Seven Trojans Set For Women's U.S. Open
USC All-American seniors Allisen Corpuz, Gabriela Ruffels and Amelia Garvey will join four current Trojan LPGA pros in the final major of the year, the 2020 U.S. Women's Open at Champions G.C. in Houston, Thursday through Sunday (Dec. 10-13).
Corpuz is the only amateur among the 24 entered to be making her third career U.S. Open appearance after missing the cut in 2016 and 2018. She and Garvey earned their berths based on their WAGR rankings as of Nov. 4.
Ruffels, playing in her second U.S Open (she missed the cut in 2019) earned her nod thanks to her 2019 U.S. Amateur win. This is her third major she has played in this year following the British Open and the ANA Inspiration.
First round coverage will air on Peacock 7:30 a.m. PT and on Golf Channel at 9:30 a.m. Second round coverage starts on Peacock at 10 a.m. continuing on Golf Channel at 12 p.m. Third round coverage starts on Golf Channel at 8 a.m., continues on Peacock at 10 a.m. and starts on NBC at 11:30 a.m. Final round coverage is split between Golf Channel at 8 a.m. and NBC at 11 a.m.
Joining the senior trio will be former Trojan All-Americans Lizette Salas, Annie Park, Sophia Popov and Jennifer Song.
So far this year, four or more Trojans have clinched paychecks 10 times in 12 events since the 2020 LPGA restart and at least 3 Trojans have made the cut in all 12 tournaments.
Popov won the 2020 British Women's Open earlier this year at 7-under as the 304th-ranked player in the world, earning LPGA status and has not missed a cut this season in eight tries. This is her second U.S. Open and she's trying to become just the sixth woman to win both the British and U.S. Opens in the same year.
Song is making her 13th appearance at a U.S. Open, twice earning low amateur status in 2007 and 2009 (tying for 13th), and has made eight cuts. As a professional, she finished a best tied for 25th at 4-over in 2018. She is currently 22nd on the 2020 LPGA money list.
Salas will be playing in her 11th U.S. Open and has made the cut in eight of 10 tries, including a career-best tie for 14th in 2015, ties for 15th in 2011 and 2017 and a tie for 18th in 2018. She is currently 57th on the 2020 LPGA money list. Park, 73rd on the money list, will be looking to make her first U.S Open cut in her fourth try.
The best Trojan finish at the U.S. Open was fourth by Jennifer Rosales at -3 in 2004. The last Trojan to finish inside the top 10 at a U.S. Open was Nicole (Dalkas) Castrale in 2012, tying for ninth (+4) and she tied for sixth in 2008. Candie Kung tied for sixth in 2005 (+7) and tied for 13th (+5) in 2011. Kung tied for fifth (-2) in 2004 while Rosales tied for seventh in 2002 (+7).
The tournament will play the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses in the first two rounds to accommodate the large field in limited winter daylight.
Trojans beginning on the Jackrabbit course Thursday include Park (7:31 a.m. PT) and Salas (8:37 a.m.). Those on the Cypress Creek course are Garvey (8:04 a.m.), Song (8:26 a.m.), Ruffels (8:37 a.m.), who is teeing off with defending champion Jeongeun Lee, Popov (8:48 a.m.) and Corpuz (9:32 a.m.).