Top Ten Perks of Being a US Open Alternate

The US Women’s Open is the biggest tournament in women’s golf and perhaps the biggest sporting event in women’s sports. This year, the gates of Lancaster Country Club admitted roughly 25,000 people a day to watch. It’s a big deal!

I’m a pro golfer and every year around May I try to qualify for the Open through one of the USGA’s qualifying sites. Any woman with a handicap under 2.4 can give it a whirl. I play on the Symetra Tour (women’s golf’s version of Triple A baseball). Most of us Symetra Tour players usually try for the Open.

I made the 2009 Open at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania. It was awesome. This year the Open was again in Pennsylvania… Lancaster Country Club. I grew up playing golf at Lancaster Country Club in Ohio and I also take lessons from Sally Austin who lives on Lancaster Drive. Coincidence? I think not! Obviously, I thought it would be a triangle of destiny that I return to Pennsylvania to win the Open this year. Right?

The USGA has 25 qualifying sites and I picked Boston, not Korea, England, or China but Boston, because it has the northern grass I grew up playing. After 36 holes in 47 degrees and rain I found myself in the clubhouse with a spot in the Open field and one group still to finish. Of course young Megan Khang came in one stroke better than me and just like that I was on a plane ride home with nothing more than a first alternate spot. Still there was a slim outside chance that enough people would withdraw and I would get a spot.

By Wednesday before the Open I still hadn’t gotten that phone call to come play. So what the heck, I decided to drive over to PA and wait on the putting green in case somebody had to withdraw suddenly. There were four of us waiting.

After a seven-hour drive on the Turnpike, an overnight in a less-than-four-star Days Inn and waking up at 4 a.m. in a drizzle, I didn’t play in the Open. Thanks triangle of destiny. However, on the bright side, being a US Open alternate had some sweet perks. Here is an inside look at why it’s the best way to watch an Open ever!

Jane Filing (Editor)

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