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Beth Ann Nichols

2023 U.S. Women’s Open: Here’s a dozen noteworthy qualifiers for historic Pebble Beach, including celebrated amateurs and a very pregnant pro

U.S. Women’s Open qualifying tournaments stretched across 23 sites for the historic championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Entries for this year’s event crossed the 2,000 mark for the first time as 2,107 players applied.

Pebble Beach will host its first U.S. Women’s Open and 14th USGA championship July 6-9. Thirty-six hole qualifiers for the championship were held May 9 through June 7.

A number of college and amateur stars advanced as well as one former U.S. Women’s Open contender, who will be seven months pregnant when the championship is contested.

Pebble Beach Golf Links has previously hosted six U.S. Opens (1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, 2010, 2019), five U.S. Amateurs (1929, 1947, 1961, 1999, 2018) and two U.S. Women’s Amateurs (1940, 1948).

Here are a dozen noteworthy amateurs and professionals who advanced through qualifying:

a-Amari Avery, Riverside, California

Amari Avery plays her shot from the 11th tee during the second round of the 2023 Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

USC’s Amari Avery took medalist honors at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club to earn a spot in her second major of 2023. Avery tied for 45th at the Chevron Championship earlier this year without playing a practice round.

a-Anna Davis, Spring Valley, California

Anna Davis hits their shot on the 2nd tee during the third round of the 2022 Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Anna Davis, the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, took medalist honors at Valencia Country Club to qualify for her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Open. Davis teed it up in three majors last year and currently ranks fourth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

a-Emilia Migliaccio, Cary, North Carolina

Emilia Migliaccio at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup. (Photo: Arnold Palmer Cup)

Shortly after helping Wake Forest win the NCAA team title, Emilia Migliaccio secured her spot at Pebble Beach. Migliaccio works part-time for Golf Channel and plans to remain an amateur.

Maria Fassi, Mexico

Maria Fassi of Mexico walks off the 12th tee during the first round of the 75th U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Champions Golf Club Jackrabbit Course on Dec. 10, 2020 in Houston. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Former NCAA champion Maria Fassi qualified for her fifth U.S. Women’s Open by advancing through the Belle Haven Country Club site. Fassi tied for 12th in her pro debut at the 2019 Women’s Open.

Gabriela Ruffels, Australia

Gabriela Ruffels celebrates her latest victory in Kansas. (Epson Tour photo Ben Harpring)

Epson Tour money leader medaled at Vancouver Golf Club to qualify for her third U.S. Women’s Open. Ruffels tied for 13th in her first USWO three years ago. She has won twice on the Epson Tour this season.

a-Zoe Campos, Valencia, California

UCLA’s Zoe Campos won the Anuenue Spring Break Classic. (Photo: Ka’anapali Golf Courses)

This UCLA junior finished outside the top 10 only twice in 10 starts last season, notching two victories. Campos joined Davis in advancing out of Valencia Country Club.

a-Angela Zhang, Bellevue, Washington

Angela Zhang, 14, qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (courtesy photo)

Angela Zhang, 14, drained a 25-foot downhill putt for birdie on the second playoff hole to qualify for her first professional event. Zhang won seven Washington Junior Golf Association titles last season and four tournaments on the AJGA.

Amy Olson, Fargo, North Dakota

Longtime LPGA player Amy Olson will be seven months pregnant when she competes at Pebble Beach. Olson, 30, tied for second at the 2020 Women’s Open in Houston. Olson (nee Anderson) won the 2009 U.S. Girls’ Junior title.

a-Sadie Englemann, Austin, Texas

Sadie Englemann of Stanford tees off on the 9th hole during round four of the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Alex Gould/The Republic)

Stanford senior Sadie Englemann grabbed the final qualifying spot in a playoff at The Broadlands Golf Course in Colorado. Englemann was on the 2022 Cardinal team that won the NCAA title. She’s currently 75th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, Thailand

Natthakritta Vongtaveelap of Thailand smiles before tee off at 18th hole during the second round of the Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club on Feb. 24, 2023. (Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)

The 20-year-old LPGA rookie finished runner-up in her first start as a tour member in her native Thailand. She currently ranks fourth on the LPGA in driving distance.

a-Grace Summerhays, Scottsdale, Arizona

Grace Summerhays, left, confers with her brother/caddie Preston Summerhays on the 6th tee during the second round of stroke play at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)

Arizona State’s Grace Summerhays will compete in her first LPGA major after carding rounds of 68-72 at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. Teammate Ashley Menne caddied for Summerhays during the qualifier.

Older brother Preston, who also plays for ASU, is competing in the upcoming U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

a-Jeneath Wong, Malaysia

Freshman Jeneath Wong courtesy Pepperdine athletics

Pepperdine’s Jeneath Wong, a two-time Australian Girls Amateur champion, qualified for Pebble Beach out of Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. Wong plays with two golf gloves and looks at the hole rather than the ball for longer putts to better gauge the distance.

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