I have a question that I haven't heard anyone (other than myself) ask that I believe is germain to this discussion.
Why did Michelle wait until now to attempt to qualify? She has been speaking of it for quite a while, so why now? Could it be because she DIDN'T meet the USGA handicap requirements (and probably still doesn't) for her to apply as an amateur? The only other way for her to do so would have been for her to declare herself a professional... didn't she do that recently?
In my opinion, a woman golfer who doesn't meet the handicap standards for a male should not be allowed to attempt qualification. She should establish a handicap based upon playing from the men's tees, the same as every male must do in order to attempt qualifying.
Now Michelle may very well be able to do this, and quite easily. Yet as far as I have been able to find out, she never did.
It is for this reason, that the standards of play are so very different from men to women, that I believe that awarding an exemption into the field by winning the Women's Open (or amateur) is inappropriate.
Not to get the thread going in another direction, but I also believe that a spot in the Open that is awarded, should never be rescinded, as in the case of forcing the U.S. Amateur winner to give up this privilege simply because he decides to turn professional after his victory. He won & so should reap ALL the rewards of his victory.