Tag: Chambers Bay

USGA announces Chambers Bay will host 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur, 2033 U.S. Amateur

“The property remains a favorite for players and fans alike.”

Chambers Bay has proved its ability to test the best professional and amateur players in the world, so much so that the U.S. Golf Association has announced it will return to the municipal course on the Puget Sound near Seattle twice over the next 10 years.

The USGA will hold the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2033 U.S. Amateur championships in University Place, Washington, the fifth and sixth USGA championships to be contested on the design by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Bruce Charlton and Jay Blasi (a Golfweek’s Best rater ambassador and contributor to Golfweek.com). A stroke-play companion course for both championships will be named later.

Chambers Bay previously hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur (Peter Uihlein) and 2015 U.S. Open (Jordan Spieth), as well as last summer’s 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur (Saki Baba) and 2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (Kiko Francisco Coelho/Leopoldo Herrera III).

The layout ranks No. 52 on Golfweek’s Best list of modern courses in the U.S. and is No. 2 in Washington on Golfweek’s Best list of top public-access courses in each state.

Future sites: U.S. Amateur bound for Bandon, Hazeltine, more

“There have been several memorable moments for us already in Chambers Bay’s short history, and the property remains a favorite for players and fans alike,” said Mark Hill, USGA managing director of championships. “We’re grateful for our continued partnership with Pierce County and look forward to bringing these two premier championships to such a special property.”

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Golfweek’s Best 2022: Top public and private courses in Washington

From the coast to Washington’s mountains, the state offers some of the best golf courses in the U.S.

Washington, from the state’s inner mountains to its coast, offers some of the best golf courses in the country.

Golfweek’s Best offers many lists of course rankings, with that of top public-access courses in each state among the most popular. All the courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time.

Also popular are the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top private courses in each state, and that list for Washington’s private offerings is likewise included below.

MORE: Best Modern | Best Classic | Top 200 Resort | Top 200 Residential | Top 100 Best You Can Play

(m): Modern course, built in or after 1960
(c): Classic course, built before 1960

Note: If there is a number in the parenthesis with the m or c, that indicates where that course ranks among Golfweek’s Best top 200 modern or classic courses. 

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Japan’s Saki Baba routs Canada’s Monet Chun in final at Chambers Bay

What a weekend for Japan’s Saki Baba at the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur.

What a weekend for Japan’s Saki Baba at the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur.

On Saturday, Baba, 17, routed fellow 17-year-old Bailey Shoemaker of Dade City, Florida, 7 and 6, in Saturday’s semifinal at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. It was the largest margin of victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Am since Annika Sorenstam won by that same score in 1992.

In Sunday’s final, Baba won going away once again, this time earning an 11-and-9 win over Monet Chun, 21, of Canada, to win her first USGA title. Baba is the second golfer from Japan to win the Robert Cox Trophy. Baba was 7 up through 14 holes and held that same lead after the 18 holes of the 36-hole final. The U.S. Golf Association reports it was the biggest lead after 18 holes in 60 years.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Scoring | Photo gallery

After a lengthy break, the pair only played nine more holes. Chun cut the lead to 5 up through 21 holes, but Baba then won the next six holes to end the match after 27 holes.

“It’s just amazing. I just can’t believe it,” said an emotional Baba through a translator. “I was able to [play] my kind of golf. Yeah, everything just went smoothly.”

It’s the largest margin of victory in a U.S. Women’s Amateur final since Anne Sander in 1961.

By virtue of reaching the final, Baba and Chun are each exempt into the 78th U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in July 2023.

Golfers from eight countries (U.S., Australia, Canada, China, England, Ireland, Japan, Korea) have now won USGA titles in 2022.

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U.S. Women’s Amateur: Saki Baba, Monet Chun advance to championship final at Chambers Bay

The winner will become the 15th first-time winner of the U.S. Women’s Amateur all-time.

The week started with 156 of the world’s best women’s amateur golfers vying for the Robert Cox Trophy at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. Now, that number is down to two.

Saki Baba of Japan and Monet Chun of Canada will face off Sunday in a 36-hole final to determine the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur champion.

Baba won in dominant fashion, knocking off Bailey Shoemaker from the United States 7 and 6. She recorded five birdies in 12 holes to only one bogey. Baba won five of the first seven holes, and a birdie after driving the short par-4 12th sealed the victory.

Baba’s win is the largest margin of victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur since Annika Sorenstam won by that same number in 1992. Baba is the second player from Japan to reach the final all-time, joining Michiko Hattori in 1985.

In the other semifinal, Chun won the first hole and played solid golf all day to hold on to beat Ireland’s Annabel Wilson 2 and 1. Wilson won the second hole, but Chun took the lead for good with a birdie on the par-4 5th hole.

Wilson birdied the par-4 10th to get to 1 down, but Chun won the par-5 13th. The duo halved their next four holes, and Chun was victorious.

Chun would be the third Canadian to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur, joining Cathy Sherk, who won it at Sunnybrook Golf Club in 1978, and Marlene Stewart Streit, who won it in 1956 at Meridian Hills Country Club. Brooke Henderson, who won the Amundi Evian Championship last month, was the last Canadian to make the final in 2014.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Scoring | Photo gallery

Sunday’s winner clinches a spot in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California.

