78th U.S. Women's Open Championship Storylines

This is the 78th U.S. Women’s Open Championship and the fifth in the state of California.

The first U.S. Women’s Open, played at Spokane (Wash.) Country Club in 1946 and won by Patty Berg, was the only one conducted at match play. The Women’s Professional Golfers Association (WPGA) conducted three U.S. Women’s Opens, and in 1949, the newly formed Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) took over operation of the championship. The LPGA ran the Women’s Open for four years, but in 1953 asked the United States Golf Association (USGA) to conduct the championship, which it has done ever since.

The youngest winners of the U.S. Women’s Open are Inbee Park and Yuka Saso, who each won the championship at 19 years, 11 months and 17 days. Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who won the 1954 Women’s Open at 43 years and 7 days, is the oldest winner.

In 1967, Catherine Lacoste, of France, the daughter of hall-of-fame tennis player Rene Lacoste and 1927 British Ladies Amateur champion Simone Thion de la Chaume, became the only amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open. Seven other amateurs, most recently Hye-Jin Choi in 2017, have had runner-up or co-runner-up finishes.

WHO’S HERE

Among the 156 golfers in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, there are: 

U.S. Women’s Open champions (12): In Gee Chun (2015), Eun-Hee Ji (2009), Ariya Jutanugarn (2018), A Lim Kim (2020), Brittany Lang (2016), Minjee Lee (2022), Jeongeun Lee6 (2019), Sung Hyun Park (2017), So Yeon Ryu (2011), Yuka Saso (2021), Annika Sorenstam (1995, 1996, 2006), Michelle Wie West (2014) 

U.S. Women’s Open runners-up (10): Hye-Jin Choi (2017), Mina Harigae (2022), Nasa Hataoka (2021), Hyo-Joo Kim (2018), Jin Young Ko (2020), Brittany Lang (2005), Anna Nordqvist (2016), Amy Olson (2020), Angela Stanford (2003), Amy Yang (2012, 2015) 

U.S. Senior Women’s Open champions (2): Jill McGill (2022), Annika Sorenstam (2021) 

U.S. Women’s Amateur champions (6): Saki Baba (2022), Danielle Kang (2010, 2011), Lydia Ko (2012), Jill McGill (1993), Gabriela Ruffels (2019), Rose Zhang (2020) 

U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champions (1): Krissy Carman (2022) 

U.S. Girls’ Junior champions (7): Ariya Jutanugarn (2011), Minjee Lee (2012), Amy Olson (2009), Jenny Shin (2006), Lexi Thompson (2008), Yana Wilson (2022), Rose Zhang (2021) 

U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links champions (3): Mina Harigae (2007), Jill McGill (1994), Michelle Wie West (2003) 

USA Curtis Cup Team members (20): Amari Avery (2022), Allisen Corpuz (2021), Lindy Duncan (2012), Mina Harigae (2008), Jennifer Kupcho (2018), Brittany Lang (2004), Alison Lee (2014), Andrea Lee (2016, 2018), Brooke Matthews (2021), Ally (McDonald) Ewing (2014), Jill McGill (1994), Emilia Migliaccio (2021, 2022), Amy Olson (2012), Annie Park (2014), Angela Stanford (2000), Bailey Tardy (2016), Lexi Thompson (2010), Lilia Vu (2018), Michelle Wie West (2004), Rose Zhang (2021, 2022) 

GB&I Curtis Cup Team members (7): Georgia Hall (2014), Alice Hewson (2016, 2018), Charley Hull (2012), Bronte Law (2012, 2014, 2016) Leona Maguire (2010, 2012, 2016), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (2008), Charlotte Thomas (2014, 2016) 

NCAA Division I champions (5): Maria Fassi (2019, University of Arkansas), Jennifer Kupcho (2018, Wake Forest University), Azahara Munoz (2008, Arizona State University), Annie Park (2013, University of Southern California), Rose Zhang (2022, 2023, Stanford) 

Olympic Medalists (2): Lydia Ko (New Zealand – 2016, silver; 2020, bronze), Nelly Korda (USA – 2020, gold) 

Augusta National Women’s Amateur champions (3): Anna Davis (2022), Jennifer Kupcho (2019), Rose Zhang (2023) 

Drive, Chip & Putt National Finalists (4): Julia Misemer (2015), Yana Wilson (2019; 2021 champion), Kelly Xu (2014 champion; 2015), Angela Zhang (2019 champion) 

Players with Most U.S. Women’s Open Appearances (2023 included): Angela Stanford (24), Brittany Lang (19), Michelle Wie West (18), Annika Sorenstam (17), Lexi Thompson (17), Amy Yang (17), Eun-Hee Ji (16), Jill McGill (16), Na Yeon Choi (15) 

