U.S. Senior Women's Open

The U.S. Senior Women's Open will be one of the fourteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It will be open to women whose 50th birthday falls on or before the first day of competition and holds a handicap index not exceeding 7.4. The inaugural championship will be in 2018.

The field for the tournament will be 120 players, and will be filled with professionals and amateurs with exemptions and sectional qualifying status. The tournament will be 72 holes of stroke-play, with the top 60 and ties making the 36-hole cut.

Eligibility

The following players are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Senior Women's Open, provided they are 50 years old as of the opening day of the tournament. In addition, senior amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament (the rule does apply to former U.S. Women's Amateur champions who have turned 50). From 2018 until 2020, golfers eligible in categories that require golfers to be 50 to 52 will be automatically eligible regardless of age provided they are over 50, it will be the first three years of the tournament.^[1]

• Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship the last 10 years and when she is between 50 and 59 years of age.
• From the most recent U.S. Women’s Open Championship, any player returning a 72-hole score.
• Finalist in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship from the previous year.
• Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship from the last 10 years, those between 50 and 52 years of age (the first three years eligible).
  • Unlike other amateur classes, golfers do not have to remain an amateur to be eligible for this exemption; turning professional will not affect a former Women's Amateur champion's status for this exemption.
• Winners of the Women's Majors -- LPGA Rancho Mirage tournament, Women's Open Championship, Women's PGA Championship, and Evian Championship (see note) -- from the last 10 years OR between 50 and 52 years of age (first three years eligible).
  • From 2018 until 2022, the Evian Championship winners will be eligible from 2013, when the LPGA designated it as a major. Starting in 2023, the ten-year rule will be in effect.
  • At this time, the Canadian Women's Open, a major tournament until 2000, champions are not on this list to be eligible under the age 50-52 rule at this time.
• Finalists of the previous U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
• The winner of the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship in the last two years.
• Winner of the most current U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
• Members of either Curtis Cup teams from the two more recent tournaments.
• Members of the two most recent United States Women’s World Amateur Teams.
• Playing members of the five most recent Solheim Cup teams.
• Top 30 players from the previous year’s final official Legends Tour money list, provided they are 50 years of age.
  • Note Legends Tour eligibility starts at 45 years of age. Not all Legends Tour players are eligible for the U.S. Senior Women's Open.
• Top 10 money leaders of all-time Legends Tour earnings, through the entry deadline. Players must select a qualifying site at the time of entry.
  • A player who is 49 years of age at the entry deadline, turns 50 before the first scheduled round of the championship, and is in the top 10 all-time Legends Tour money list may also file under this exemption.
• Top 15 money leaders on the current Legends Tour money list.
• Winners of Legends Tour co-sponsored events, excluding team events, whose victories are considered official, in the last two calendar years and during the current calendar year to the initiation of the current year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship. Events must be a minimum of 36 holes.
• Top 75 LPGA Tour money leaders all-time.
• Winners who are 50 to 52 years of age who have won British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship championship.
• Winners of the LPGA Touring and Club Professional Championship in the past five years.
  • The second-place golfer of the most recent is also eligible.
• Winners of LPGA Tour co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, in the last five calendar years and during the current calendar year to the initiation of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship.
• Top five money leaders from the previous year's final official Ladies European Tour and Japan LPGA Career money lists.
• Winners of the most current Senior Ladies' British Open Amateur and Canadian Senior Women’s Amateur championships.
• Special exemptions selected by the USGA.

Categories in effect beginning in 2019

• Winners of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship who has not yet reached her 66th birthday on or before the final day of the championship OR in the past ten years.
  • The 66th birthday rule does not apply if the player has won within the last ten years.
• The top 20 (and ties) from the previous year's U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship.
• The low amateur from the previous year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship.

Players eligible in 2018

• U.S. Women's Open Champions
  • Hollis Stacy (1977, 1978 and 1984)
  • Juli Inkster (1999 and 2002)
  • Amy Alcott (1980)
  • Pat Bradley (1981)
  • Laura Davies (1987)
  • Liselotte Neumann (1988)
  • Meg Mallon (2004)

• Majors and U.S. Women's Amateur champions
  • Dottie Pepper, ANA Inspiration
  • Kay Cockerill, U.S. Women's Amateur champion
  • Pearl Sinn, U.S. Women's Amateur champion

• Legends Tour winners the past two calendar years and current season.
  • Lorie Kane
  • Trish Johnson

• Past five (2009-17) Solheim Cup teams
  • Helen Alfredsson

• LPGA Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) Championship winners from 2013-2017.
  • Jean Bartholomew
  • Lisa Grimes
  • Laurie Rinker

• U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champions
  • Ellen Port

Future sites

References