Hayashi Earns Lone Qualifying Spot at U.S. Senior Women's Open Qualifying

 COON RAPIDS, Minn. – Kayoko Hayashi was the lone player to break par Thursday at Bunker Hills Golf Club, carding a 1-under 71 to claim medalist honors and the sole qualifying spot at U.S. Senior Women's Open Qualifying.

Hayashi, a professional from Japan, separated herself from the field, finishing three shots ahead of Fiona Watson, to earn her spot into the 8th U.S. Senior Women's Open field being contested at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor, Mich., August 20-23.

Getting off to a steady start, Hayashi parred her first three holes before making an eagle on the East Course's par-5 4th hole to get to 2-under for the day. She followed that with a bogey on the par-4 5th to fall back to 1-under and went on to make pars on the next six holes to remain at 1-under through 12 holes.

Hayashi went on to sandwich bogeys on the West Course's par-3 12th and par-4 16th holes with two birdies on the par-4 13th and par-5 14th holes to play that stretch in even-par. She would go on to make par on her final three holes to finish the day at 1-under and cruise to the medalist honors.

Iowa's Fiona Watson kept pace with Hayashi for much of the round, sitting at even-par through 16 holes, playing a stretch of 12 holes during the middle of the round at 3-under, before making bogeys at the par-3 17th and par-4 18th holes to finish at 2-over par for the day, earning the 1st alternate spot.

Patricia Beliard, a professional from France, used a steady round of golf pitting four bogeys against one birdie to finish the day at 3-over, which earned her the 2nd alternate position, finishing one shot ahead of Minnesota's Adele Peterson.

Located just five miles from the University of Michigan campus, Barton Hills Country Club will play host to its third USGA championship and first U.S. Senior Women's Open.

The 1998 U.S. Women's Amateur was the first USGA event held at Barton Hills, won by Grace Park, followed by the 2008 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur won by Joan Higgins.

Designed by Donald Ross in 1922 and restored by Ronald Pritchard in 2012, Barton Hills will play just above 6,200 yards during the championship.

Becky Morgan claimed the 7th U.S. Senior Women's Open at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif., using a final-round three-under-par 70 to cruise to a six-shot victory over Juli Inkster to become the first person from Wales to win a USGA championship.

2026 U.S. Senior Women's Open Qualifying

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