Qualify Through Winning Women's US Open

[Sean_A]

Its a shame MW didn't qualify for the US Open.  Strangely, I found myself routing for her, but she wasn't nearly good enough on the day.  This leads me to my question.  Should the winner of the Women's US Open gain a spot into the US Open?

Ciao

Sean

[Glenn Spencer]

At this point in time, I would have to say no. Exemptions are made to be changed and this may not always be the case.

[Brent Hutto]

Not even close. I can't think of a single past winner of the Women's US Open who would have had any business in a US Open field.

[Matt_Ward]

Sean:

Surely you jest !

[Glenn Spencer]

In ten years time, I can see MW being more deserving of a Senior Champion.

[Anthony Butler]

Food for thought.  The US Open exempts the winner and runner up of the Amateur solely because of tradition.  I don't think the British Am winner is exempted for the US Open.  I can't recall the last time an amateur seriously competed for the US Open (perhaps the 60s?) yet two spots are given away.  

I guess Tiger as the defending US Amateur Champion didn't really contend in 1997... but he sure was a factor.

[Glenn Spencer]

Food for thought.  The US Open exempts the winner and runner up of the Amateur solely because of tradition.  I don't think the British Am winner is exempted for the US Open.  I can't recall the last time an amateur seriously competed for the US Open (perhaps the 60s?) yet two spots are given away.  

Ciao

Sean

71 at Merion was damn serious.

[Glenn Spencer]

Jim Simons, he had the third round lead after a 65.

[Craig Sweet]

Winners of many "amatuer" events qualify for majors....and very seldom are any of them a contender.  So, what is wrong with having the winner of the Womens US Open qualify for the US Open???

[Phil_the_Author]

Sean, you asked, "Should the winner of the Women's US Open gain a spot into the US Open?"

Only when a man can qualify for that event.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Sean, you asked, "Should the winner of the Women's US Open gain a spot into the US Open?"

Only when a man can qualify for that event.

Then the winner of the US Open should qualify for the US Junior.  

The US Open is "Open" and does not have any adjectives (at least according to the calendar of events on the USGA web site) - all other events have some restrictions - age, am/pro status, gender, etc.  

[Wayne_Kozun]

Should the winner of the Women's US Open gain a spot into the US Open?

Yes - or perhaps the top ranked female player in the world.  I would rather see Annika at Winged Foot than Birdie Kim as you do get the occasional fluke winner.

[Jim Sweeney]

Birdie Kim in the US Open?

Meg Mallon?

Julie Inkster?

WHoever it was who won at Pumpkin Ridge?

Ask them - I'd bet they would say "no way."

I won't say never., but there's going to have to be a lot of history of women qualifying successfully before it happens.

[Glenn Spencer]

Take a minute and think about this. The USGA has been steadfast in giving her exemptions into the US Open. I believe this will be the third straight year, if not more. If she wins the Womens Grand Slam and the US Womens Open for say three straight years, I can see it. Some Senior turned it down a few years ago at Bethpage, Fleisher I believe. Why couldn't a woman turn it down?

[Robert_Ball]

How about starting with an exemption into sectional qualifying and see what they do with that?  There are currently 24 such exemptions reserved for some pretty lofty accomplishments like British Am champ, Mid-Am champ and PGA Tour winners from the past 3 years.

I would think only a handful would bother to enter.

[Wayne_Kozun]

The USGA has been steadfast in giving her exemptions into the US Open.

No they haven't - if they did then she wouldn't have been trying to qualify today.  They gave her exemptions to the US Women's Open.

[Glenn Spencer]

The USGA has been steadfast in giving her exemptions into the US Open.

No they haven't - if they did then she wouldn't have been trying to qualify today.  They gave her exemptions to the US Women's Open.

Needless to say, that is what I meant. Thanks

[Glenn Spencer]

How about starting with an exemption into sectional qualifying and see what they do with that?  There are currently 24 such exemptions reserved for some pretty lofty accomplishments like British Am champ, Mid-Am champ and PGA Tour winners from the past 3 years.

I would think only a handful would bother to enter.

Most definitely a thought worth looking at.

[rgkeller]

Only if the Women's Open Champion is Michelle Wie.

[PThomas]

no

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

simply no..if a player who wins a regular tour event cannot be exempted..a winner of the US Womens Open should not be considered.
Simply on the issue of ability..if Michelle Wie was not in the picture this would not even be open for discussion...
In saying that I understand that she IS in the picture, and as such her route into the event as was attempted yesterday is quite appropriate and fair to all.

[Phil_the_Author]

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.

[Russell Lo]

Phillip,

I believe the reason she had not tried to qualify for the US Open was twofold. First scheduling, I don't think it was in her plans to try and qualify for the US Open last year and the schedule was built more around the LPGA events and various PGA invitations. Second, I don't think she felt she had the game to compete at that level. She has improved drastically and this year probably felt she could take a shot at qualifying thsi year. Scheduling worked out also as the local qualifier fell in an "off" week and the sectional fit too.

[Glenn Spencer]

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.

She played last year. I agree with the last part about the US Amateur. I think that they should be able to hold on to it as well. It amazes me that a young man or woman-lol can win our national championship, what used to be considered a major and receive nothing in the way of future exemptions when turning professional.