72-Hole U.S. Women's Open Scoring Record (Total Strokes)

Which golfer has used the fewest strokes to win the U.S. Women's Open? That's the record we're discussing here: lowest total strokes over four rounds (72 holes) in this biggest tournament in women's golf. We'll also show you the evolution of the record — each golfer who lowered it over the years.

The U.S. Women's Open, run by the United States Golf Association, dates to 1946 (before the LPGA Tour even existed). It is one of the five professional majors in women's golf, and it is the oldest of those five.

Current Record: 271 by Minjee Lee

Minjee Lee won the 2022 U.S. Women's Open with a total score of 271, establishing the current tournament record. Lee lowered the previous record (shared by three golfers) by one stroke.

Lee posted three scores of 67 or lower (67-66-67) over the first three rounds, and led by three going into the final round. In that final round she carded a 71 for the 271 stroke total. That was good enough for a 4-stroke victory over runner-up Mina Harigae.

That total was 13-under-par on the par-71 Pine Needles course in North Carolina. For Lee, it was her second victory in a major championship, her eighth overall win on the LPGA Tour.

List: Fewest Strokes, 72 Holes, in U.S. Women's Open

271 — Minjee Lee (67-66-67-71), 2022 U.S. Women's Open, at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina
272 — Annika Sorenstam (70-67-69-66), 1996 U.S. Women's Open, at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina
272 — Juli Inkster (65-69-67-71), 1999 U.S. Women's Open, at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi
272 — In Gee Chun (68-70-68-66), 2015 U.S. Women's Open, at Lancaster (Pennsylvania) Country Club
273 — Karrie Webb (70-65-69-69), 2001 U.S. Women's Open, at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina
274 — Alison Nicholas (70-66-67-71), 1997 U.S. Women's Open, at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Witch Hollow Course) in North Plains, Oregon
274 — Meg Mallon (73-69-67-65), 2004 U.S. Women's Open, at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Massachusetts

These are the only sub-275 scores in the tournament's history so far. And, somewhat surprisingly, there are still multiple pre-21st century scoring totals included on the list.

Note that Sorenstam in 1996 was the first USWO golfer to break 275. The first to break 280 was Pat Bradley in 1981 (see below).

Evolution of U.S. Women's Open 72-Hole Record

How did we get to the current 72-hole record for fewest strokes in a U.S. Women's Open? Here is the evolution of the mark, starting with the first stroke-play USWO in 1947 and including each time the record was lowered (golfers who tied an existing record are not included here, only those who lowered the record):

295 — Betty Jameson, 1947
291 — Louise Suggs, 1949
284 — Louise Suggs, 1952
280 — Amy Alcott, 1980
279 — Pat Bradley, 1981
277 — Liselotte Neumann, 1988
272 — Annika Sorenstam, 1996
271 — Minjee Lee, 2022

The golfer who held this record the longest was Suggs, who held it from 1949 until 1980, lowering her own record once along the way. Suggs' 284 in 1952 stood for 28 years, while Sorenstam's 272 in 1996 stood for 26 years.

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Sources:
United States Golf Association. U.S. Women's Open Championship 81st Record Book, 2026, Tournament Records.

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