From 12 to 55, players of all ages make up the 156-woman field for the U.S. Women’s Open at The Broadmoor (July 7-10).
On Monday, the USGA posted the official field for the Women’s Open, and 12-year-old Mariel Galdiano of Hawaii, right, earned a spot along with two-time Open champion Betsy King.
King, 55, who won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990, will play in her 30th Open. She is one of 74 players who earned berths from sectional qualifiers.
Mariel, who finishes seventh grade Thursday at Maryknoll Middle School in Honolulu, birdied the last hole to win the May 22 sectional on Kauai.
“She knows it’s a big tournament, but I don’t think she can imagine how big it is until she’s 30 years old or so,” Mariel’s father, Rogelio, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
At 12 years, 11 months and 3 days old, Mariel is the third- youngest qualifier in Women’s Open history.
The other 82 spots were filled by exempt players, including defending champion Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie. Also on the exempt list is Birdie Kim, who birdied from the bunker on the 18th hole to win the 2005 Open at Cherry Hills Country Club.
