The 2014 U.S. Women's Open was the 69th U.S. Women's Open, held June 1922 at Pinehurst Resort Course No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. It marked the first time that the U.S. Women's Open was played on the same course in the same year as the U.S. Open. The U.S. Women's Open was played a week after the U.S. Open.
First played in 1946, the U.S. Women's Open is the oldest of the five major championships and the second of the 2014 season. It has the largest purse in women's golf at $4.0 million, with a winner's share of $720,000. The tournament was televised for the final time by ESPN and NBC Sports.
Michelle Wie won her first major title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Stacy Lewis. Stephanie Meadow was a stroke back in solo third in her debut event as a professional.[3]
Qualifying and field
The championship is open to any female professional or amateur golfer with a USGAhandicap index not exceeding 2.4.[1] Players qualified by competing in one of twenty 36-hole qualifying tournaments held at sites across the United States and at international sites in China, England, Japan, and South Korea. Additional players were exempt from qualifying because of past performances in professional or amateur tournaments around the world.
The United States Golf Association received 1,702 entries for the championship, breaking the year-old record of 1,420 in 2013.[1][4] The handicap index limit in 2013 was 4.4.[5]
Exempt from qualifying
Many players were exempt in multiple categories. Players are listed only once, in the first category in which they became exempt, with additional categories in parentheses ( ) next to their names. Golfers qualifying in Category 12 who qualified in other categories are denoted with the tour by which they qualified.[6]
2. Winner and runner-up from the 2013 U.S. Women's Amateur (must be an amateur) Emma Talley. The runner-up, Yueer Cindy Feng, turned professional in December 2013, forfeiting her exemption from qualifying. She qualified in Bradenton, Florida.
3. Winner of the 2013 Mark H. McCormack Medal (Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking) (must be an amateur) The winner, Lydia Ko, turned professional in October 2013, forfeiting her exemption from qualifying. She qualified for the tournament in four other categories, with the highest-ranking being category 10.
10. Top 10 money leaders from the 2014 official LPGA money list, through the close of entries on April 30 Lydia Ko (11,13,14)
11. Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2013 U.S. Women's Open Championship to the initiation of the 2014 U.S. Women's Open Championship Teresa Lu (12-JLPGA)
13. Top 25 point leaders from the current Rolex Rankings and anyone tying for 25th place as of April 30, 2014 All players already qualified in other categories.
14. Top 25 point leaders from the current Rolex Rankings and anyone tying for 25th place as of June 16, 2014 All players already qualified in other categories.
15. Special exemptions selected by the USGA None selected
Qualifiers
Additional players qualified through sectional qualifying tournaments. For the first time in the history of the U.S. Women's Open, qualifying tournaments took place outside of the United States.[8]
The following players were added to the field on June 4 when spots reserved for exemptions in various categories were not used:[7]
Stephanie Meadow, the first alternate from the Beaumont, California qualifier
Ashleigh Simon, the first alternate from the Carrollton, Texas qualifier
Sarah Jane Smith, the first alternate from the Manakin-Sabot, Virginia qualifier
Kelly Tan, the first alternate from the Dunwoody, Georgia qualifier
Sierra Sims, the first alternate from The Woodlands, Texas, qualifier, was added to the field when Sun-Ju Ahn who was exempt in category 12 withdrew.[7]
Hee Kyung Bae, the first alternate from the Korea qualifier, was added to the field when So-young Lee, who had advanced through the Korea qualifier, withdrew.[7]
Laura Diaz, the first alternate from the Butler, Pennsylvania qualifier, was added to the field on June 10 when the space reserved for the winner of the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic was not used because the winner, Inbee Park, had already qualified in multiple categories.[9]
Based on the course setup for the championship, the USGA course rating was 78.1 and the slope rating was 145.[1]
Round summaries
First round
Thursday, June 19, 2014 Friday, June 20, 2014
Play was suspended Thursday at 7:12 pm EDT due to inclement weather and thirty players completed the first round on Friday morning.[10] Five players finished the round under-par; Stacy Lewis led with a bogey-free 67 (−3) and fellow American Michelle Wie was one stroke back at 68. Minjee Lee, the number one female in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, was tied for third place at one-under-par.[11] The scoring average for the field was 75.83, almost six strokes over-par.[12]
Michelle Wie was the only one to break par in both rounds, shooting 68 again (tied for low round) to lead at 136 (−4), three strokes ahead of Lexi Thompson. First round leader Stacy Lewis shot 73 (+3) and was tied for third with amateur Minjee Lee and Amy Yang at even-par 140.[13] Only six players shot under-par, and the field average was 75.01.[14] Six amateurs made the cut along with 65 professionals at 149 (+9) or better.
Amy Yang shot 68 (−2) to move into a tie for first with Michelle Wie, who shot a two-over-par 72. They were the only competitors under par after the third round, at 208 (−2). Two-time champion Juli Inkster, age 53, shot the low round of the first three days, 66 (−4), to move into a tie for third, four strokes back.[15] First round leader Stacy Lewis carded a 74 (+4) and fell to 214 (+4), six strokes back in a tie for twelfth. Eight were under par for the round and the field scoring average was 73.30, the lowest of the championship.[16]
Michelle Wie shot an even-par 70 final round to win by two strokes over Stacy Lewis. It was Wie's first major and fourth LPGA Tour win. She had a three-shot lead with three holes to play, but double-bogeyed the 16th hole. A birdie on 17 and par on 18 sealed the win.[17] Lewis and Catriona Matthew shot the low rounds of the day, 66. This was the easiest scoring day of the championship; 16 players scored under-par and the field average was 72.39.[18]