Chambers Bay opened in 2007 and previously hosted three U.S. Golf Association championships, including the 2015 U.S. Open.

Semifinal results

  • 53 Monet Chun, Canada def. 33 Annabel Wilson, Ireland, 3 and 1
  • 34 Saki Baba, Japan, def. 54 Bailey Shoemaker, Dade City, Florida, 7 and 6

Championship match

Monet Chun vs. Saki Baba, 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. local time)

How to watch

Sunday, Aug. 14, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Corrections & Clarifications: ​This article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of Cathy Sherk’s name and the correct year (1978) that she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

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Meet the team that made the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay possible

Here is a look at the team who has been working for multiple years to stage this year’s U.S. Women’s Am. 

When viewers tune into NBC/Golf Channel in August to watch the 122nd playing of the US Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay, they will see a telecast that reminds them of other USGA events, like the U.S. Open. While the telecast for the two events may be similar, the operations for the events are very different. 

The U.S. Open will see 30,000+ fans per day. The merchandise tent is over an acre in size. There are dozens of tents and multiple food outlets. Spectators arrive via shuttle busses after parking off-site. The maintenance team is supplemented by dozens if not hundreds of outside superintendents who volunteer. 

All told there are hundreds of USGA and partner officials working on site. Working closely with them are the members of the staff at the host venue. During the week of the U.S. Open, the director of golf may be in charge of the driving range, or the food and beverage director may manage a local hospitality tent. 

At the U.S. Women’s Am this year, the team at Chambers Bay will be taking on an expanded role. There will be no tickets, just show up and enjoy the golf. There is no merchandise tent, just gear in the golf shop. The food options for fans will be the same as those for golfers, dine at the clubhouse or grab some drinks or easy food at two spots on the course.  

While the structures may not be as big, the effort from the team that stages the event is every bit as impressive. 

Here is a look at the team who has been working for multiple years to stage this year’s US Women’s Am. 

U.S. Women’s Amateur is down to the final four: Meet the 2022 semifinalists at Chambers Bay

The 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur is at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

The 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur started with 1,497 entries. A total of 156 golfers made the field at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, outside Seattle.

After the fifth day of competition Friday in the 122nd rendition of the championship, there are four golfers left.

The semifinals are now set for Saturday. There will be a 36-hole final Sunday, with the winner clinching a spot in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be played at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Scoring | Photo gallery

Chambers Bay opened in 2007 and previously hosted three U.S. Golf Association championships, including the 2015 U.S. Open.

Quarterfinal results

The quarterfinals featured five girls from the United States and one each from Canada, Ireland and Japan. Of the eight, only one was a top-10 seed.

  • 33 Annabel Wilson, Ireland, def. 8 Catherine Rao, Camarillo, California, 3 and 1.
  • 53 Monet Chun, Canada, 19 holes over 45 Brianna Navarrosa, San Diego.
  • 34 Saki Baba, Japan, def. 39 Lauren Lehigh, Loveland, Colorado, 4 and 3.
  • 54 Bailey Shoemaker, Dade City, Florida, def. 30 Leigh Chien, Irvine, California, 5 and 3.

The 33, 34, 53 and 54 seeded players will make up the semifinals.

Semifinal matches

  • Annabel Wilson vs. Monet Chun, 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local time)
  • Saki Baba vs. Bailey Shoemaker, 2:15 p.m. ET (11:15 a.m. local time)

How to watch

Saturday, Aug. 13, 3-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Sunday, Aug. 14, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Get to know the four semifinalists:

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Brianna Navarrosa’s long day at Chambers Bay carries her into quarterfinals

The USC star had a monumental day in securing a spot in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Making a long day even longer, Thursday at the U.S. Women’s Amateur endured a weather delay, but when the fog finally cleared the final eight players emerged at Chambers Bay from the tournament’s only double-session day.

And although 21-year-old Brianna Navarrosa had to be tired when she was finally done, the USC standout had a monumental day in securing a spot in Friday’s quarterfinals in University Place, Washington.

In the early wave of play, the San Diego product topped Stanford’s NCAA champion Rachel Heck, then she came out of an intense battle against fourth-seeded Kelsey Bennett from Australia.

The match between Navarrosa and Bennett saw 11 lead changes with neither player having more than a 1-up advantage. Bennett buried a big putt on the 17th hole to extend the match and then dropped an 8-foot birdie putt on 18 to send the match to extra holes.

Navarrosa prevailed, however, when Bennett made bogey on the third extra hole and she managed par.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Navarrosa. “I play again tomorrow [Friday]. I haven’t made it this far, and I think my game is the best where it’s been in a very long time, so I’m very happy with that.”

Competitors walk down the fairway on the first hole as fog shrouds some of the golf course during the round of 32 at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Others who advanced included Annabel Wilson of Ireland, who beat Julia Misemer and Katie Li.

“I like how I’m striking it. Then I’m rolling the putts in, so I’m confident in my game,” said Wilson. “We play a lot of match play with Golf Ireland, and I think what I’ve learned over the years is match play is all swinging momentum, and you can’t let it get to you. You’ve just got to play your game.”

