout the United States and the international golf community who provide thousands of golfers the opportunity to compete for a place in the championship field.”
Two of the qualifiers will be held at clubs that have previously hosted the U.S. Women’s Open. Starmount Forest Country Club, in Greensboro, N.C., is where Betty Jameson claimed the 1947 championship. Jameson had previously won the 1940 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Pebble Beach. Betsy Rawls won the first of her four Women’s Open titles in 1951 at Druid Hills Golf Club. The Atlanta, Ga., club will host qualifying for the sixth time since 2011.
Bradenton (Fla.) Country Club and OGA Golf Course, in Woodburn, Ore., will each host Women’s Open qualifying for the sixth time. Shannopin Country Club, in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Oahu Country Club, in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Belle Haven Country Club, in Alexandria, Va., will each welcome qualifying fields for a fourth time.
Gainey Ranch Golf Club, in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Boso Country Club, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan; and Ohio State University Golf Club, in Columbus, Ohio, are among a group of six clubs that are hosting for the second consecutive year. Bronte Law, of England, qualified at Gainey Ranch last year and went on to tie for sixth, her best U.S. Women’s Open finish. Saki Baba, who qualified in Japan and tied for 49th last year, would go on to win the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in convincing style.
California has the most qualifying sites with four. Three U.S. Women’s Open qualifiers are scheduled in Florida, while Texas will host two qualifiers. There are qualifying sites in 17 states.
Birdie Kim (2005) is the last player to win the U.S. Women’s Open after advancing through qualifying. In 2022, 22 golfers who played in a qualifier made the 36-hole cut in the Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.
In 2023, the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open (The Los Angeles Country Club) will be held in the same state for the fourth time. It also happened in 1982, 2014 and 2021. Two of the past three instances were also in California (2014 marked the unprecedented back-to-back championships on Pinehurst No. 2). To be eligible for the Women’s Open, a player must have a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4 or be a professional.
The USGA accepted a record total of 1,874 entries for the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & G.C., in Southern Pines, N.C. The previous record was established in 2015 when 1,873 filed entries for the championship at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club, which will also be the host site for the 2024 championship.
Pebble Beach Golf Links has previously hosted six U.S. Opens (1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, 2010, 2019), five U.S. Amateurs (1929, 1947, 1961, 1999, 2018) and two U.S. Women’s Amateurs (1940, 1948).
2023 U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying Sites (26)
Tuesday, May 9 (2)
The Club at Mediterra (South Course), Naples, Fla.
Shannopin C.C., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Monday, May 15 (4)
The Vancouver G.C., Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Druid Hills G.C., Atlanta, Ga.
Somerset C.C., Mendota Heights, Minn.
Echo Lake C.C., Westfield, N.J.
Wednesday, May 17 (1)
Belle Haven C.C., Alexandria, Va.
Monday, May 22 (4)
Marin C.C., Novato, Calif.
Valencia (Calif.) C.C.
Bradenton (Fla.) C.C.
Oahu C.C., Honolulu, Hawaii
Wednesday, May 24 (2)
Bellerive C.C., St. Louis, Mo.
Galveston (Texas) C.C.
Thursday, May 25 (1)
Indian Creek G.C. (Creek Course), Carrollton, Texas
Monday, May 29 (2)
Golf Club de Naxhelet, Wanze, Belgium
Boso C.C. (East/West Courses), Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Tuesday, May 30 (1)
Gainey Ranch G.C., Scottsdale, Ariz.
Wednesday, May 31 (2)
Starmount Forest C.C., Greensboro, N.C.
Ohio State University G.C. (Scarlet Course), Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, June 1 (1)
CommonGround Golf Course, Aurora, Colo.
Monday, June 5 (3)
Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) G.C.
The Peninsula G. & C.C., San Mateo, Calif.
OGA Golf Course, Woodburn, Ore.
Wednesday, June 7 (3)
The Club at Admirals Cove (North/West Courses), Jupiter, Fla.
Palatine Hills Golf Course, Palatine, Ill.
Duxbury (Mass.) Yacht Club
