October 6, 2017
2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Winner at Poppy Hills Gets Ticket to U.S. Women’s Open
The winner of next year’s U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Poppy Hills Golf Course will receive a bonus ticket to the U.S. Women’s Open.
On Thursday, the USGA announced that the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open will increase the number of exemption categories from qualifying, effective with the 2018 championships. The U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur champions from the previous year will be exempt from local and sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open. The U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champions from the previous year will be exempt from U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifying.
The 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior will tee off July 16-21.
“Amateur golf is central to the USGA’s mission,” said Stuart Francis, USGA Championship Committee chairman. “Adding these exemptions to both Open championships affirms our commitment while supporting and celebrating amateur golf. The openness of both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open is very important to the USGA, and we feel these exemptions are befitting of national champions.”
The first two players to earn exemptions are Erica Shepherd, of Greenwood, Ind., the 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion, and Noah Goodwin, of Corinth, Texas, the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur champion. Both earned their victories in July, and they will be joined on Oct. 12 by the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and on Nov. 16 by the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion. Shepherd is expected to defend her title at Poppy Hills.
The 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior will mark the first USGA event to be held at Poppy Hills.
–NCGA Staff
