This week’s U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links marks the championships first visit in its 104-year history and “counts as a milestone bigger than golf in many ways, an important and long-awaited step for women’s sports,” according to Ron Kroichick of the S.F. CHRONICLE. Pebble Beach is one of the world’s “most famous sporting venues” and “finally, the top female players on the planet will compete there.” In women’s golf, “more major tournaments are going to prestigious courses” and Pebble Beach’s “arrival on the scene, after years of false starts and stalled anticipation, should have a tangible impact in expanding the audience for LPGA players.” NBC will televise next weekend’s third and fourth rounds in prime time on the East Coast, marking a “first for women’s golf.” NBC Golf analyst Tom Abbott said this U.S. Women’s Open “could be a game-changer for the LPGA and women’s sports, to be in prime time on such a special course.” After this week’s tournament, the Women’s Open will be played at Pebble Beach “three more times in the next 25 years” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/2).
ONE GIANT STEP FOR EQUALITY: In its weekly roundtable, GOLF’s Jack Hirsh wrote this week’s Women’s Open is “huge for the equality of the game and for more reasons than you might think.” Hirsh: “Yes, playing a U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble is a move that culminates a really nice movement of getting more women’s events at these legendary courses.” But this will also “be the first women’s event EVER to have Shotlink.” Hirsch: “That’s crazy that the women’s game has never had access to that level of data.” GOLF’s Dylan Dethier wrote there “aren’t many golf courses that non-golfers are familiar with, but Pebble Beach is one of ‘em.” The LPGA has “been chasing venues that make its events feel big.” Pebble Beach as venue “does that.” GOLF's Zephyr Melton added it will be “pretty cool to see them compete there for the very first time” (GOLF, 7/2).
Pebble Beach has hosted multiple men's major championships, but this week marks its first women's event.Getty Images
