The U.S. Women’s Open is coming back to Pine Needles for the fourth time.
The USGA made the announcement Tuesday, announcing that its national championship event will be returning to the Sandhills in 2022. The event will be held from June 2-5 that year.
This will be the seventh USGA championship held in the Southern Pines/Pinehurst area and the fourth Women’s Open to be played at Pine Needles.
The first three were won by Annika Sorenstam in 1996, Karrie Webb in 2001 and Christie Kerr in 2007.
“We are thrilled to bring another U.S. Women’s Open to one of the most respected courses in the United States,” USGA Championship Committee chairman Stuart Francis said in a statement announcing the selection. “Three great USGA champions have conquered the ultimate test in women’s golf at Pine Needles, and we look forward to adding the 77th U.S. Women’s Open champion to that illustrious list.”
Pine Needles is a Donald Ross designed layout that was renovated to its original form in 2004 by John Fought. The club was owned and founded by the late Peggy Kirk Bell, a noted women’s golf advocate and LPGA charter member who was instrumental in convincing the USGA to add North Carolina courses to its championship rotation
Bell’s son-in-law Kelly Miller ow serves as the CEO of Pine Needles.
“To host the most prestigious event in women’s golf for the fourth time speaks to our longstanding relationship with the USGA, and we’re honored they accepted our invitation to host the Women’s Open in 2022,” Miller said. “The Donald Ross-designed course has already crowned three memorable Women’s Open champions, and we’re confident it will again be a welcoming yet challenging host for the world’s best players. I can only imagine how happy Mrs. Bell would have been to host another Women’s Open.”
