Stanford golfer Rose Zhang hits from the 16th tee during the final round of the NCAA college women's golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
When the U.S. Women’s Open completes its Pebble Beach debut Sunday and crowns its champion, the sun will be two hours from dipping into the Pacific Ocean distance.
That is just one of many spectacular scenes to come at a historic course that has hosted some of golf’s most treasured moments.
“Where you win definitely matters,” said Morgan Pressel, a former pro and the lead analyst for NBC Sports’ coverage.
Pressel’s mind raced back to The Old Course at St. Andrews – “the home of golf” — where Lorena Ochoa and Stacy Lewis captured The Open title in 2007 and ’13, respectively.
“The venue is obviously a big part of this story, going to Pebble Beach and creating history there that will be continued,” NBC Sports announcer Tom Abbott said.
“As a Northern Californian born and raised, I’m super excited for this U.S. Women’s Open to be played at Pebble,” said Kay Cockerill, a San Jose native who played on the LPGA Tour from 1988-97. “I wish it could have happened 30 years ago when I could have been in the field to play. I’m really jealous of all the women who get to walk my favorite course in the entire world and play in the national championship.”
Here are 10 women who could walk away with The Harton S. Semple Trophy, named for the former USGA president:
ROSE ZHANG (10-1 odds)
Only two events into her pro career, the two-time national champion from Stanford set Pebble Beach’s women’s course record with a 9-under 63 last September in the Carmel Cup.
She has been installed as the tournament favorite at 10-1 odds, by Bovada Sportsbook. Next at 14-1 is Jin Young Ko.
“When you look at players and what’s happening in the women’s game, some of the biggest stars are wilting, and we have a ‘Rose’ blooming,” Abbott said. “Sorry, that was a terrible line but it came into my head.”
MINA HARIGAE
Last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, Harigae should has great course knowledge as a Monterey native; her parents own Takara Sushi in Pacific Grove. She’s missed the cut in five of her past eight tournaments, and she tied for 24th place in last month’s PGA Championship. “She may shine,” Cockerill said. “The pressure of being in a hometown crowd sometimes can inhibit you. If she can relish that and use that to her credit, she may do really well.”
JIN YOUNG KO
The LPGA’s top-ranked golfer (for a record 159th week over her career) already has two wins this year. She was the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open runner-up, and she won two majors the previous year. “How do you not pick Jin Young Ko for a golf course where you have to hit it straight, have a fabulous iron play, and putt well?” Pressel asked.
ATTHAYA THITIKUL
This rising star from Thailand has finished top-10 in seven tournaments this year. Thitikul, 20, captured her first LPGA win last year in Carlsbad at the JTBC Classic. She was just 14 when she won the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Championship.
MEGAN KHANG
The 25-year-old, Massachusetts native finished top-10 in this year’s earlier majors – tied for third at the PGA and tied for ninth at April’s Chevron Championship. She qualified for the 2014 U.S. Open at age 14. “She’s one of those hungry players with all the talent and hasn’t put it all together to win yet,” Cockerill said.
NELLY KORDA
She missed the cut at last month’s PGA after returning from a back issue. Two months earlier, she finished third at the Cheveron Championship. She won the 2021 PGA for her lone major title.
LEXI THOMPSON
She is two years removed from U.S. Open heartbreak up the coast at The Olympic Club, where she squandered a five-stroke lead at the turn and missed out on a playoff by a stroke. She’s missed the cut in three of five tournaments this year and tied for 47th at the PGA. She tied for second at the 2019 U.S. Open.
ANNA NORDQVIST
She is a three-time major champion, most recently in the 2021 Open at Carnoustie. She tied for third at the PGA. This is her 15th straight U.S. Open, and her only top-10 finishes came in 2016 (second; lost in playoff to Brittany Lang, the last U.S. champion) and 2022 (tie-sixth).
MINJEE LEE
The reigning U.S. Open champion owns top-five finishes in all five majors since 2017. She is ranked sixth in the world after tying for 20th at the PGA.
LYDIA KO
She won three times last year on tour en route to LPGA Player of the Year and money-leader honors. Ranked third now, she is seeking her first major victory since 2016, and her highest finish in a U.S. Open was tying for third that same year.
LILIA VU
This California native (Fountain Valley) won the year’s first major in a playoff over Angel Yin at the Chevron Championship, two months after winning in Thailand. This is the third U.S. Open for UCLA’s all-time wins leader.
Originally published at Cam Inman