BEN AVON, Pa. — While Oakmont Country Club is preparing for the men’s U.S. Open next month, Shannopin Country Club in Ben Avon Heights hosted a qualifier for the women’s U.S. Open on Tuesday.
Thirty-three golfers competed for just one spot, but the event was also a symbol of something bigger.
The USGA continues to strengthen ties in western Pennsylvania, bringing more high-stakes golf and national attention to clubs like Shannopin and Quicksilver, which will host a men’s local qualifier next week.
Tuesday’s qualifier at Shannopin was the fifth straight year the club hosted the event.
“Any time that we can host competitions to further women’s golf is a good thing,” said Eric Teasdale, the club’s head golf pro. “Being a member of the PGA of America, we’re taught to grow the game and exposure, hosting good quality competitions on good quality golf courses is what the name of the game is for me.”
The USGA appears to have found that quality of play in the Pittsburgh region.
Oakmont is one of the USGA’s anchor sites, with eight championships scheduled at the club through 2049, but the local qualifiers and community investment also highlight a widespread commitment to the area.
“Southwest Pennsylvania has had many, many good golf courses here in the area,” Teasdale said. “I mean, there’s too many to even count. Also, the greens and the rough conditions are usually what we call U.S. Open standards. Our greens are very undulated and very fast. It’s just a good test of golf. That’s the reason why they like it here.”
That means attracting the talent to match.
Caley McGinty is in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour and knows the region well as an Ohio State golfer. She competed in Tuesday’s Shannopin qualifier.
“To me, this is proper golf,” she told Channel 11. “Tight fairways, thick rough, greens are tough, a lot of slopes. I think it’s just a true test, and it shows the champion at the end of it, which is always what you want at an event like this.”
For Shannopin members, the action extends past their own backyard.
The club sponsors the first hole at the U.S. Open, sending nearly 100 volunteers to Oakmont as hole marshals, as well as grounds and hospitality staff.
“People started reaching out to me on the marshal program well in advance, I mean, a couple of years,” Teasdale said. “We share resources to make sure the event is a success. It’s kind of a tight-knit community being in the service industry, and that’s what makes it special.”
The women’s U.S. Open will be held at Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin, but the event will return to Oakmont in 2028 and 2038.
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