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U.S. Women's Open Golf Tournament

By Brent Kelley, About.com

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The trophy awarded to the winner of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament.

Gary Newkirk / Getty Images

About the U.S. Women's Open:

The U.S. Women's Open, conducted by the United States Golf Association, has been held every year since 1946. The first tournament was played at match play, but in every other year the format has been stroke play.

2009 Tournament
Eun-Hee Ji rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Candie Kung by a stroke and claim her second career LPGA victory.

Final Leaders
Eun-Hee Ji, 284
Candie Kung, 285
In-Kyung Kim, 286
Cristie Kerr, 286
Brittany Lincicome, 287
Paula Creamer, 288
Ai Miyazato, 288
Suzann Pettersen, 288
Na Yeon Choi, 289
Kyeong Bae, 289
Hee Young Park, 289
Full Scoreboard

Ji a whiz to win 2009 U.S. Women's Open

2008 Recap
Inbee Park was the only of the third-round leaders to go under par in the final round, shooting 2-under to win by four strokes over Helen Alfredsson.
Photos: The Final Round
Photos: Annika's eagle

Official Web site

U.S. Women's Open Records:

Low round: 63 — Helen Alfredsson, first round, 1994
Low total: 272 - Annika Sorenstam, 1996; Juli Inkster, 1999

More U.S. Women's Open Records

U.S. Women's Open Golf Courses:

Recent Sites

2008 - Interlachen Country Club, Edina, Minn.
2007 - Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Southern Pines, N.C.
2006 - Newport Country Club, Newport, R.I.
2005 - Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Full List of U.S. Women's Open Golf Courses

Future Sites

2010 - Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.
2011 - The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2012 - Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wisc.
2013 - Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.
2014 - Pinehurst No. 2, Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

U.S. Women's Open Trivia and Notes:

The U.S. Women's Open is the only USGA championship that was started by another organization. The Women's Professional Golf Association, a precursor to the LPGA, founded the Women's Open in 1946. The USGA took over the tournament in 1953.

The purse for the first Women's Open totaled $19,700. According to the USGA, that sum was raised by the Spokane (Wash.) Athletic Round Table through that organization's slot machine proceeds.

Patty Berg defeated Betty Jameson, 5-and-4, in the 36-hole championship match of the first U.S. Women's Open in 1946, which is also the only time match play has been the format.

Betsy Rawls was the first four-time winner of the U.S. Women's Open, and Mickey Wright the only other four-time winner.

The U.S. Women's Open was first televised in 1965, when only the final round was shown.

Nancy Lopez finished second as an amateur in 1975, but never won this tournament.

Fourteen golfers have won the U.S. Women's Open to record their first recognized LPGA Tour victory. Those include Donna Caponi (1969), Laura Davies (1987) and Annika Sorenstam (1995).

In 2007, Alexis Thompson became the youngest golfer to make it through qualifying and into the U.S. Women's Open, at 12 years, 4 months. But the youngest player in the field was Beverly Klass, who was just 10 1/2 years old when she played in 1967 (there was no qualifying at that time).

U.S. Women's Open - Past Champions:

2009 - Eun-Hee Ji
2008 - Inbee Park
2007 - Cristie Kerr
2006 - Annika Sorenstam
2005 - Birdie Kim
2004 - Meg Mallon
Full List of U.S. Women's Open Winners

Other Women's Major Championships