U.S. Women's Amateur: San Diego Kicks Off SoCal USGA Swing

Tod Leonard previews the U.S. Women's Amateur at San Diego Country Club.

This kicks off what figures to be a fun swing of national championships and a Walker Cup in southern California over the next month or so.

While the wives of country club members once were prominent in the Women’s Am — partly because until 1979 only those who belonged to country clubs could enter — it now mostly serves as a high-level competition for the young. There are 108 women this year in the bracket of 16- to 20-year-olds.

Youth was served last year when 16-year-old Eun Jeong Seong of the Republic of Korea defeated 19-year-old Virginia Elena Carta of Italy. Seong became the youngest player to win three USGA championships, though she chose not to defend the Women’s Am this year.

While Riviera and Los Angeles Country Club will get the majority of the attention, San Diego CC is a much-beloved course that has produced two legends, notes John Strege for Golf World.

When one enters the clubhouse, the Billy Casper Grill is on the right, the Mickey Wright Lounge on the left.

No other operating club in the U.S. likely has spawned two greater champions than Wright and Casper, each of whom were members in their youth, while Casper remained a member until his death. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson were both products of Glen Garden Golf & Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, but the club went out of business a few years ago.

Wright and Casper are both World Golf Hall of Fame members.

Fox Sports 1 will cover matches beginning with Wednesday play, airing the action from 6-9 pm ET through Friday. Weekend windows are 7-10 pm ET Saturday and 4-7 pm ET Sunday.