ChAmpionShipS mediA GUide - USGA

4 U.S. Women’s Open2012 Conditions of PlayEntriesOpen to any female professional, and to female amateurs with aUSGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 4.4. Entries close May 2.• Winners of the Kraft Nabisco Championship the last fiveyears• From the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, the 10lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th placeWomen’sOpenStarting Field156 playersSchedule of Play• Thursday, July 5 — First round (18 holes)• Friday, July 6 — Second round (18 holes)After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 60 scorers andany ties for 60th place.• Saturday, July 7 — Third round (18 holes)• Sunday, July 8 — Fourth round (18 holes)PlayoffIn case of a tie after 72 holes, a three-hole aggregate scoreplayoff will immediately follow. If this playoff results in a tie, thetied players will immediately continue to play off hole-by-holeuntil the winner is determined.Sectional Qualifying36 holes stroke play, scheduled at 19 sites, between May 14and June 3.• From the 2011 final official LPGA money list, the top 70money leaders.• From the 2012 official LPGA money list, the top 10 moneyleaders through the close of entries on May 2 (Must havefiled an entry by May 2)• Winners of LPGA co-sponsored events, whose victoriesare considered official, from the conclusion of the 2011 U.S.Women’s Open Championship to the initiation of the 2012U.S. Women’s Open Championship• Top five money leaders from the 2011 Japan LPGA Tour,Korea LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour• From the current Rolex Rankings, the top 25 point leadersand anyone tying for 25th place as of May 2, 2012 (Must havefiled an entry by May 2, 2012)• From the current Rolex Rankings, the top 25 point leaders asof July 2, 2012• Special exemptions selected by the USGAPrize MoneyTBD ($3.25 million, first place $585,000 in 2011)Exemptions from Sectional Qualifying• Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship for thelast 10 years (2002-2011)• Winner and runner-up of the 2011 U.S. Women’s AmateurChampionship (must be an amateur)• Winner of the 2012 Ladies British Open AmateurChampionship• Winner of the 2011 Mark H. McCormack Medal (Women’sWorld Amateur Golf Ranking) (must be an amateur)• Winners of the LPGA Championship the last five years• Winners of the Ricoh Women’s British Open Championshipthe last five years