Marina Alex in field at U.S. Women's Open
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (July 6, 2015) – A competitive field is set for the U.S. Women’s Open this week at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, PA. The field will feature the top players in the world, along with one of the Met Area’s most accomplished female golfers in history.
New Jersey’s Wayne native Marina Alex will represent the Met Area this week and hopes to make to build off of her success from last week, where she notched her first top-10 of the season at the Walmart Championships. The two-time SEC Player of the Year earned her way into the field by being exempt after finishing in the top 80 on the money list.
This will be Alex’s second U.S. Women’s Open and her first since 2009, where she went through qualifying at Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station, N.J. At this years first two majors, the former member of North Jersey Country Club finished in a tie for 51st at the ANA Inspiration, and a tie for 53rd at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Her best finish in a major came last year at the RICOH’s British Open, where she finished in a tie for ninth.
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The top contenders in the tournament will be defending champion Michelle Wie, who will attempt to be the first player since Kerrie Webb in 2001 to successfully defend her title. Reigning KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Inbee Park will also be looking to continue her impressive season and win her seventh major title. World No. 2 Lydia Ko hopes to rebound after missing her first cut of her career at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and grab her first major title of her career.
This will be the U.S. Women’s Open third visit to Pennsylvania in the past six years and first ever visit to Lancaster Country Club. In 2007, Lancaster’s course went under renovation by architect Ron Forse. This week, it will play as a par-70, with a total yardage of 6,460. There will be a total of 156 players in the field with the top 60 in ties making it to the final two rounds.
The total purse and winner’s share will remain the same as the previous year, with $4 million as the championships total, the second highest purse all season, with $720,000 going to the winner.
The U.S. Women’s Open has been conducted by the USGA since 1953, and was previously conducted by the WPGA and LPGA from its first year in 1946 to 1952. Out of the five women’s major championships, the U.S. Women’s Open has the most history, being the oldest major championship and one of the first professional women’s golf tournaments in history.
The championship will be aired on FOX Sports 1 during the first two rounds, and FOX during the weekend. This will be FOX’s third major championship it has aired this summer after previously providing coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Seniors Open.
