June 29 – July 2, 2006
Newport Country Club, Newport, R.I.

HISTORY – First played in 1946, this is the 61st U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

PAR AND YARDAGE – Newport Country Club is set up at 6,564/6,616 yards and par is 35-36—71. The longest course in U.S. Women’s Open history was at the 2005 championship, when Cherry Hills Country Club played to a length of 6,749 yards.

ARCHITECT – The first nine holes at Newport Country Club were designed by William Davis, the club’s first professional, and opened in 1894. Donald Ross added the second nine holes in 1915. In 1923, A.W. Tillinghast was hired by the club to do extensive renovations, which led to a rerouting of some of Davis and Ross’s holes and the creation of several new holes. Orrin S. Smith was later brought in to make additional, minor revisions.

NEWPORT CC HOLE-BY-HOLE SET UP – 6,564/6,616 yards and par 71

FORMAT – The championship is conducted at stroke play over 72 holes. There are 156 players in the championship field. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the 60 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 60^th place, and anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE – Practice rounds will be played Monday, June 26, through Wednesday, June 28. Championship play will be conducted Thursday, June 29, through Sunday, July 2, with 18 holes of stroke play each day. A tie after 72 holes will result in an 18-hole playoff on Monday, July 3. If the playoff results in a tie, play will immediately continue hole-by-hole until a champion is determined.

WHO CAN ENTER – The Women's Open is open to any professional or amateur female golfers. Amateur golfers must maintain a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4.

ENTRIES – There were 1,097 entries for the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open, the third consecutive year the number of entries for the championship has surpassed 1,000. The record of 1,158 was set in 2005 for the Women’s Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. Entries for the 2006 championship closed May 3.

Entries were received from 46 states (all except Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming). In addition to the USA, entries were received from 37 countries: Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam and Wales.

LOCAL QUALIFYING – Local qualifying, which was conducted for the first time in 2002, was held at 16 sites from May 15-23.

SECTIONAL QUALIFYING – Sectional qualifying will be conducted over 36 holes at nine sites from June 5-13.

THE CHAMPION RECEIVES – In addition to prize money, the champion will receive a gold medal, custody of the Harton S. Semple Cup for the ensuing year, and an exemption from sectional qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Women’s Open Championships.

PURSE – The total purse for the 2006 Championship is $3.1 million and the champion receives $560,000. It is the largest winner’s check and total purse in women’s golf.

WOMEN’S OPEN EARNINGS – Four women have surpassed the $1 million mark in Women’s Open earnings, led by two-time champion Annika Sorenstam with $1,346,012. Three other two-time winners are also on the list: Meg Mallon ($1,276,370), Karrie Webb ($1,236,813) and Juli Inkster ($1,193,593).

2005 CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP – Birdie Kim lived up to her name in winning the 60^th U.S. Women’s Open at the 6,749-yard, par-71 Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

In an epic moment, the 23-year-old Kim, playing in her first Women’s Open, holed out of a bunker on the 72^nd hole to erase a deadlock at the top of the leaderboard.

Kim shot 1-over 72 Sunday, 3-over-par 287 for the championship, and in the process, deflated the hopes of 17-year-old amateur Morgan Pressel, who had been on the 18^th fairway tied with Kim when the ball disappeared in the hole to raucous applause. Needing to match the birdie on a hole that surrendered just four all championship, Pressel’s chip ran 15 feet by the flagstick. She took bogey and tied another amateur, Brittany Lang, for runner-up honors at 5-over 289.

CHAMPIONS OF THE PAST DECADE:

1996 Annika Sorenstam 2001 Karrie Webb
1997 Alison Nicholas 2002 Juli Inkster
1998 Se Ri Pak 2003 Hilary Lunke
1999 Juli Inkster 2004 Meg Mallon
2000 Karrie Webb 2005 Birdie Kim

WELCOME BACK – This will be the fourth USGA championship conducted at Newport Country Club. The first-ever USGA championship, the 1895 U.S. Amateur, was held at Newport Country Club and won by Charles B. McDonald. One day later, Horace Rawlins won the first-ever U.S. Open, also at Newport Country Club.

In 1995, in celebration of 100 years of USGA championships, the U.S. Amateur was again held at Newport Country Club, where Tiger Woods won the second of his three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles.

This will be the first time the Women’s Open will be conducted in Rhode Island.

