All you need to know ahead of the US Women’s Open, with the second major of the year live on Sky Sports from Thursday.
What is the US Women’s Open?
The US Women’s Open is one of the biggest events in the women’s sporting calendar and the second of five women’s golf majors, following on from the Chevron Championship.
It is played in the United States annually across a variety of venues, with the event then followed by the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship on the women’s major schedule.
Saso also won the US Women’s Open in 2021
Where is it taking place?
This year’s US Women’s Open will be held at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, with the course set up as a par-72 and measuring up at 6,835 yards.
The course previously hosted the 2017 US Open, won by Brooks Koepka, while was also the venue for the 2011 US Amateur.
Who gets to play in it?
The championship is open to any female professional golfer or female amateur with a Handicap Index® of 2.4 or better, with 1,904 entries accepted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) for its 80th edition.
A series of 36-hole qualifying events were played throughout April and May to finalise the field, with 23 sites used in the United States plus one each in Canada, Japan and Italy.
How strong is the field?
Eight former champions and 24 of the top 25 players in the world are scheduled to tee it up with world No 1 Nelly Korda competing in her 11th US Women’s Open and headlining the field.
Jeeno Thitikul – last year’s CME Group Tour Championship winner – will look to build on a strong start to the season, while AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko and England’s Charley Hull are among the other notable names in action.
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Charley Hull talks about her determination to get over the line and land a first major in 2025
What is the format?
The starting field of 156 golfers play two rounds of golf on Thursday May 29 and Friday May 30, with the top 60 and ties making the cut and progressing through to the weekend.
The leading scorer after 72 holes will win the trophy, while a two-hole aggregate play-off will take place if scores are tied after the final round.
Minjee Lee won the 2022 US Women’s Open
How much prize money is available?
The USGA has yet to announce the prize purse or the winner’s share for the 2025 contest, having had a record-breaking amount on offer last year.
The $12m prize fund in 2024 was the largest in all of women’s golf, while the $2.4m to the winner was the biggest cheque outside of the CME Group Tour Championship.
What else does the winner get?
The US Women’s Open champion gets a 10-year exemption to this event along with a five-year exemption to the other four women’s majors, starting with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship later that month.
The majors have 30 per cent more value than regular LPGA Tour events in their season-long standings, with the winner receiving 650 Race to the CME Globe points.
Nelly Korda will be chasing a third major title this week in Wisconsin
Who is defending champion?
Yuka Saso became the first player in USGA history to win the US Women’s Open for two different countries, following her three-shot victory over Hinako Shibuno in last year’s contest.
Saso represented the Philippines – the country of her mother – when she claimed her first title in 2021 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, before switching allegiances to Japan – the country of her father – ahead of her 2024 victory at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.
Could we see a European winner at Erin Hills?
There has not been a European winner of the US Women’s Open since 2006, when Annika Sorenstam defeated Pat Hurst in a play-off to win the event for a third time, while Dame Laura Davies (1987) and Alison Nicholas (1997) are the only English winners in the tournament’s history.
Hull finished runner-up to Allisen Corpuz and will be among those challenging for a maiden major title, with Solheim Cup players Celine Boutier and Esther Henseleit are part of the European contingent looking to impress.
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Highlights from round four of the 2023 US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, where Charley Hull was in contention
How can I watch live on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports has extended coverage from the US Women’s Open, with the live action getting under way at 5pm on Thursday on Sky Sports Mix and 11pm on Sky Sports Golf.
The same timings apply for the second round, before Saturday’s action is live from 6pm on Sky Sports Mix. Coverage of Sunday’s final round begins at 7pm on the same channel.
Daily one-hour highlights will be available on Sky Sports Golf.
Watch the US Women’s Open live on Sky Sports from 5pm on Thursday. Get Sky Sports or stream no contract on NOW.
