The field is almost set for the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Cherry Hills Country Club.
Reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur Links champion Ya-Ni Tseng is among the players who earned spots through sectional qualifying. Sixty-six players were fully exempt, which left 89 spaces open for qualifiers. One spot is being held open for the winner of this weekend’s LPGA event. The USGA received a record 1,158 entries.
Tseng, 16, of Chinese Taipei, advanced to her first Women’s Open, while Morgan Pressel, 17, of Boca Raton, Fla., won her sectional qualifier by seven strokes to advance to the Women’s Open for the third time.
In addition to Tseng, seven other past USGA champions qualified. They include Catherine Cartwright (2000 Women’s Amateur Public Links); Dorothy Delasin (1996 Girls Junior, 1999 Women’s Amateur); Tracy Hanson (1991 Women’s Amateur Public Links); Marcy Hart (1995 Girls Junior, 2000 Women’s Amateur): Kelli Kuehne (1994 Girls Junior and 1995 and 1996 Women’s Amateurs); Virada Nirapathpongporn of Thailand (2003 Women’s Amateur) and Laurie Rinker (1980 Girls Junior).
