2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open Explained

2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open
Dates:August 24–27, 2023
Location:Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Course:Waverley Country Club
Org:USGA
Tour:Legends Tour
Format:72 holes stroke play
Par:72
Field:120 players, 51 after cut
Cut:152 (+8)
Purse:$1,000,000
Winners Share:$180,000
Champion: Trish Johnson
Score:284 (−4)
Map:USA#USA Oregon#Portland
Map Label:Waverley CC
Map Relief:yes
Previous:2022
Next:2024

The 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open took place August 24–27 at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon, and was the fifth U.S. Senior Women's Open. It was a professional golf tournament organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), open to women over 50 years of age and one of two yearly senior women's major golf championships.[1] [2]

Prize fund was, as of each of the previous four championships held, $1,000,000 with $180,000 going to the winner. All professionals who missed the cut were paid $2,000 each.

Venue

See main article: Waverley Country Club.

The hosting club was established in 1896 and the year after moved to the east bank of the Willamette River, south of the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland. The 18-hole golf course was built in 1898, originally designed by Jack Moffat.[3]

The club has previously hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur three times and the 2017 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur.

Course layout

The length was different between each round. Approximate length is shown.

HoleYardsParHoleYardsPar
1 330 4 10 371 4
2 349 4 11 140 3
3 361 4 12 372 4
4 395 4 13 500 5
5 463 5 14 132 3
6 156 3 15 344 4
7 365 4 16 198 3
8 528 5 17 495 5
9 124 3 18 499 5
Out 3,071 36 In 3,043 36
Total 6,114 72

Format

The walking-only tournament was played over 72 holes of stroke play, with the top 50 and ties making the 36-hole cut.

Field

The championship was open to any professional or amateur golfer who was 50 years of age or over as of August 24, however restricted by a certain handicap level.

Players entered the competition, either exempt through some of several exemption categories or through sectional qualifying at different sites around United States in the summer of 2023.

Exempt from qualifying

The following players were exempt from qualifying.[4] Many players were exempt in multiple categories. Players are listed only once, in the first category in which they became exempt. Any additional criteria under which players were exempt is indicated in parentheses.

Each exemption category required players to have reached their 50th birthday on or before August 24, 2023.

Players eligible in categories with an upper age limit of 52, 54 or 59, were eligible regardless of age provided they were 50 or older, according to the exempt list published by the USGA on February 8, 2023, which included these elder players.

1. Former winners of the U.S. Senior Women's Open (10-year exemption)

Laura Davies (2,4,11,13,18,22), Helen Alfredsson (2,11,13,17), Annika Sörenstam (2,4,11,12,13,18,19,22), Jill McGill (2,6,13,14)

2. From the 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Open, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place

Leta Lindley (12,13), Catriona Matthew (18, 21), Juli Inkster (4,12,13 14,18,19), Catrin Nilsmark (12,13), Liselotte Neumann (4,13), Michele Redman (12,13), Tammie Green (12,13,18), Trish Johnson (11,13,14), Stefania Croce, Pat Hurst (12,13,18), Patricia Ehrhart (a) (3), Lisa Grimes (13), Christa Johnson (12,13,18), Jackie Gallagher-Smith (13), Audra Burks, Jamie Fischer

3. From the 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Open, the amateur(s) returning the lowest 72-hole score

4. Winners of the U.S. Women's Open (10-year exemption)

JoAnne Carner, Hollis Stacy (18), Amy Alcott (18), Jane Geddes

Mary Mills (18), Betsy Rawls (18), Catherine Lacoste (7), Donna Caponi (18), Jerilyn Britz, Pat Bradley (18), Jan Stephenson (18), Kathy Baker Guadagnino, Betsy King (18), Kathy Cornelius, Murle Lindstrom, Sandra Haynie (18), Susie Berning (18), Sandra Palmer (18), Janet Alex Anderson, Meg Mallon (18), Patty Sheehan (18), Lauri Merten, Alison Nicholas did not play

5. From the 2022 and 2023 U.S. Women's Opens, any player returning a 72-hole score

6. Any professional or applicant for reinstatement who has won the U.S. Women's Amateur (three-year exemption)

Silvia Cavalleri (1997), Wendy Ward (1994)

