Asia-Pacific Septet Aim to Rise to Riviera Challenge

Pacific Palisades, California, United States: The 2026 US Women’s Open marks the first time that the historic Riviera Country Club has conducted a Major women’s championship.

To be staged from June 4-7, the 156-strong starting line-up includes all of the world’s leading female professionals along with no fewer than 25 aspiring amateurs.

Among their number are seven from the Asia-Pacific region, all of whom will be aiming to enhance their reputations and press their claims for a coveted place in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Patsy Hankins Trophy team that will take on their European counterparts in the Solheim Cup-style team match play event in the United Arab Emirates in January.

Special attention will be focused on Chinese Taipei’s Lin Jie-en and Thai Anita Lumpongpoung. At the age of 15, they are the two youngest players in the field.

Joining them on one of the biggest stages in women’s golf are Australian Sarah Hammett, Thai Thanana Kotchasanmanee, Korean Oh Soo-min, Hong Kong’s Wu Sui-ue and Canada-based Korean Amy Lee Seung-hyun.

Following are bios of the seven players with their standing in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) in brackets.

Sarah Hammett (WAGR 258): The University of Southern California (USC) freshman will make her US Women’s Open debut after earning medallist honours at Arizona Country Club, in Phoenix, on April 27. Hammett, who is from the Gold Coast, carded rounds of 67-71 to edge Kaleiya Romero by one stroke. Hammett was runner-up in the 2025 Australian Women’s Amateur and tied for fourth in the 2025 Australian Masters of the Amateurs. She also qualified for match play in the 2025 US Girls’ Junior at the Atlanta Athletic Club and 2024 championship at El Caballero Country Club, and represented Australia in a friendly two-day match against the US National Junior Team at SentryWorld in 2024. In her first season at USC, the 19-year-old posted a pair of top-10 finishes. In 2025, she competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, where she tied for ninth.

Amy Lee Seung-hyun (WAGR 663): Lee, who was born in Korea but now resides in British Columbia, Canada, will make her US Women’s Open debut after garnering the one available spot at The Vancouver Golf Club, in Coquitlan, Canada. The 2026 University of Texas signee posted a one-over-par total of 145 in the 36-hole qualifier. Lee competed in the 2025 US Girls’ Junior, but did not qualify for match play. Aged 18, she won the 2024 and 2025 British Columbia Amateur titles, and recently claimed the 2026 American Junior Golf Association Junior at Rayburn Resort. She also was a semi-finalist in the 2025 Pacific Northwest Junior Girls’ Amateur and won the 2024 British Columbia Junior. 

Lin Jie-en (WAGR 163): The Chinese Taipei teenager qualified for her first US Women’s Open by taking the one available spot at Honolulu (Hawaii) Country Club on May 8, posting six-under-par 138. At 15 years, eight months and 27 days, Lin is the youngest player in the field at Riviera. This is nothing new as she was the youngest player in the 2024 and 2025 US Women’s Amateurs as well. She also qualified for the 2024 US Girls’ Junior. She currently is the youngest member of the Chinese Taipei National Team. She owns six top-10 finishes in 2026, including a victory in the National Spring Tournament in her home country. She tied for seventh in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in New Zealand in February and finished fifth individually in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Indonesia a fortnight ago. She claimed four titles in 2025, all coming in Chinese Taipei. She represented Chinese Taipei in the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada, tying for ninth individually. She also was runner-up in the 2025 North & South Junior Girls Championship at Pinehurst, and advanced to the semi-finals of the North & South Women's Amateur, losing to Australian Jazy Roberts.

Anita Lumpongpoung (WAGR 899): The Thai was the second 15-year-old to qualify for the 2026 US Women’s Open. Anita is two months older than Chinese Taipei’s Lin Jie-en. She posted even-par 144 (72-72) at Richmond (California) Country Club to garner the second and last qualifying spot. In 2025, she captured the AJGA Junior at Copper Valley and the Mizuno West Coast Classic. She advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2025 US Girls’ Junior before losing to eventual semi-finalist and 2025 US Women's Open qualifier Rayee Feng.

Oh Soo-min (WAGR 9): The talented 17-year-old will make her US Women’s Open debut after surviving a two-for-one play-off at the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, qualifier at Boso Country Club (East/West Courses). Oh shot a pair of 71s and then edged Japanese professional Amiyu Ozeki for the final available spot. Oh is coming off a solo third finish in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, where she carded a bogey-free, four-under 68 in the final round. She also has three recent runner-up finishes, including the Taiwan Women’s Amateur and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific. In 2025, she won the Korean Women’s Amateur-KangMinKoo Cup, the Queen Sirikit Cup individual title and the Neighbors Trophy Team Championship. In 2024, she won the individual title at the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada. She also competed in the 2025 US Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes, but failed to qualify for match play.

Thanana Kotchasanmanee (WAGR 97): The 19-year-old Thai native will make her US Women’s Open debut after earning medallist honours at Springfield Golf & Country Club on May 6. She posted a 36-hole total of five-under-par 137. The Princeton University freshman became the first female golfer in the Ivy League to win conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. She captured the Ivy League title and qualified for NCAA regionals as an individual. Thanana, who tied for 12th in the NCAA Championships, also won the Princeton Invitational and tied for fifth in the Boilermaker Classic. She advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2024 and 2025 US Girls’ Juniors, and won the 2024 Ladies National Golf Association Amateur. While she was born in Thailand, Thanana attended the Darlington School in the Atlanta area. She also qualified for match play in the 2023 US Women’s Amateur.

Wu Sui-ue (WAGR 122): The 19-year-old from Hong Kong, China, who attended Windemere Prep in Orlando, Florida, will make her US Women’s Open debut after posting three-under-par 141 and then surviving a three-for-one play-off for the final spot at Sugar Mill Country Club, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida on April 27. A sophomore at the University of Florida, Wu edged out professional Polly Mack and University of Texas All-American/2026 USA Curtis Cupper Farah O’Keefe in the play-off. Wu won the 2025 Florida Women’s Amateur and the 2026 Orlando City Amateur. She also qualified for match play in the 2025 US Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes. She competed in the 2023 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball as well as the 2022 and 2023 US Girls’ Junior. In 2023, she won the Orlando Junior title. Wu is a three-time American Junior Golf Association champion. This past season at Florida, she was runner-up in the Gators Invitational, finished solo third in the Sea Best Intercollegiate and tied sixth in the Therese Hession Regional Challenge. This past December, she tied for sixth in the Dixie Amateur.