New Mexico junior Lauren Lehigh, Princeton freshman Catherine Rao, 21-year-old Monet Chun of Canada, 17-year-old Saki Baba of Japan, 16-year-old Leigh Chien of Irvine, California, and 17-year-old Bailey Shoemaker of Dade City, Florida, are the others to reach the quarters, which start at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local time).

The semifinals will be Saturday and the 36-hole final is set for Sunday.

TV schedule

Friday, Aug. 12, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Saturday, Aug. 13, 3-6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

Sunday, Aug. 14, 7-10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

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Top seed, defending champion both fall in first round of match play at U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay

History repeated itself once again at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Wednesday’s first round of match play made for a bad day for the favorites at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The Round of 64 featured upset losses for the top seed Latanna Stone and defending champion Jensen Castle at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, as history continued to repeat itself at one of amateur golf’s most prestigious championships. This year marked the sixth time in the last nine years that the No. 64 seed has knocked off the No. 1 seed, and it’s also the second year in a row where the defending champion has lost in the first round.

Julia Misemer, who advanced to match play via a playoff, kept her momentum going with a 2-and-1 victory over Latanna Stone, the LSU senior who also came up just short at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this spring.

“Honestly I wouldn’t say I was intimidated because we’re all at such a high level, I feel like it’s really anyone’s game,” said Misemer, a rising freshman at Arizona. “I kind of got that No. 64 coin on the first tee and I was like, ‘I want to always remember this as a good thing.’ I just tried to relax.”

Castle, a senior at Kentucky, was locked in a back-and-forth battle with Aneka Seumanutafa but made bogey on the last hole to lose, 1 up.

“This year has been a whirlwind. It’s been crazy. It’s been awesome. So many exemptions, so many great opportunities and a ton of great learned lessons. It’s been a year that I won’t forget for sure,” said Castle after the loss.

Five of the 32 matches on Wednesday went to extra holes and four were decided by six holes or more, the in a Round of 64 since 2012.

The Round of 32 is already underway Thursday morning, with the Round of 16 to follow in the afternoon. Friday will feature the quarterfinal matches, with the semifinals on Saturday and 36-hole final on Sunday.

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U.S. Women’s Amateur: 13-year-old Alice Ziyi Zhao, the second-youngest player in the field, shares co-medalist honors at Chambers Bay

Match play begins Wednesday.

Alice Ziyi Zhao is unlike many 13 year olds.

Others are salvaging the final days of their summers, spending time at the pool or doing whatever to distract themselves of the impending return to school this fall. Zhao, however, is dominating one of the premier women’s amateur golf events in the world.

Zhao earned co-medalist honors at the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. After 36 holes of stroke play, Zhao sat at 10-under 136, tied with Latanna Stone and Laney Frye. The trio will occupy the top three seeds when match play begins Wednesday with the round of 64.

Stone earned the first seed for match play after firing a 8-under 65, a new women’s competitive record at Chambers Bay.

“Just like yesterday, everything was working well,” Stone said. “I was hitting the ball great and putted really well. Putting kind of saved me a little bit today. But it’s just fairways and greens and keeping it simple. I’m really pumped for match play. I think I can play really aggressive – even more aggressive than I did in stroke play. Yeah, I’m excited.”

Zhao, who shot 6-under 67 in the opening round, was 4 under on Tuesday. Frye was consistent, shooting two rounds of 5-under 68.

Stone will be the top-seeded player in match play, with Zhao earning the second seed and Frye the third.

“I had a couple of mistakes, but otherwise I played pretty solid today,” Zhao, from China, said. “I think I missed two short birdie putts. I really like match play, so hopefully I can put together another couple good rounds.”

Defending champion Jensen Castle, who will be a senior at Kentucky, shot 4-under 69 in the second round to finish in a tie for 14th after stroke play. Rachel Heck, the top-ranked player in the field, finished tied for 46th at 2 over. Megha Ganne, an incoming freshman at Stanford, is in a tie for fourth at 7 under.

Stroke play isn’t quite over yet, however. There was an 8-for-4 playoff to determine the final match play spots that began on the par-4 10th hole. Jieni Li, Jennifer Rosenberg and Camryn Carreon all made par to qualify. Alice Hodge was eliminated with a double bogey, and Victoria Zheng, Julia Misemer, Emma Abramson and Anika Dy made bogey to move on to the second playoff hole.

Playing the par-3 17th, all but Abramson made par, and the playoff was suspended due to darkness. It will resume at 10:30 a.m. ET Wednesday with Zheng, Misemer and Dy playing the par-5 18th hole to determine who earns the final match play spot.

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Photos: 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur got underway Monday at Chambers Bay.

The 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur got underway Monday at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

156 golfers from around the world are vying for one of the biggest amateur prizes in women’s golf. The course, which hosted the 2015 U.S. Open, will be played as a par 73 measuring 6,541 yards. The first two days will be stroke play, and the top 64 will advance to match play, which begins Wednesday.

There will be television coverage beginning Wednesday through the end of the championship. Live scoring can be found here.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay:

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