Eleven past champions and all of the top 25 players in the world are among the 1,897 entries accepted by the USGA for the 81st U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally, to be held for the first time at The Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif., from June 4-7.
The entry total ties for third all-time, matching the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club. It trails only the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (2,107) and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills (1,904), in Erin, Wis. This marks the fifth consecutive year that more than 1,800 players have filed entries. The USGA accepted entries from golfers in 48 states and 65 countries.
“The USGA is excited to host a U.S. Women’s Open for the first time at Riviera, a historic site that prides itself on the experience and test it provides to its players,” said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer. “We continue to strongly believe that it matters where a player wins her Open and hoisting the Harton S. Semple Trophy at a storied course such as Riviera will be a defining career moment for this year’s champion.”
Maja Stark, of Sweden, won the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills, posting a 72-hole score of 7-under-par 281 to finish two strokes ahead of Nelly Korda and Rio Takeda. Stark became the third player from Sweden to hoist the Harton S. Semple Trophy and is one of eleven previous champions exempt from qualifying, joined by Brittany Lang (2016), Sung Hyun Park (2017), Ariya Jutanugarn (2018), Jeongeun Lee6 (2019), A Lim Kim (2020), Yuka Saso (2021, 2024), Minjee Lee (2022) and Allisen Corpuz (2023). Two other past champions, In Gee Chun (2015) and Michelle Wie West (2014), are also exempt via other categories.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, of Thailand, who won back-to-back CME Group Tour Championship titles in 2024 and 2025, is among 92 exempt players currently in the field and will compete in her fifth U.S. Women’s Open. Korda, a Bradenton, Fla., resident ranked second in the Rolex Women’s Rankings, is looking to capture her first U.S. Women’s Open title after finishing runner-up at Erin Hills – her best result in 11 appearances. World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim, of the Republic of Korea, is coming off consecutive LPGA Tour victories at the Fortinet Founders Cup and Ford Championship, edging Korda in both events. Kim owns four top-20 finishes in the U.S. Women’s Open and will be making her 12th appearance in the championship.
To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index® not exceeding 2.4or be a professional. Qualifying, which will be contested over 36 holes at 23 sites across the United States, plus one each in Canada, Japan and England, will take place between April 20-May 13.
The championship’s youngest entrant is Cheetah Baez, a 9-year-old amateur from San Antonio, Fla., who is also a finalist in this year’s Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta National Golf Club. The oldest entrant is 62-year-old Gail Graham, of Canada, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.
Madelyn Sammon, a 17-year-old from Murrietta, Calif., was the first player to enter. Grace Engel, 21, of Huntsville, Ala., submitted her entry less than 20 seconds before the 5 p.m. EDT deadline on April 1.
The number of fully exempt players is expected to increase between now and the championship, with several exemption categories yet to be determined. The winner of any individual LPGA co-sponsored event prior to the start of the U.S. Women’s Open will earn an exemption. Additionally, any player who is among the top 75 points leaders and anyone tying for 75th from the Rolex World Rankings as of May 25, who was not previously exempt, will be added to the championship field. The winners of the 2026 Chevron Championship, 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship and 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Individual Championship will also earn exemptions, the latter two categories stipulating that the player must remain an amateur.
The Riviera Country Club is hosting its fourth USGA championship and first since Doc Redman’s 37-hole victory over Doug Ghim in the 2017 U.S. Amateur. This will be the sixth U.S. Women’s Open hosted in the state of California. Riviera will also be the host site for the 2028 Olympic Games and the 2031 U.S. Open.
Click here to see the full list of the 92 players exempt into the 81st U.S. Women’s Open.