Active Consecutive U.S. Women’s Open Appearances (2023 included): Angela Stanford (24, 2000-23), Brittany Lang (19, 2005-23), Lexi Thompson (17, 2007-23), Amy Yang (17, 2007-23) 

First-Time U.S. Women’s Open Competitors (45): Jess Baker, Jaravee Boonchant, Zoe Campos, Krissy Carman, Milagros Chaves, Joy Chou, Monet Chun, Manon De Roey, Aine Donegan, Sarah Edwards, Sadie Englemann, Mackenzie Hahn, Alice Hewson, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Ting-Hsuan Huang, Chisato Iwai, Akie Iwai, Haruka Kawasaki, Aya Kinoshita, Chizuru Komiya, Sophie Linder, Ruixin Liu, Allysha Mae Mateo, Brooke Matthews, Kana Mikashima, Julia Misemer, Benedetta Moresco, Farah O’Keefe, Min Ji Park, Kumkang Park, Megan Propeck, Miyu Sato, Laura Sluman, Grace Summerhays, Teresa Toscano Borrero, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, Hana Wakimoto, Therese Warner, Dewi Weber, Yana Wilson, Jeneath Wong, Kelly Xu, Miyu Yamashita, Xiaowen Yin, Angela Zhang 

Countries Represented (30): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America 

States Represented (20): Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington 

CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD  

The 156-player field includes 89 fully exempt golfers and 12 U.S. Women’s Open champions. Qualifying, conducted over 36 holes, was held at 26 sites between May 9 and June 7 – three international sites (Belgium, Canada and Japan) and 23 U.S. sites. 

Amateur Players in the Field (28): Amari Avery, Saki Baba, Jess Baker, Zoe Campos, Krissy Carman, Monet Chun, Celeste Dao, Anna Davis, Aine Donegan, Sarah Edwards, Sadie Englemann, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Ting-Hsuan Huang, Lauren Kim, Chizuru Komiya, Sophie Linder, Emilia Migliaccio, Julia Misemer, Benedetta Moresco, Minori Nagano, Farah O’Keefe, Megan Propeck, Grace Summerhays, Yana Wilson, Jeneath Wong, Kaili Xiao, Kelly Xu, Angela Zhang 

Top-Ranked Amateur Players in the Field 

Six amateurs are in the top 50 of the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking™ as of June 28: 

No. 2 – Saki Baba 

No. 4 – Anna Davis 

No. 10 – Amari Avery 

No. 26 – Emilia Migliaccio 

No. 36 – Ting-Hsuan Huang 

No. 43 – Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 

Notable Amateur Storylines 

Anna Davis, 17, of Spring Valley, Calif., won the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur and competed in seven LPGA Tour events later that year, including three majors, making the cut five times. This year, Davis has victories at the Girls Junior Orange Bowl in Florida, and the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in South Carolina. In 2021, she was named to both the U.S. Junior Solheim Cup and Junior Ryder Cup teams. Davis has committed to play collegiately at Auburn University in 2024.  

Angela Zhang, 14, of Bellevue, Wash., will be competing in her first professional event after draining a 25-foot putt for birdie on the second playoff hole at Shannopin Country Club in Pittsburgh to qualify for this championship. In May, Zhang and her partner Alice Zhou reached the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship at the Home Course in DuPont, Wash., where she owns the women’s course record of 65. She is also the youngest winner of the Washington Women’s Amateur, having won the last two iterations of the event.  

Emilia Migliaccio, 23, of Cary, N.C., returned to the Wake Forest women's golf team last fall following a one-year hiatus, during which she worked as an on-course commentator for Golf Channel and began pursuing her master's degree in communications. She was a member of the winning 2021 and 2022 USA Curtis Cup Teams and won the 2022 North & South Women’s Amateur Championship at Pinehurst. She also finished runner-up in the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship, losing in a playoff to Tsubasa Kajitani. During the U.S. Women’s Open, she will also work on NBCU’s broadcast team. Migliaccio got married in June.   

Grace Summerhays, 18, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was named First Team Pac-12 All-Conference as a sophomore at Arizona State. She recorded three top-10 and five top-20 finishes for the Sun Devils during the 2022-23 campaign. Before arriving in Tempe, Summerhays won the 2020 Utah Women’s State Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest (16) champion in the history of the event. Her older brother, Preston, is on the Arizona State men’s golf team and won the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2019, while her father, Boyd, coaches Tony Finau, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour.  

Yana Wilson, 16, of Henderson, Nev., won the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, defeating Gianna Clemente, 3 and 2, in the 36-hole final at The Club at Olde Stone in Kentucky. Wilson, who has committed to enroll at the University of Oregon, represented the United States in the 2021 Junior Solheim Cup and recorded a top-five finish in the Girls Junior PGA Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior later that year.  

