The U.S. Senior Women’s Open Reunites Friendly Foes

Early in the week, the U.S. Senior Women’s Open has the feel of long-ago friends rekindling lost contact. But when the first round starts Thursday at San Diego Country Club, fast friends become competitive foes and the quest for a USGA championship begins. The giggles fade into focus.

The seventh edition of this championship for women who are at least 50 years old features five of its six champions: Laura Davies (2018), Annika Sorenstam (2021), Jill McGill (2022), Trish Johnson (2023) and Leta Lindley (2024). Missing only is 2019 winner Helen Alfredsson.

Throw in two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Karrie Webb, who is making her Senior Women’s Open debut, and the stage is set for more history to be added at a club that has given the game World Golf Hall of Famers Mickey Wright, Billy Casper and Gene Littler, all members at San Diego C.C.

Also among the missing, along with Alfredsson, is JoAnne Carner, now 86, who shot her age or lower in each of the first six U.S. Senior Women’s Opens. She said simply that she no longer hits the ball long enough to post those kind of scores. 

Lindley is not only the defending champion – and no one has won the U.S. Senior Women’s Open more than once – she also finished second in 2022 to McGill and in 2023 to Johnson. Those near-misses were learning experiences that helped her lift the championship trophy last year.

“That I was so close, and it was possible is what I learned,” she said Tuesday about finishing second twice. “That I could play well in this championship and that I could have success here and one day hold that trophy. To finish second, second, first, I love the idea that I have two silver medals and I'd like to see two gold medals to even it out.” 

Lindley, who grew up 40 miles from here, played a lot of junior golf at San Diego C.C. and also competed here in the 1993 U.S. Women’s Amateur, won by McGill. She knows the course well.

Webb, the last player to win the U.S. Women’s Open in consecutive years, taking the championship in 1999 and 2000, has won 41 titles on the LPGA Tour, including five other majors. Like most players experiencing the Senior Women’s Open for the first time, she loved the collegiality and anticipated the competition.

“Yeah, so far it's been fun catching up with people I haven't seen very often over the last 10 years,” she said. “Getting back into the grind of a tournament, especially a U.S. Open, has its challenges, especially when you haven't been playing competitively a lot. It's a bit of a lottery each day to see where your game is at.”

Webb played one LPGA Tour event recently to get ready for the challenges of competition.

“It did feel good to be back out there competing, feeling a bit of adrenaline,” she said. “I think the longer you're away from the game, you don't realize the stress level that you lived with and so when you get that adrenaline rush now, it's so unusual for your body to handle. It was good to feel that for a couple rounds.”

And what is the state of her game as she chases her first U.S. Senior Women’s Open to go with the two U.S. Women’s Open titles she won?

“It's a box of chocolates,” she said. “You never know what you're going to get. It can be really impressive some days, and some days it looks like I haven't played for a year.”

Always a threat is one of golf’s fiercest competitors, Juli Inkster. Now 65, she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1980, ’81 and ’82 and the U.S. Women’s Open in 1999 and 2002. She’s finished in the top-10 in five of the six U.S. Senior Women’s Opens, including second in 2018 and 2019, T-6 in 2022 and sixth last year.

Inkster also played an LPGA Tour event recently to get her game ready.

“I was nervous teeing off,” she said. “I hadn't played in an LPGA event in a long time, and I'm probably 40 years -- no, 35 years older than a lot of them. But I'm glad I played. I have never been the best ball striker or putter or whatever, but I was always a grinder. It's just hard grinding for 18 holes now. Mentally it's just hard to stay in it because you don't do it [often]. Yeah, stay focused for 72 holes when you don't do it that much.” 

Kaori Yamamoto of Japan who was second, two strokes behind Lindley, at Fox Chapel Golf Club last year, is back. Sorenstam, who’s won the U.S. Women’s Open three times to go with her 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Open championship, is always a threat. She’s never finished out of the top-five in this championship and was fourth last year, T-4 in 2023 and T-5 in 2022. 

This is a week when those who have already made history can add to their legacy. And it is a week others can elevate their place in the game with a coveted USGA championship. 

The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is a truly unique championship that both celebrates history and makes history. On Sunday, someone will hoist the trophy that expands their legacy in the game of golf.