Ten More Players Exempt For 2008 U.S. Women's Open; 71 Now Fully Exempt
June 3, 2008E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.orgFar Hills, N.J. - Ten players have become fully exempt into the 2008 U.S. Women's Open with the close of another exemption category. There are now 71 players fully exempt into this year's U.S. Women's Open Championship, which will be contested June 26-29 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.
Three USGA champions are among the 10 players who were added to the field based on their ranking on the LPGA money list as of June 1 - 2004 U.S. Women's Amateur winner Jane Park and two U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champions - Candie Kung, who won in 2001, and Yani Tseng, the 2004 champion.
Minea Blomqvist, Na-Yeon Choi, Allison Fouch, Hee-Won Han, Song-Hee Kim, Teresa Lu and Sun Young Yoo were also added to the field based on their ranking within the top 35 of the LPGA money list.
Two spots are being held for the winners of the two LPGA events prior to the start of the 2008 Women's Open, should they not already be fully exempt. Sectional qualifying for the remaining 83 spots will take place at seven sites on June 9.
Following is the list of the 71 golfers who are fully exempt:.
THE PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2008 U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN (71) (as of 6/3/08)
| Shi Hyun Ahn |
7 |
Brittany Lang |
7,8 |
| Sun Ju Ahn |
10 |
Jee Young Lee |
6,7,8 |
| Kyeong Bae |
6 |
Sarah Lee |
7 |
| Minea Blomqvist |
8 |
Seon Hwa Lee |
7,8,9 |
| *-Amanda Blumenherst |
2 |
Brittany Lincicome |
6,7 |
| Nicole Castrale |
7 |
Leta Lindley |
8,9 |
| Na-Yeon Choi |
8 |
Teresa Lu |
8 |
| Paula Creamer |
6,7,8,9 |
Hilary Lunke |
1 |
| Laura Davies |
7 |
Meg Mallon |
1 |
| Laura Diaz |
7,8 |
Catriona Matthew |
6,7 |
| Allison Fouch |
8 |
Na On Min |
7 |
| Meaghan Francella |
7 |
Ai Miyazato |
6,7 |
| Louise Friberg |
8,9 |
Gwladys Nocera |
10 |
| Julieta Granada |
6,7 |
Lorena Ochoa |
4,5,6,7,8,9 |
| Natalie Gulbis |
7,9 |
Se Ri Pak |
1,3,6,7,9 |
| Sophie Gustafson |
7,8,10 |
Angela Park |
6,7 |
| Hee-Won Han |
8 |
Grace Park |
5 |
| Bettina Hauert |
10 |
|
|
| Rachel Hetherington |
7 |
Inbee Park |
6,7,8 |
| Maria Hjorth |
7,8 |
Jane Park |
8 |
| Amy Hung |
6 |
Suzann Pettersen |
3,7,8 |
| Pat Hurst |
7 |
Stacy Prammanasudh |
7,8 |
| Juli Inkster |
1,7,8 |
Morgan Pressel |
5,6,7,8 |
| Jeong Jang |
4,6,7,8 |
Reilley Rankin |
7 |
| Mi-Jeong Jeon |
10 |
Ji-Yai Shin |
6,10 |
| Eun-Hee Ji |
10
|
Annika Sorenstam |
1,3,4,5,7,8,9 |
| Jimin Kang |
6 |
Angela Stanford |
6,7,8 |
| Cristie Kerr |
1,6,7,8 |
Sherri Steinhauer |
4,7 |
| Birdie Kim |
1,6 |
Karen Stupples |
4,8 |
| Christina Kim |
7,8 |
Yani Tseng |
8 |
| In-Kyung Kim |
7 |
Momoko Ueda |
8,10 |
| *-Kimberly Kim |
2 |
*Maria Jose Uribe |
2 |
| Mi Hyun Kim |
6,7 |
Karrie Webb |
1,5,7,8 |
| Song-Hee Kim |
8 |
Lindsey Wright |
7,8 |
| Young Kim |
7,9 |
Sakura Yokomine |
10 |
| Candie Kung |
8 |
Sun Young Yoo |
8 |
Key to Player Exemptions -
- Winners of the U.S. Women's Open Championship for the last 10 years (1998-2007).
- Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur for the last two years (2006-07) and runner-up for the most recent year (2007), player must still be an amateur.
- Winners of the LPGA Championship for the last five years (2004-08).
- Winners of the Women's British Open Championship the last five years (2003-07).
- Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship for the last five years (2004-08).
- From the 2007 U.S. Women's Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place.
- From the 2007 final official LPGA Tour money list, the top 40 money leaders.
- From the 2008 official LPGA Tour money list, the top 35 money leaders through June 1.
- Winners of LPGA Tour co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2007 U.S. Women's Open Championship to the initiation of the 2008 U.S. Women's Open Championship.
- Top three players from the 2007 Japan LPGA Tour, Korea LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour New Star money lists.
- Special exemptions selectec by the USGA.
*-Amateur