Amateur Players in Recent U.S. Women’s Opens 

YEAR NUMBER MADE CUT TOP FINISHER

2022 29 4 Ingrid Lindblad (T11)

2021 31 4 Megha Ganne (T14)

2020 24 6 Kaitlyn Papp (T9)

2019 26 5 Gina Kim (T12)

2018 29 7 Patty Tavatanakit (T5) 

2017 21 5 Hye-Jin Choi (2)

2016 26 3 Hye-Jin Choi (T38)

2015 23 5 Megan Khang (T35)

2014 36 6 Brooke Henderson (T10)

2013 19 6 Casie Cathrea (T25)

2012 28 3 Lydia Ko (T39)

2011 25 5 Moriya Jutanugarn (T32)

2010 29 6 Jennifer Johnson (T41)

2009 28 7 Jennifer Song (T13)

2008 26 7 Mariajo Uribe (T10)

2007 23 4 Jennie Lee and Jennifer Song (T39)

2006 29 4 Amanda Blumenherst and Jane Park (T10) 

2005 18 6 Brittany Lang and Morgan Pressel (T2) 

2004 16 4 Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie (T13)

2003 21 8 Aree Song (5) 

2002 14 2 Angela Jerman and Aree Song (T51)

2001 19 4 Candy Hannemann (T30)

2000 16 2 Naree Song (T40)

1999 11 2 Grace Park (T8)

1998 15 5 Jenny Chuasiriporn (2, lost in playoff) 

1997 9 2 Jenny Chuasiriporn (T56)

1996 15 2 Cristie Kerr (T36)

1995 14 4 Sarah LeBrun Ingram (T51)

1994 21 3 Carol Semple Thompson (T31)

1993 12 2 Debbi Miho Koyama (T26)

1992 17 2 Vicki Goetze (T48)

1991 16 5 Tracy Hanson (T21) 

Youngest Competitor 

At 14 years of age as of July 6 (the first day of the championship), Angela Zhang, of Bellevue, Wash., is the championship’s youngest competitor.  

Oldest Competitor 

At age 52, three-time champion Annika Sorenstam, of Sweden, is the championship’s oldest competitor. 

Field by Age 

Age 14-19 – 17 players 

Age 20-29 – 102 players 

Age 30-39 – 34 players 

Age 40-55 – 3 players 

The average age of the championship field is 26.11. 

Oldest U.S. Women’s Open Champions (years/months/days) 

43/0/7  -  Babe Didrikson Zaharias, 1954 

42/0/13  -  Juli Inkster, 2002 

41/2/20  - Meg Mallon, 2004 

Youngest U.S. Women’s Open Champions (years/months/days) 

19/11/17          Inbee Park, 2008 

19/11/17      Yuka Saso, 2021 

20/9/8                Se Ri Pak, 1998 

20/11/2            In Gee Chun, 2015 

Championship Birthdays  

Four players in the U.S. Women’s Open field will celebrate a birthday during championship week: Chisato and Akie Iwai of Japan (both turning 21 on July 5), Jin Young Ko of Korea (turning 27 on July 7) and Grace Summerhays of the United States (turning 19 on July 9). 

Sisters in the Field  

For the ninth consecutive year, and 10th time overall, sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, of Thailand, are both in the field. Twins Chisato and Akie Iwai of Japan will play in their first U.S. Women’s Open together. The Jutanugarns and Iwais are two of eight sets of sisters to have competed in the same U.S. Women’s Open.  

Danielle and Dina Ammaccapane (8) – 1991-93, 1996, 1998-99, 2001-02 

Alice Bauer and Marlene Bauer Hagge (12) – 1947, 1949-55, 1957-58, 1964, 1966 

Chisato and Akie Iwai (1) - 2023 

Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn (10) – 2011, 2015-23 

Jessica and Nelly Korda (7) – 2013, 2016-22 

Aree and Naree Song (2) – 2003, 2005 

Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam (8) – 1997, 1999-2005 

Hollis Stacy and Martha Stacy Leach (1) – 1980 

California Connections 

This year’s U.S. Women’s Open features 13 players who call California home, including 2022 runner-up Mina Harigae, who is from Monterey, Calif.  

In addition, the field includes two current Stanford University players (Sadie Englemann and Kelly Xu), as well as professional Rose Zhang, who played two years at Stanford.  

