10 More Players Exempt For 2006 Women's Open; Total Now 71


May 31, 2006
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org

Far Hills, N.J. - Four USGA champions were among the 10 golfers to earn full exemptions into the 2006 U.S. Women's Open with the close of another exemption category. There are now 71 players fully exempt into the 2006 U.S. Women's Open Championship, which will be contested June 29 - July 2 at Newport Country Club in Newport , R.I.

Brandie Burton (1989 Girls' Junior), Julieta Granada (2004 Girls' Junior), Virada Nirapathpongporn (2003 Women's Amateur) and Aree Song (1999 Girls' Junior) were added to the field based on their ranking in the top 35 on the LPGA money list as of May 29.

Also earning full exemptions by being in the top 35 on the money list were Helen Alfredsson , Kyeong Bae , Sarah Lee , Seon Hwa Lee , Brittany Lincicome and Suzann Pettersen .

Three spots are being held for the winners of the three LPGA events prior to the start of the 2006 Women's Open, should they not already be fully exempt. Sectional qualifying for the remaining 82 spots will take place at eight sites between June 5 and 13.

Following is the list of the 71 golfers who are fully exempt:

THE PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2006 U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN (71) (as of 5/31/06)

* denotes amateur

Shi Hyun Ahn 7,8 Sarah Lee 8
Helen Alfredsson 8 Seon Hwa Lee 8
Kyeong Bae 8 Brittany Lincicome 8
    Hilary Lunke 1
Marisa Baena 7,9 *Paige Mackenzie 6
Tina Barrett 6 Meg Mallon 1,6
Heather Bowie Young 6,7,8,9 *Maru Martinez 2
Brandie Burton 8    
Paula Creamer 6,7,8,9 Catriona Matthew 7
Laura Davies 7 Jill McGill 7
Laura Diaz 7,8 Patricia Meunier-Lebouc 5
Yuri Fudoh 11 Ai Miyazato 8,11
Natalie Gulbis 6,7,8 Liselotte Neumann 6,7
Julieta Granada 8 Virada Nirapathpongporn 8
Sophie Gustafson 7 Lorena Ochoa 6,7,8,9
Hee-Won Han 7,8,9 Se Ri Pak 1,3,4
Rachel Hetherington 7 Gloria Park 7
Maria Hjorth 10 Grace Park 5,7
Jamie Hullett 6 *Jane Park 2
Pat Hurst 7,8,9 Nicole Perrot 7,9
    Suzann Pettersen 8
Karine Icher 6,7 Stacy Prammanasudh 7,8
Juli Inkster 1,7,8,9 Morgan Pressel 6,8
Jeong Jang 4,7,8,9 Michele Redman 7,8
    Kelly Robbins 12
Young Jo 6 Jennifere Rosales 7
    Aree Song 8
Rosie Jones 6,7 Annika Sorenstam 1,3,4,5,7,8,9
Lorie Kane 6,7 Angela Stanford 6,8
Jimin Kang 7 Karen Stupples 4,6
Soo-Yun Kang 6,7,9 Iben Tenning 10
Cristie Kerr 6,7,8,9 Wendy Ward 7
Birdie Kim 1,6,7 Karrie Webb 1,4,5,7,8,9
Christina Kim 7,8 Michelle Wie 12
Mi Hyun Kim 7,8 Sung Ah Yim 8,9
Young Kim 7 Veronica Zorzi 10
Carin Koch 7    
Candie Kung 6,7    
Brittany Lang 6,8    
Jee Young Lee 8,9    

Key To Player Exemptions -

  1. Winners of the U.S. Women's Open for the last 10 years (1996-2005)
    2.         
  2. Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur for the last two years (2004-2005) and runner-up for the most recent year (2005)
  3. Winners of the LPGA Championship for the last five years (2002-2006)
  4. Winners of the Women's British Open Championship for the last five years (2001-2005)
  5. Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship the last five years (2002-2006)
  6. From the 2005 U.S. Women's Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place
  7. From the 2005 final official LPGA money list, the top 40 money leaders
  8. From the 2006 official LPGA money list, the top 35 money leaders through May 29
  9. Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2005 U.S. Women's Open Championship to the initiation of the 2006 U.S. Women's Open Championship
  10. Top three players from the 2005 Ladies European Tour Final Exemption Money List
  11. Two leading money winners from the 2005 Japan LPGA Tour
  12. Special exemptions selected by the USGA