Composed Oh Stamps US Women's Open Ticket

Chiba, Japan: For two years in a row, Oh Soo-min has had to settle for runners-up spot in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP). It was not only the disappointment of failing to land the grandest prize in women’s amateur golf in the region that will have grated with the Korean teenager.

By denying Oh and winning the WAAP in 2025 and 2026 respectively, Malaysian Jeneath Wong and Korean Yang Yun-seo received a raft of enticing exemptions into prestigious tournaments around the world, highlighted by starts in three professional Majors – the AIG Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship and The Chevron Championship.

Although she put on a brave face, missing out on those opportunities would have been a bitter pill to swallow for Oh, at number eight, the highest-rated Asia-Pacific player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

However, Oh’s frustrating wait to make her Major championship debut is almost over.

Thanks to prevailing in a sudden-death play-off at the Japan qualifier for the 81st US Women’s Open, Oh has secured herself a place in the starting line-up at California’s Riviera Country Club from June 4-7.

Remaining calm and composed in what was her first-ever play-off, Oh claimed the fourth and final ticket into what will be the second Major of the LPGA Tour’s 2026 season.

Oh and Japanese professional Ayami Ozeki ended the 36-hole qualifier at the Boso Country Club Boso Golf Course (East and West) in Chosei-gun, Chiba Prefecture in a share of fourth place on two-under 214 – six shots behind first-placed Miyu Goto (Japan), five adrift of Wu Chia-yen (Chinese Taipei) and two behind third-placed Sayaka Takahashi (Japan).

That meant extra time was required to determine who would complete the line-up of qualifiers with the honour going to Oh, who made a decisive birdie at the first hole of sudden-death.

Reflecting on her performance in Japan and her prospects for California, Oh said: “I played without expecting too much, just focusing on what I could do. At the US Women's Open, my goal is to advance to the final two rounds. But before that, I want to learn a lot and study various things.”

Oh has enjoyed an impressive run of form during the past 15 months. As well her two runner-up finishes at the WAAP, she has won the Korean Women’s Amateur and Queen Sirikit Cup (individual standings), placed second at the Taiwan Amateur Championship and Ford Women’s NSW Open (professional event), joint second individually at the World Amateur Team Championships for the Espirito Santo Trophy and third at last month’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur.