S-19: Special exemption from the USGA

The World Golf Hall of Famer will make her 17th start in a U.S. Women's Open, thanks to a special exemption from the USGA. Sorenstam, a three-time U.S. Women's Open champion (1995, 1996, 2006) and 10-time major champion, is arguably one of the greatest female players of all-time. She owns 72 LPGA Tour victories, which ranks third all-time. The Swede also made history in 2003 when she teed it up at the PGA Tour's Colonial Invitational to become the first female to play in a PGA Tour event since 1945. In 2021, Sorenstam won the U.S. Senior Women's Open at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Conn., to collect her fourth USGA championship. She also was the runner-up to Vicki Goetze in the 1992 U.S. Amateur. Prior to turning professional, Sorenstam was discovered by University of Arizona coaches at an event in Tokyo, Japan, and later signed with the then-Pacific-10 Conference school, where she won seven titles, including the 1991 NCAA individual crown. She and sister, Charlotta, are one of three sibling tandems to win on the LPGA Tour, joining Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, and Jessica and Nelly Korda. Sorenstam represented Sweden in pair of Women's World Amateur Team Championships (1990, 1992), taking individual honors in the latter. She is an eight-time European Solheim Cup competitor, and captained the side in 2017. Off the course, the Annika Award is given annually to the country's top female collegiate golfer.

U.S. Women's Open Results

YEAR
SITE
SCORES
TO PAR
FINISH
2022
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
74-81
+13
MC
2008
Interlachen Country Club
75-70-72-78--295
+3
T-24
2007
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
70-77-72-73--292
+8
T-32
2006
Newport Country Club
69-71-73-71--284 (Playoff: 70)
E
WIN
2005
Cherry Hills Country Club
71-75-73-77--296
+12
T-23
2004
Orchards Golf Club
71-68-70-67--276
-8
2nd
2003
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Witch Hollow)
72-72-67-73--284
E
4th
2002
Prairie Dunes Country Club
70-69-69-70--278
-2
2nd
2001
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
70-72-73-72--287
+7
T-16
2000
The Merit Club
73-75-73-70--291
+3
T-9
1999
Old Waverly Golf Club
72-74
+2
MC
1998
Blackwolf Run
71-75-79-77--302
+18
T-41
1997
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Witch Hollow)
77-73
+8
MC
1996
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
70-67-69-66--272
-8
WIN
1995
The Broadmoor (East Course)
67-71-72-68--278
-2
WIN
1992
Oakmont Country Club
76-75-80-77--308
+24
T-63