"What occurred in this case is not typical of the USGA's level of service to the golf community."

Stina Sternberg on the USGA Women's U.S. Open exemption gaffe involving 2011 Ladies Amateur champ Lauren Taylor who will not be automatically exempt because there will be a 2012 champ before the U.S. Women's Open is next played (unless she is a repeat winner).

Sternberg wonders if the USGA should extend an extra exemption to Taylor after discovering their error...

You can call it a clerical error and an honest mistake, but it's a mistake that will undoubtedly cause Taylor some heartbreak.

The USGA released the following statement to GDW Thursday afternoon:

"The United States Golf Association extends its sincere apologies to 2011 Ladies British Open Amateur Champion Lauren Taylor. We have the deepest appreciation for how disappointed Ms. Taylor must be. The USGA proudly created an exemption category for the champion of the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship into the U.S. Women's Open as a further commitment to the presence of amateur golfers in our respective major championships. We realize that our error may have caused the Taylor family an inconvenience and we wish to extend to them our regrets and our appreciation for their understanding. What occurred in this case is not typical of the USGA's level of service to the golf community. We remain committed to working with the highest standards for the good of the game."