The U.S. Women’s Open Course 

Pebble Beach Golf Links is part of the famous 17-Mile Drive, which was originally designed as a local excursion route for visitors to take in the historic sights of Monterey and Pacific Grove and the scenery of what would become Pebble Beach. The course was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas S. Grant and opened on Feb. 22, 1919. Neville’s objective was to place as many of the holes as possible along the Monterey coastline and he accomplished this by using a “figure 8” layout. The first professional tournament held at Pebble Beach was the 1926 Monterey Peninsula Open. In 1929, the course hosted the U.S. Amateur Championship for the first time. In 1947, Pebble Beach became one of the host courses for the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, which is currently known as the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Pebble Beach has hosted 13 previous USGA championships, including six U.S. Opens, five U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Women’s Amateurs. It will host four future U.S. Opens (2027, 2032, 2037 and 2044) as well as three future U.S. Women’s Opens (2035, 2040 and 2048). The course was also the site of the 1977 PGA Championship and has hosted the PGA Tour Champions’ Pure Insurance Championship since 2004. 

Longest Course in Championship History 

7,047 yards      The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo., 2011 

Shortest Course in Championship History 

6,010 yards      Brooklawn C.C., Fairfield, Conn., 1979 

Longest Par-3 Holes in Championship History 

252 yards         8th, Oakmont (Pa.) C.C., 2010 

227 yards         8th, Interlachen C.C., Edina, Minn., 2008 

211 yards         13th, Newport (R.I.) C.C., 2006 

211 yards         5th, Pine Needles Lodge & G.C., Southern Pines, N.C., 2007 

Longest Par-4 Holes in Championship History 

459 yards         18th, Cherry Hills C.C., Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 2005 

458 yards         16th, Pinehurst R. & C.C. (No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C., 2014 

455 yards         3rd, Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wis., 2012 

Longest Par-5 Holes in Championship History 

603 yards         17th, The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo., 2011 

602 yards         12th, Oakmont (Pa.) C.C., 2010 

602 yards         16th, Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wis., 2012 

590 yards         5th, Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wis., 2012 

What the Winner Receives 

In addition to prize money, the champion will receive the Mickey Wright Medal, custody of the Harton S. Semple Trophy for the ensuing year and an exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Women’s Open Championships. 

The 2023 purse will be announced Wednesday. The 2022 purse was $10 million, and the winner earned $1.8M.  

The Last Time it Happened at a U.S. Women’s Open Championship 

Minjee Lee: last international winner (2022) 

Karrie Webb: last to defend title (2001) 

A Lim Kim: last champion to win Women’s Open on first attempt (2020) 

So Yeon Ryu: last winner to win Women’s Open on second attempt (2011) 

Catherine Lacoste: last amateur to win Women’s Open (1967) 

Annika Sorenstam: last start-to-finish winner (2006 – playoff) 

A Lim Kim: last winner to birdie the 72nd hole (2020) 

So Yeon Ryu: last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to force playoff (2011)

A Lim Kim: last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to win by one stroke (2020) 

Inbee Park: last to win with four sub-par rounds (2008) 

Eun-Hee Ji: last to win without a round in the 60s (2009) 

Hilary Lunke: last player to win after competing in local qualifying (2003) 

Birdie Kim: last player to win after competing in sectional qualifying (2005) 

Yuka Saso, 19: last winner younger than 20 (2021) 

Minjee Lee, 26: last winner between ages 20-29 (2022) 

Brittany Lang, 30: last winner between ages 30-39 (2016) 

Meg Mallon, 41: last winner over age 40 (2004) 

Yuka Saso: last defending champion to miss the cut (2022) 

Title Defense 

Should Minjee Lee win, she would become the eighth player to successfully defend her championship title. She would join Mickey Wright (1958-59), Donna Caponi (1969-70), Susie Maxwell Berning (1972-73), Hollis Stacy (1977-78), Betsy King (1989-90), Annika Sorenstam (1995-96) and Karrie Webb (2000-01). 

In 2020, Jeongeun Lee6 became the first defending champion since Juli Inkster in 2003 to finish in the Top 10. 

Year Champion Result in Defense

2021 Yuka Saso Missed cut

2020 A Lim Kim Missed cut

2019 Jeongeun Lee6 T6

2018 Ariya Jutanugarn T26

2017 Sung Hyun Park Missed cut

2016 Brittany Lang T58

2015 In Gee Chun Missed cut

2014 Michelle Wie 11

2013 Inbee Park T43

2012 Na Yeon Choi T17

2011 So Yeon Ryu T14

2010 Paula Creamer T15

2009 Eun-Hee Ji T39

2008 Inbee Park T26

2007 Cristie Kerr T13

2006 Annika Sorenstam T32

2005 Birdie Kim Missed cut

2004 Meg Mallon T13

2003 Hilary Lunke 64

2002 Juli Inkster 8

2001 Karrie Webb Missed cut

2000 Karrie Webb Champion