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U.S. Women's Open Entries Close; 58 Golfers Currently Exempt
May 8, 2003
Far Hills, N.J. - The United States Golf Association has accepted 929 entries for the 2003 U.S. Women's Open scheduled for July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore. Of the 929 entries received, 522 were submitted online.
This is the fifth time in the past six years that the number of entries has surpassed 900. The record of 980 entries received was set in 2001.
Rebecca McAvoy of Lithia Springs, Ga., was the first to submit an entry, which she did online on March 6. Leta Lindley of Carlsbad, Calif., who is fully exempt for the Women's Open, was the first to submit an entry via mail, on March 10.
Tina Tombs of Scottsdale, Ariz., was the last to submit an entry online, which she did at 4:59:03 p.m., on April 30, 57 seconds before the close of entries.
The youngest golfer to enter is Mackinzie Kline of Encinitas, Calif., who is 11. Kline, who was born with a congenital heart defect, is a national spokesperson for The Children's Heart Foundation. Seven-time USGA champion Anne Sander of Seattle, Wash., at age 65, is the oldest to submit an entry.
Fifty-eight golfers, including nine past champions, are currently fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming Championship. That number could increase should anyone not already fully exempt win one of the LPGA official events before the Women's Open begins, as well as anyone who moves into the top 35 on the LPGA money list by May 25.
Past champions who are fully exempt are Laura Davies (1987); Liselotte Neumann (1988); Betsy King (1989, 1990); Meg Mallon (1991); Annika Sorenstam (1995, 1996); Alison Nicholas (1997); Se Ri Pak (1998); Juli Inkster (1999, 2002); and Karrie Webb (2000, 2001).
Local qualifying at 15 sites begins May 12. Sectional qualifying, to be held at eight sites, will be held June 9-17.
The Women's Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA. Other championships include the U.S. Open, the U.S. Senior Open, and 10 amateur competitions.
A list of the 58 golfers who are fully exempt into the U.S. Women's Open follows.
| Player |
Exemption Key (see below) |
| Danielle Ammaccapane |
7 |
| Donna Andrews |
6 |
| Beth Bauer |
6, 7 |
| Heather Bowie |
7 |
| Lynette Brooky |
6 |
| Brandie Burton |
13 |
| Raquel Carriedo |
6 |
| Beth Daniel |
6, 7 |
| Laura Davies |
7 |
| Dorothy Delasin |
7 |
| Laura Diaz |
6, 7 |
| Wendy Doolan |
9 |
| Michelle Ellis |
7 |
| Yuri Fudoh |
7 |
| Kasumi Fujii |
11 |
| Vicki Goetze-Ackerman |
7 |
| Kate Golden |
7 |
| Natalie Gulbis |
7 |
| Sophie Gustafson |
4,10 |
| Hee-Won Han |
7 |
| Maria Hjorth |
7, 10 |
| Juli Inkster |
1, 3, 6, 7 |
| *Brandi Jackson |
2 |
| Jeong Jang |
7 |
| Rosie Jones |
7 |
| Lorie Kane |
6, 7 |
| Cristie Kerr |
7, 9 |
| Mi Hyun Kim |
7, 9 |
| Betsy King |
12 |
| Emilee Klein |
7 |
| Carin Koch |
7 |
| Kelli Kuehne |
6, 7 |
| Candie Kung |
7, 9 |
| Leta Lindley |
7 |
| Stephanie Louden |
6 |
| *Becky Lucidi |
2 |
| Meg Mallon |
7, 9 |
| Paula Marti |
7 |
| Catriona Matthew |
7 |
| Jill McGill |
6 |
| Mhairi Kay |
6, 7 |
| Patricia Meunier-Lebouc |
5, 7, 9 |
| Janice Moodie |
6, 7 |
| Joanne Morley |
6 |
| Liselotte Neumann |
7 |
| Alison Nicholas |
1 |
| Se Ri Pak |
1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 |
| Gloria Park |
7, 9 |
| Grace Park |
6, 7, 9 |
| Dottie Pepper |
5 |
| Michele Redman |
7 |
| Kelly Robbins |
6, 7 |
| Jennifer Rosales |
6, 7 |
| Annika Sorenstam |
1, 5, 6, 7, 9 |
| Sherri Steinhauer |
4 |
| Rachel Teske |
6, 7, 9 |
| Shani Waugh |
6, 7 |
| Karrie Webb |
1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 |
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* = amateur
1) Winners of the U.S. Women's Open for the last 10 years.
2) Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur for the last two years and runner-up for the most recent year.
3) Winners of the LPGA Championship for the last five years.
4) Winners of the Women's British Open Championship for the last five years.
5) Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship the last five years.
6) From the 2002 U.S. Women's Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place.
7) From the 2002 final official LPGA money list, the top 40 money leaders.
8) From the 2003 official LPGA money list, the top 35 money leaders through May 25.
9) Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2002 U.S. Women's Open Championship to the initiation of the 2003 U.S. Women's Open Championship.
10) Top three players from the 2002 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
11) Two leading money winners from the 2002 Japan LPGA Tour.
12) Special exemptions selected by the USGA.
13) Winners of the du Maurier Classic for the last five years.
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org
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