U.S. Senior Women's Open

The U.S. Senior Women's Open is one of fourteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. The newest USGA championship, it is open to women whose 50th birthday falls on or before the first day of competition and hold a handicap index not exceeding 7.4. The inaugural championship was held in 2018 at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.

U.S. Senior Women's Open

Tournament information
Location	Fairfield, Connecticut (2020)
Established	2018, 2 years ago
Course(s)	Brooklawn Country Club (2020)
Par	71 (2020)
Length	6,711 yards (6,137 m) (2020)
Organized by	USGA
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	$1.0 million
Month played	July
Current champion
Helen Alfredsson

Brooklawn CC

Location in the United States

Brooklawn CC

Location in Connecticut

The field for the tournament is 120 players, and is filled with professionals and amateurs with exemptions and sectional qualifying status. The tournament is 72 holes of stroke play, with the top 50 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 qualifying. In addition, senior amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament (the rule applies equally to former U.S. Women's Amateur champions who have turned 50). For the first three editions of the tournament (2018–2020), golfers eligible in categories that require golfers to be 50 to 52 will be automatically eligible regardless of age provided they are 50 or older.[1]

• Winners of the U.S. Senior Women's Open who have not yet reached their 66th birthdays on or before the final day of the championship or in the past ten years, regardless of age.
• The top 20 (and ties) from the previous year's U.S. Senior Women's Open.
• The low amateur from the previous year's U.S. Senior Women's Open.
• Winners of the U.S. Women's Open who are between ages 50 and 59.
• From the most recent U.S. Women's Open, any age-eligible player returning a 72-hole score.
• Finalist in the U.S. Women's Amateur from the previous year (if over 50).
• Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur once they turn 50:
  • Those who have turned professional will have a three-year exemption.
  • Those who have remained an amateur will have a five-year exemption.
• Winners of the women's majors who are between 50 and 59 – ANA Inspiration, AIG Women's Open Championship (2001-), KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Evian Championship (2013-).
  • Winners of the du Maurier Classic from 1979 to 2000 are also qualifying, as the tournament was declared a major during that time.
• Winner and runner-up of the previous U.S. Senior Women's Amateur.
• The winner of the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur in the last two years.
• Winner of the past two U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur events, provided over 50.
• Members of either Curtis Cup team from the two more recent tournaments.
• Members of the two most recent U.S. Women's World Amateur Teams (Espirito Santo Trophy).
• 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 that Legends Tour eligibility starts at 45 years of age, which means that not all Legends Tour players are eligible for the U.S. Senior Women's Open. A golfer who is 49 during qualifying but will turn 50 by the start of the first round will have a blank entry filed by the USGA.
• 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.
  • Same rules apply for golfers who are 49 but will turn 50 before the first round.
• 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. 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 The Womens Amateur Championship.
• Winners of the LPGA Touring and Club Professional Championship in the past five years.
  • The second-place finisher in the most recent edition of this event 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.
• Top five money leaders from the previous year's final official Ladies European Tour and LPGA of Japan Tour 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.

Winners

Year	Dates	Champion	Country	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner-up	Site
2020	Cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[2]
2019	May 16–19	Helen Alfredsson	Sweden	285	+1	2 strokes	Juli Inkster Trish Johnson	Pine Needles Lodge
2018	Jul 12–15	Laura Davies	England	276	−16	10 strokes	Juli Inkster	Chicago Golf Club

Future sites

Year	Host site	City	Dates
	Brooklawn Country Club	Fairfield, Connecticut

References

1. "Exemption Categories for U.S. Senior Women's Open". USGA. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
2. https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2020/04/2020-u-s--senior-open--u-s--senior-women-s-open-canceled.html