Kajitani Granted US Women's Open Exemption

Liberty Corner, New Jersey, United States: Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion Tsubasa Kajitani will further her golfing education when she lines up in June’s 76th US Women’s Open Championship.

Eight days before Hideki Matsuyama’s historic Masters Tournament victory, 17-year-old Kajitani had the distinction of becoming the first Japanese to savour success at Augusta National.

Defying the odds and surprising even herself, the former Japan Junior Championship winner defeated American Emilia Migliaccio on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Thanks to her Augusta success, Kajitani has been granted an exemption alongside 11 US Open champions and 19 of the top 20 players in the world for the United States Golf Association-conducted US Women’s Open Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco from June 3-6.

Despite her tender years, Kajitani has indicated an intention to turn pro this year, meaning she won’t be defending her title at Augusta in 2022 and has only a few more events in which she’ll compete as an amateur.

Although she’s not yet be a household name, Gareth Jones, the Japan Golf Association’s Head Coach who’s been working with Kajitani for the past three years, believes it won’t be long before she is.

“She’s a quiet and determined girl, and has a drive that is quite unique. She’s taking English lessons and when she gains some confidence in her language skills she’ll probably start to push towards an international career,” said Australian Jones, citing Kajitani’s main qualities as her ball-striking and mental determination.

As a 15-year-old, Kajitani finished joint 17th in the second edition of the Women’s Asia-Pacific Amateur in her home country in early 2019. That year, she was runner-up at the Australian Women’s Amateur Championship and tied for ninth in the Japan Women’s Open.

Her good form continued last year when she was runner-up at the Avondale Amateur in Australia and appeared in three Japan LPGA Tour events.

This marks the seventh consecutive time the US Women’s Open has received more than 1,500 entries, with the USGA accepting 1,595 entries for this year’s championship, the most since 2017.

The 2015 championship at Lancaster Country Club holds the entry record with 1,873. The USGA accepted entries from golfers in 47 States and a total of 57 countries.

To be eligible for the US Women’s Open, a player must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4, or be a professional. Qualifying will be conducted over 36 holes between April 26-May 13 and will be held at 22 sites in the United States, as well as in Japan.

Qualifiers typically held in England, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Exemption categories were added in their place.

The championship’s youngest entrant is 10-year-old Bella Campos, from Honolulu. She’ll compete at the qualifying site in Oahu, Hawaii on May 10.

Laura Baugh, 65, of Ponte Vedra Beach, the 1971 US Women’s Amateur champion, is the championship’s oldest entrant. She will attempt to qualify in Bradenton, on May 3.

Two-time US Women’s Open champion and three-time US Women’s Amateur champion Juli Inkster, 60, will attempt to qualify in Half Moon Bay, on April 26. Inkster has the most appearances (35) in US Women’s Open history.

Claire Chen, a 15-year-old amateur from Fremont, California, was the first to apply when entries opened on February 17. The final entry came from Ali Green, a 26-year-old amateur from Ohio, who filed four minutes before the 5 pm deadline on April 14.