Pearl Sinn (1988) did not play

7. Winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur (must be an amateur; five-year exemption)

Anne Sander (a), Carol Semple Thompson (a)

Mary Budke, Jean Ashley Crawford, Mary Lou Dill, Patricia Lesser Harbottle, Martha Kirouac, Barbara McIntire, Marlene Stewart Streit did not play

8. Winners of the 2021 and 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur, and the 2022 runner-up (must be an amateur)

Lara Tennant (a), Shelley Stouffer (a), Sue Wooster (a)

9. Winners of the 2021 and 2022 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur (must be an amateur)

10. Playing members of the two most recent United States and Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup teams, and the two most current United States Women's World Amateur teams (must be an amateur)

11. Winners of the 2017-2022 Senior LPGA Championship, and the 2021 and 2022 runners-up

12. From the 2022 Senior LPGA Championship, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th place

Lisa DePaulo (13), Jean Bartholomew (16)

Rosie Jones (13) did not play

13. From the final 2022 Legends Tour Performance Points list, the top 30 point leaders and ties

Barbara Moxness, Cathy Johnston-Forbes (18), Kris Tschetter, Kimberly Williams, Nicole Jeray, Michelle McGann, Maggie Will, Moira Dunn-Bohls, Becky Iverson, Susie Redman

14. Winners of the Legends Tour co-sponsored official individual events of minimum 36 holes in 2021, 2022 and 2023

15. Winners of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Championship (Championship Division) 2017–2022 and the five lowest scores and ties in 2022

Wendy Doolan did not play

16. From the 2022 LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Championship (Senior Division), the three lowest scores and ties

Sue Ginter, Donna Andrews (18)

17. Winners of the 2022 R&A Women's Senior Amateur and Canadian Women's Senior Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)

Shelly Stouffer (a), Terrill Samuel (a)

18. Winners of the following events when deemed a major by the LPGA Tour; Chevron Championship (1983–present); Evian Championship (2013–present); Women's British Open (2001–present); du Maurier Classic (1979–2000); KPMG Women's PGA Championship (1955–present); Titleholders Championship (1946–1966, 1972) or Women's Western Open (1930–1967). (10-year exemption)

Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, Brandie Burton

Karen Stupples, Jody Anschutz, Nanci Bowen, Betty Burfeindt, Beth Daniel, Gloria Ehret, Chako Higuchi, Judy Kimball, Jenny Lidback, Sally Little, Nancy Lopez, Alice Miller, Martha Nause, Dottie Pepper, Sandra Post, Kelly Robbins, Nancy Scranton, Sherri Steinhauer, Sherri Turner, Joyce Ziske did noy play

19. From the final 2022 LPGA Tour all-time money list, the top 10 players who are not otherwise exempt as of February 15, 2023

20. Winners of the LPGA Tour co-sponsored official events 2017–2023

21. Playing members of the five most recent United States and European Solheim Cup teams

22. From the 2022 final official Ladies European Tour and LPGA of Japan Tour career money lists, the top five money leaders

24. Special exemptions as selected by the USGA

Qualifying sites

Additional players qualifed through sectional qualifying tournaments, taking place July 12 – August 10, 2023, at 16 different sites across the United States.[5] [6]

Date Location Venue Qualifiers
Jul 12 Pam Prescott (a), Lee Burton (a), Kathy Hartwiger (a), Kelly Cap, Denise Killeen, Lee Ann Walker
Jul 13 Sara Sanders, Jenny Park Choi, Eriko Gejo, Akiko Fukushima, Dana Ebster
Jul 20 Barb Bunkowsky, Charlotta Sörenstam, Kim Keyer Scott (a), Shari Lindsey, Sally Dee, Laurel Kean, Laurie Rinker
Jul 20 Cheryl Anderson, Kelley Brooke, Alicia Dibos
Jul 24 Ayumi Sobue, Nobuko Kizawa, Mikino Kubo, Rhonda Orr (a), Ellen Port (a)
Jul 27 Dina Ammaccapane, Yuko Saito, Corey Weworski (a)
Aug 1 Eisenhower Golf Club (Blue Course) Kristine Franklin (a), Sherry Andoniansmith, Marilyn Hardy (a)
Aug 1 Yuko Ogura, Monica Pedano (a), Michelle Murphy, Karen Noble
Aug 2 Richmond Country ClubMimi Hoffman (a), Andrea Miller (a)
Aug 3 Tracy Hanson, Maggie Leef (a), Lieschen Wienke, Cheryl Fox
Aug 3 Tara Joy-Connelly (a), Pamela Kuong (a), Judith Kyrinis (a), Laura Shanahan Rowe
Aug 7 Shelly Haywood (a), Sherry Wright (a), YuKa Shiroto, Eika Otake, Leslie Spalding, Miyuki Shimabukuro
Aug 8 Tonya Gill Danckaert, Joan Delk, Sarah Gallagher, Caroline Blaylock
Aug 8 Southview Country ClubBrenda Williams (a)
Aug 8 Garland,TexasFirewheel Golf ParkKelley Nittoli (a), Patricia Beliard, Martha Linscott (a), Mina Hardin (a)
Aug 10 York Golf ClubMartha Leach (a), Suzy Green Roebuck, Christine Lindsey

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, August 24, 2023

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1 Catriona Matthew69 −3
Michelle McGann
T3 Tammie Green70 −2
Kathy Hartwiger (a)
5 Sue Wooster (a) 71 −1
T6 Lisa DePaulo72 E
Dana Ebster
Christa Johnson
Sources:[7] [8]

Second round

Friday, August 25, 2023

In the second round, Catriona Matthew shot a 1-under -par 71 to increase her lead after the first round to three strokes. 51 players, 42 professionals and nine amateurs, made the 36-hole cut, which came to be on eight over par. 2018 champion Laura Davies missed the cut, finishing at 12 over par.

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1 69-71=140 −4
2 72-71=143 −1
3 72-72=144 E
T4 74-71=145 +1
70-75=145
73-72=145
74-71=145
T8 73-73=146 +2
72-74=146
73-73=146

Third round

Saturday, August 26, 2023

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1 73-72-67=212 −4
2 69-71-73=213 −3
T3 74-71-69=214 −2
72-74-68=214
5 72-71-72=215 −1
6 70-75-71=216 E
7 74-71-72=217 +1
T8 74-75-69=218 +2
75-72-71=218
T10 73-74-72=219 +3
77-73-69=219
72-72-75=219
Judith Kyrinis (a) 74-73-72=219

Final round

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Trish Johnson shot an even-par 72 in the final round, to hold on her lead after the third round and capture her first USGA title and third senior women's major championship. Defending champion Jill McGill finished tied 14th.

PlacePlayScoreTo parMoney ($)
1 73-72-67-72=284 −4 180,000
2 72-74-68-71=285 −3 108,000
3 69-71-73-73=286 −2 69,648
T4 74-71-69-74=288 E 44,396
74-71-72-71=288
T6 Judith Kyrinis (a) 74-73-72-71=290 +2
74-75-69-72=290 35,680
8 70-75-71-72=291 +3 32,316
T9 74-75-75-69=293 +5 28,952
Terrill Samuel (a) 73-75-73-72=293
Sources:[9] [10] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open Fast Facts . USGA . 7 April 2023.
  2. 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open: "Hoppas de vill se mig spela, inte bara missa skolan" . Olof . Åsgård . Swedish . 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open: "Hope they want to see me play, just not only miss school" . Svensk Golf . August 24, 2023 . August 24, 2023.
  3. Web site: Appreciating Waverley's History and Tradition . 7 April 2023 . Waverley Country Club.
  4. Web site: Currently Exempt Players for 5th U.S. Senior Women's Open . USGA . 8 April 2023.
  5. Web site: 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open, View Qualifying Sites . USGA . April 11, 2023.
  6. Web site: 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open Qualifying Results . USGA . August 11, 2023.
  7. Web site: 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open Scoring . USGA . August 25, 2023.
  8. Jay . Coffin . JoAnne Carner, 84, easily(!) betters her age one more time in U.S. Senior Women's Open . Golf Digest . August 24, 2023 . August 25, 2023.
  9. Web site: 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open Scoring . USGA . August 28, 2023.
  10. John . Strege . Trish Johnson prevails in battle of Brits, wins U.S. Senior Women's Open . Golf Digest . August 27, 2023 . August 28, 2023.
  11. News: 2023 US Senior Women’s Open final results: Prize money payout, leaderboard and how much each golfer won . Golf News Net . August 27, 2023 . August 28, 2023.