As expected, Denver native Jill McGill officially joined the field Thursday for the U.S. Women’s Open and is sure to be a local favorite in the June 23-26 championship at Cherry Hills Country Club.
McGill, 33, was among nine players to earn an exemption into the Women’s Open by finishing among the top 35 on the LPGA money list as of May 30. Fifty-eight others earned spots in the tournament through other exemption categories.
McGill was assured of a spot in the field when she earned $200,915 for a second-place finish May 8 in the Michelob Ultra Open in Williamsburg, Va. She ranks 11th on the 2005 money list with $262,430.
Before her runner-up finish at the Michelob event, McGill acknowledged being “stressed out” over the thought of not qualifying for the first women’s major championship held in the area where she grew up.
“I guess it was a good week to finish second,” McGill told The Denver Post after completing her final round. “I have to admit that coming down the stretch, I was thinking about the money and where I’d be on the money list.”
McGill, who resides in San Diego, played golf at Cherry Creek High School and the University of Southern California. She won two state high school titles, the 1993 U.S. Women’s Amateur at San Diego Country Club and the 1994 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Tam O’Shanter Golf Club in Canton, Ohio. McGill’s second-place effort at the Michelob Ultra Open matched her best finish during 10 years on the LPGA Tour.
Others who earned spots Thursday included Americans Natalie Gulbis and Emilee Klein, Silvia Cavalleri (Italy), Karine Icher (France), Jimin Kang (Korea) and Nicole Perrot (Chile).
Three additional exempted spots will be reserved for the champions of the three remaining LPGA Tour events before the Women’s Open, provided those players have not already qualified in other categories. Sectional qualifying rounds will determine the remaining 86 to 89 spots in the full field of 156. Denver Country Club will host a sectional qualifying round on June 14.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
