Think of it as a holiday present: Major championship golf in December. That wasn’t the plan; we were supposed to be at Champions Golf Club in Houston for the 75th U.S. Women’s Open last June. But this year’s “19th hole” was one no one wanted – COVID-19.
The U.S. Women’s Open will be the seventh professional major championship contested since August, which is remarkable considering all that’s gone on in the world. The importance of this event and its $5.5 million purse to women’s golf cannot be overstated. So let’s get started.
Here are 3 things to look for in Thursday’s first round.
Two-Course Appetizer
Because of the short December days, both the Jackrabbit and Cypress Creek courses will be employed in the first two rounds in order to get the 156 players around, marking the first time that two courses have been used in the championship. The general consensus is that Cypress Creek, which will be used for both weekend rounds, is a bit more difficult. Keep that in mind when you evaluate first-round scores.
“Very unusual to have two,” says Katherine Kirk. “That certainly makes preparation a little bit more challenging. But these courses are different. I would say Jackrabbit’s probably a bit shorter, a little tighter off the tee, greens are smaller. Which will yield more birdies? I think maybe Jackrabbit, if you can dial it in with your approach shots.”
The Cypress Creek Course will be set up at 6,731 yards while the Jackrabbit Course will be set up at 6,558 yards. Both will play to a par of 36-35–71.
Working Their Way Back
Three of the biggest names in women’s golf – including defending U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 – come into Champions Golf Club short on competitive reps on the LPGA Tour this year but nonetheless showing top form. Lee6, who didn’t play an LPGA event from February until November because she quarantined at home in the Republic of Korea, was T-16 last week in just her second event back.
Jin Young Ko, No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings, also came back to the United States in November and was fifth last week, also her second event back. And although she played a half-dozen events on the Korea LPGA, So Yeon Ryu, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open winner, didn’t play an LPGA tournament from February until last week. Still, she finished tied for second in Dallas.
Since Inbee Park won the first of her two U.S. Women’s Open titles in 2008, Koreans have won eight of the 12 championships. Keep an eye on this trio.
Hometown Hero
Stacy Lewis, whose professional debut was a T-3 finish in the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, went to high school in The Woodlands, less than 20 miles from Champions Golf Club. Lewis was also runner-up in 2014, T-3 in 2015 and seventh in 2016. With a win in August at the Ladies Scottish Open and a fifth at the ANA Inspiration, she has shown flashes of the form that in 2013 and 2014 took her to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings. And she has home-field advantage.
“I've played USGA qualifiers here a lot as a kid,” she said. “A lot of it is angles to hole locations, because obviously the greens are very big, so they're going to play very different from a front to a back pin. Just knowing where you can and can't miss it. I'm comfortable on the golf course.”
Lewis, surely the sentimental favorite, could ride that emotion a long way this week.
Ron Sirak is a Massachusetts-based freelance writer who frequently contributes to USGA digital channels.
