Has the U.S. Women’s Open Turned Into a Nightmare for American Stars?

This year’s U.S. Women’s Open appears to continue the trend seen in the last few years. In the national major, American golfers have been bested by their international counterparts. The U.S. Women’s Open has gone to mostly Asian or Asian-origin golfers in the last decade. This time too, only a handful of the 50 players who represented the Stars and Stripes remain for the weekend. 

Analyzing the trend over the last decade also confirms that. The watershed moment for Asian female golfers came in 1998. And for the last two decades, a cohort of Asian pros, led by South Koreans, have dominated the country’s national major. 

Asian pros have dominated the U.S. Women’s Open for over a decade

Since Inbee Park’s record-shattering victory in 2008, 11 times the Harton S. Semple Trophy has been lifted by Asian players. Paula Creamer (2010), Michelle Wie West (2014), Brittany Lang (2016), and Allisen Corpuz (2023) were the only four Americans to earn bragging rights at their National Majors. 

The Asian dominance, a big part led by South Korean pros, obviously, dates back to Se Ri Pak’s history-shattering triumph at the U.S. Women’s Open. Pak won 25 times on the LPGA Tour, kickstarting a revolution that bears fruit even now. Inbee Park, after winning the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, said it’s in their blood to win, but genetics, of course, is a non-factor. 

Even in 2024, 26 of the top 100 in the Rolex Women’s World Ranking are from South Korea, 18 from Japan, and seven from Thailand. More than half of the top 100 belong to these three Asian countries. Comparably, only 18 American names dot the world ranking. The dominance is on display at Lancaster Country Club as well. 

America’s biggest hopes haven’t lived up to expectations

This year’s U.S. Women’s Open has witnessed some shock exits quite early. Nelly Korda couldn’t salvage a 10-over in the opening round. The 14-time LPGA Tour winner crashed out after 36 holes. Lexi Thompson in her last dance at the U.S. Women’s Open, packed her bags early as well. LPGA’s Young Turk, Rose Zhang, scripted a similar story for herself. Past champion Brittany Lang and defending champion Allisen Corpuz, too, booked a return flight on the cut-off day. 

With that, only three American players are in the top 10, led by Andrea Lee. Only 16 Americans have made the weekend cut. Only six, three of whom are amateurs, remain within ten shots of the leader. 

It looks likely the Lancaster Country Club can once again throw a non-American winner at the National Major. The last time it hosted the U.S. Women’s Open, South Korean pro In Gee Chun earned the bragging rights. This time, Thai Pro, Wichanee Meechai, is perched atop the leaderboard. The American mantle, meanwhile, rests on Adrea Lee, whose last LPGA Tour victory came in 2022, and 15-year-old amateur Asterisk Talley.