Six Months Pregnant Tour Pro Qualifies For US Women's Open
Amy Olson reached July's Pebble Beach Major after competing in a qualifier in Minnesota
LPGA Tour pro Amy Olson has qualified for the US Women's Open while six months pregnant.
The 30-year-old rubber-stamped her appearance at the tournament after finishing with a six-under 138 at the USGA qualifier in Minnesota to receive medalist honours.
Olson's appearance at the Major is certain to be even more special than it would have been, as it will be her final appearance before stepping away from the game to prepare for motherhood.
By the time the tournament begins, on 6 July, Olson’s baby will be due just a couple of months later, and Olson could hardly have chosen a more high-profile tournament for a temporary send-off. As well as being the third Major of the year, the tournament will be held at one of the world's iconic courses, Pebble Beach. Olson admitted the chance to play at the famous California course had driven her to succeed.
She told the Minnesota Golf Association: "I wanted a shot at it because it's Pebble. That was the big motivation and it'll be my last tournament before the baby comes, so it's a good way to go out."
As well as her final tournament before giving birth, Olson will feel she has unfinished business in the Major, as she narrowly missed out on victory in the tournament three years ago after finishing tied for second, just one shot behind A Lim Kim, at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
Another player for whom July’s tournament will have additional importance is 2014 US Women’s Open champion Michelle Wie-West. She stepped away from golf in 2022 but kept this year's tournament in her diary. However, she has admitted it could be her swansong in the Major.
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Elsewhere, 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion Anna Davis has also qualified for her second US Women’s Open, where she will hope to improve on her missed cut at Pine Needles last year.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
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