TELEVISION COVERAGE – All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Date Network Broadcast Hours
June 28 ESPN2 5:30-6 p.m. (Preview Show)
June 29 ESPN2 2-6:00 p.m.
June 30 ESPN2 2-6:00 p.m.
July 1 NBC 3-6:00 p.m.
July 2 ESPN 11 a.m. to conclusion of third round.
July 2 NBC 3 p.m. to conclusion of fourth round.

If needed, an 18-hole playoff would be conducted Monday, July 3, starting at 9 a.m. EDT. ESPN would broadcast the playoff in its entirety.

GROUPINGS AND STARTING TIMES – Groupings and starting times will be distributed to the media on Friday, June 23. They will also be posted on the USGA Internet site at www.usga.org.

PLAYER INTERVIEWS – A complete schedule of pre-Championship interviews for media on Tuesday and Wednesday will be published and distributed prior to championship week.

WWW.USGA.ORG – Log on to the USGA Internet site at www.usga.org/championships/ for the latest U.S. Women’s Open information during the Championship.

JUNIOR ATTRACTIONS – Boys and girls age 17 and under will receive complimentary admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. A variety of activities will be held free of charge during the week.

MULTIPLE WINS – Fourteen players have combined to win 34 of the previous 60 Women’s Opens. Two players have won four Women’s Opens: Betsy Rawls (1951, 1953, 1957, 1960) and Mickey Wright (1958, 1959, 1961, 1964). Three players have won three Women’s Opens: Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1948, 1950, 1954), Susie Maxwell Berning (1968, 1972, 1973), and Hollis Stacy (1977, 1978, 1984). Nine players have won two Women’s Opens each. They are Louise Suggs (1949, 1952), Donna Caponi (1969, 1970), JoAnne Carner (1971, 1976), Betsy King (1989, 1990), Patty Sheehan (1992, 1994), Annika Sorenstam (1995,1996), Juli Inkster (1999, 2002), Karrie Webb (2000, 2001), and Meg Mallon (1991, 2004).

WOMEN'S OPEN PLAYOFFS – There have been nine 18-hole playoffs in the history of the Women's Open. The 1998 playoff was the first to go extra holes. Only one player, JoAnne Carner, has been involved in more than one playoff – she won a playoff against Sandra Palmer in 1976 and lost to Laura Davies in 1987.

USGA CHAMPIONS IN THE FIELD – Twenty-three USGA champions are currently in the Women's Open field. They are:

Beth Bauer - 1997 Girls' Junior
Brandie Burton - 1989 Girls' Junior
Laura Davies – 1987 Women’s Open
Julieta Granada - 2004 Girls' Junior
Pat Hurst – 1986 Girls’ Junior; 1990 Women’s Amateur
Juli Inkster – 1980-82 Women’s Amateurs; 1999 and 2002 Women’s Opens
Birdie Kim – 2005 Women’s Open
Candie Kung – 2001 Women’s Amateur Public Links
Hilary Lunke – 2003 Women’s Open
Meg Mallon – 1991, 2004 Women’s Opens
Jill McGill – 1993 Women’s Amateur; 1994 Women’s Amateur Public Links
Liselotte Neumann – 1988 Women’s Open
Virada Nirapathpongporn - 2003 Women's Amateur
Se Ri Pak – 1998 Women’s Open
Grace Park – 1998 Women’s Amateur
Jane Park – 2004 Women’s Amateur
Nicole Perrot – 2001 Girls’ Junior
Morgan Pressel – 2005 Women’s Amateur
Aree Song - 1999 Girls' Junior
Annika Sorenstam – 1995, 1996 Women’s Opens
Wendy Ward – 1994 Women’s Amateur
Karrie Webb – 2000, 2001 Women’s Opens
Michelle Wie - 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links

DIRECTIONS TO MEDIA PARKING AT HAMMERSMITH FARM –

From the Courtyard Marriott Middletown: Turn left onto Northgate Rd. to Route 114 (West Main Road). Make a right onto Route 114 and make a left on Valley Road/Route 214 (approx. ˝ mile). Take Valley Road until you get to Memorial Boulevard by the beach (approx. three miles). At the fork veer right on Memorial Boulevard, go past First Beach and up the hill to Bellevue Avenue. Make a left on Bellevue Avenue and make a right on Ruggles Avenue to Harrison Avenue. Ruggles Avenue changes names several times, so be sure to follow the signs to Lot A. Make a left on Harrison Avenue. Go approximately ˝ mile and the entrance to Hammersmith Farm will be on your right.

