Eleven past U.S. Women’s Open champions are among the 65 players who are fully exempt into the 3rd U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship, scheduled for July 29-Aug. 1, 2021 at Brooklawn Country Club, in Fairfield, Conn.

“Brooklawn Country Club will provide a strong test for a competitive field of USGA champions and many of the game’s greats,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director of Championships. “We are excited to continue the tradition of this championship in the City of Fairfield and Connecticut for the first time and we look forward to crowning another worthy champion.”

Three-time U.S. Women’s Open winner Annika Sorenstam (1995, 1996 and 2006) is one of five exempt players making their U.S. Senior Women’s Open debut after becoming age-eligible since the last championship in 2019 at Pine Needles. The other four are 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup team captain Pat Hurst, 2021 European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, Michelle McGann and Carin Hjalmarsson.

In addition to Sorenstam, three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Hollis Stacy (1977, 1978 and 1984) and nine other champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the championship. They are: Amy Alcott (1980), Jerilyn Britz (1979), JoAnne Gunderson Carner (1971, 1976), 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion Laura Davies (1987), Jane Geddes (1986), Juli Inkster (1999, 2002), Liselotte Neumann (1988), Alison Nicholas (1997) and Jan Stephenson (1983). Of those who are exempt, 53 played in the 2nd U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship at Pine Needles.

In addition to Davies, past U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion Helen Alfredsson is among those fully exempt into the field. Davies won the inaugural championship in 2018 at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill. In 2019, Alfredsson topped Trish Johnson and Juli Inkster by two strokes to capture the 2nd U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. The 2020 championship was canceled due to health concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is open to professional golfers, and amateurs whose Handicap Index® does not exceed 7.4 who are at least 50 years of age at the start of championship play. Qualifying will be played over 18 holes at 16 sites across the United States between June 15 and July 15. There are qualifying sites in 15 states, including two in California.

Jenny Wiegand, of Medora, N.D., submitted her entry one minute before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT on June 9 and was the championship’s last entrant. Susan West, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., was the first entrant on March 31. Tammie Green Parker, who has won seven times on the LPGA Tour and finished runner-up in the 1994 U.S. Women’s Open, was the first exempt player to apply to play. This will be her third U.S. Senior Women’s Open’s appearance.

The championship will be the third USGA Open championship and fifth overall USGA championship hosted by Brooklawn Country Club. The club hosted the 1979 U.S. Women’s Open, won by Britz, who will be competing in her second U.S. Senior Women’s Open. Brooklawn also previously held the 1974 U.S. Junior Amateur, won by David Nevatt; the 1987 U.S. Senior Open, won by Gary Player; and the 2003 U.S. Girls’ Junior, won by Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff.