Low Amateurs in the U.S. Women's Open

The U.S. Women's Open is the biggest tournament in women's golf, so earning low amateur honors there is a big achievement. A true open, many golfers get into the field by playing their way in through qualifying tournaments. That opens the door for many amateurs to get into the field.

And many of those amateurs have done well in the tournament. The list of U.S. Women's Open low amateurs below includes plenty of familiar names, and it even includes one amateur who won the tournament. That was Catherine Lacoste in 1967 (see "Has an amateur ever won the U.S. Women's Open?"). Since then, the closest any amateur has come to winning was Jenny Chuasiriporn in 1998; she tied Se Ri Pak after 72 holes but lost in an 18-hole playoff.

The best 72-hole score in a U.S. Women's Open by an amateur is 279, a record set by Hye-Jin Choi when she finished solo second in 2017.

What does the amateur golfer with the best finish in a U.S. Women's Open receive? Each year, the low amateur receives a silver medal. Only golfers who make the cut are eligible to be low amateur. The U.S. Women's Open low am also receives an exemption from qualifying for that year's U.S. Women's Amateur, but so do all other amateurs who make the cut.

The List: U.S. Women's Open Low Amateurs

Low ams are listed along with their final score and their placement in the tournament standings.

2023 — Benedetta Moresco, 296, tied 33rd
2022 — Ingrid Lindblad, 283, tied 11th
2021 — Megha Ganne, 287, tied 14th
2020 — Kaitlyn Papp, 287, tied 9th
2019 — Gina Kim, 283, tied 12th
2018 — Patty Tavatanakit, 286, tied 5th
2017 — Hye-Jin Choi, 279, 2nd
2016 — Hye-Jin Choi, 292, tied 38th
2015 — Megan Khang, 285, tied 35th
2014 — Brooke Henderson, 285, tied 10th
2013 — Casie Cathrea, 297, tied 25th
2012 — Lydia Ko, 300, tied 39th
2011 — Moriya Jutanugarn, 294, tied 32nd
2010 — Jennifer Johnson, 300, tied 41st
2009 — Jennifer Song, 291, tied 13th
2008 — Mariajo Uribe, 290, tied 10th
2007 — (tie) Jennifer Song, Jennie Lee, 294, tied 39th
2006 — (tie) Amanda Blumenherst, Jane Park, 293, tied 10th
2005 — (tie) Brittany Lang, Morgan Pressel, 289, tied 2nd
2004 — (tie) Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, 285, tied 13th
2003 — Aree Song, 285, 5th
2002 — Aree Song, 294, tied 51st
2001 — Candy Hanneman, 291, tied 30th
2000 — Naree Song, 300, tied 40th
1999 — Grace Park, 283, tied 8th
1998 — Jenny Chuasiriporn, 290, 2nd (tied first, lost in playoff)
1997 — Jenny Chuasiriporn, 297, tied 58th
1996 — Cristie Kerr, 291, tied 36th
1995 — Sarah LeBrun Ingram, 294, tied 51st
1994 — Carol Semple Thompson, 291, tied 31st
1993 — Debbi Kayama, 291, tied 26th
1992 — Vicki Goetze, 301, tied 48th
1991 — Tracy Hanson, 293, tied 21st
1990 — Vicki Goetze, 300, tied 53rd
1989 — Vicki Goetze, 300, tied 54th
1988 — Carol Semple Thompson, 292, tied 29th
1987 — Michiko Hattori, 297, tied 21st
1986 — Joan Pitcock, 294, tied 14th
1985 — (tie) Kathleen McCarthy, Danielle Ammaccapane, 297, tied 27th
1984 — Dottie Pepper, 302, tied 22nd
1983 — Heather Farr, 296, tied 11th
1982 — Kathy Baker, 296, tied 13th
1981 — Mary Baker, 299, tied 26th
1980 — Judy Oliver, 306, tied 40th
1979 — Terri Moody, 297, tied 31st
1978 — Carol Semple, 297, tied 16th
1977 — Beth Daniel, 308, tied 24th
1976 — Betsy King, 303, tied 8th
1975 — Nancy Lopez, 299, tied 2nd
1974 — Debbie Massey, 299, tied 7th
1973 — Anne Quast Sander, 296, 4th
1972 — Jane Bastanchury, 304, tied 6th
1971 — Jane Bastanchury, 299, tied 3rd
1970 — Cynthia Hill, 294, tied 11th
1969 — Phyllis Preuss, 304, tied 16th
1968 — Phyllis Preuss, 300, tied 9th
1967 — Catherine Lacoste, 294, winner
1966 — Shelley Hamlin, 311, tied 9th
1965 — Helen Sigel, 296, tied 5th
1964 — Barbara McIntire, 304, tied 11th
1963 — Phyllis Preuss, 305, tied 13th
1962 — JoAnne Gunderson (Carner), 313, tied 15th
1961 — Marlene Stewart Streit, 306, tied 7th
1960 — Judy Torluemke (Rankin), 326, 24th
1959 — Anne Quast, 299, 9th
1958 — Anne Quast, 307, tied 11th
1957 — Barbara McIntire, 313, tied 11th
1956 — Barbara McIntire, 302, tied first (lost in playoff)
1955 — (tie) Polly Riley, Jackie Pung, 309, tied 6th
1954 — Mickey Wright, 308, tied 4th
1953 — Patricia Lesser, 315, tied 6th
1952 — Dorothy Germain Porter, 300, 10th
1951 — Patricia Lesser, 300, tied 4th
1950 — Betsy Rawls, 300, 2nd
1949 — Carol Diringer, 306, 3rd
1948 — Grace Lenczyk, 313, tied 4th
1947 — (tie) Polly Riley, Sally Sessions, 301, tied 2nd
1946 — not applicable (match play)