From the Newport Marriott: Turn right onto America’s Cup Avenue and follow to Memorial Boulevard (approximately 1 mile). Turn left onto Memorial Blvd., make a right on Bellevue Avenue and make another right on Ruggles Avenue to Harrison Avenue. Ruggles Avenue changes names several times, so be sure to follow the signs to Lot A. Make a left on Harrison Avenue. Go approximately ˝ mile and the entrance to Hammersmith Farm will be on your right.

MEDIA CENTER PHONE NUMBERS – Leading up to the championship, media relations staff can be reached at (908) 234-2300. Contact USGA media relations staff members at Newport Country Club during the U.S. Women’s Open by phone at (401) 619-2980 or via fax at (401) 619-2985. Staff members on site will be Beth Murrison, Craig Smith, Rhonda Glenn, Marty Parkes and Suzanne Colson.

FUTURE WOMEN'S OPENS –The 2007 Women’s Open will be contested at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C., from June 28 to July 1. Interlachen Golf Club in Edina, Minn., will host the 2008 Women’s Open, from June 26-29, and the 2009 championship will be held at Saucon Valley Country Club from July 9-12. The 2010 Women’s Open will be conducted at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club from July 8-11.

EXEMPT PLAYERS – There are 71 players currently fully exempted into the Women’s Open. The remainder of the players in the field will earn their spots via qualifying. The total field is 156 players.

PLAYERS FULLY EXEMPT (71) FOR THE 2006 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

(as of May 30, 2006)

Helen Alfredsson 8
Shi Hyun Ahn 7, 8
Kyeong Bae 8 Marisa Baena 7, 9
Tina Barrett 6
Brandie Burton 8
Heather Bowie Young 6, 7, 8, 9
Paula Creamer 6, 7, 8, 9
Laura Davies 7
Laura Diaz 7, 8
Yuri Fudoh 11
Julieta Granada 8
Natalie Gulbis 6, 7, 8
Sophie Gustafson 7
Hee-Won Han 7, 8, 9
Rachel Hetherington 7
Maria Hjorth 10
Jamie Hullett 6
Pat Hurst 7, 8, 9
Karine Icher 6, 7
Juli Inkster 1, 7, 8, 9
Jeong Jang 4, 7, 8, 9
Young Jo 6
Rosie Jones 6, 7
Lorie Kane 6, 7
Jimin Kang 7
Soo-Yun Kang 6, 7, 9
Cristie Kerr 6, 7, 8, 9
Birdie Kim 1, 6, 7
Christina Kim 7, 8
Mi Hyun Kim 7, 8
Young Kim 7
Carin Koch 7
Candie Kung 6, 7
Brittany Lang 6, 8
Jee Young Lee 8, 9
Sarah Lee 8
Seon Hwa Lee 8
Brittany Lincicome 8
Hilary Lunke 1
*Paige Mackenzie 6
Meg Mallon 1, 6
*Maru Martinez 2
Catriona Matthew 7
Jill McGill 7
Patricia Meunier-Lebouc 5
Ai Miyazato 8, 11
Liselotte Neumann 6, 7
Virada Nirapathpongporn 8
Lorena Ochoa 6, 7, 8, 9
Se Ri Pak 1, 3, 4
Gloria Park 7
Grace Park 5, 7
*Jane Park 2
Nicole Perrot 7, 9
Suzann Pettersen 8
Stacy Prammanasudh 7, 8
Morgan Pressel 6, 8
Michele Redman 7, 8
Kelly Robbins 12
Jennifer Rosales 7
Aree Song 8
Annika Sorenstam 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Angela Stanford 6
Karen Stupples 4, 6
Iben Tinning 10
Wendy Ward 7
Karrie Webb 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9
Michelle Wie 12
Sung Ah Yim 8, 9
Veronica Zorzi 10

* = amateur

Key to Player Exemptions –

1. Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open for the last 10 years (1996-2005)
2. Winners of the U.S. Women’s Amateur for the last two years (2004-2005) and runner-up for the most recent year (2005)
3. Winners of the LPGA Championship for the last five years (2002-2006)
4. Winners of the Women’s British Open Championship for the last five years (2001-2005)
5. Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship the last five years (2002-2006)
6. From the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20^th place
7. From the 2005 final official LPGA money list, the top 40 money leaders
8. From the 2006 official LPGA money list, the top 35 money leaders through May 29
9. Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, from the conclusion of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open Championship to the initiation of the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open Championship
10. Top three players from the 2005 Ladies European Tour Final Exemption Money List
11. Two leading money winners from the 2005 Japan LPGA Tour
12. Special exemptions selected by the USGA