TOWN OF ERIN – The state of Wisconsin has had its share of seminal golf moments, from Tiger Woods’ “Hello, world” press conference at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996 to Steve Stricker guiding the United States’ Ryder Cup team to a dominant victory at Whistling Straits in 2021.
Then of course, there was “The Shot.”
On July 6, 1998, Se Ri Pak stood calf deep in a water hazard on the 18th hole of Blackwolf Run and saved bogey, extending a playoff with amateur Jenny Chuasirip*rn that Pak would win on the 20th playoff hole.
It was Pak’s second major title of 1998, but the stature of the U.S. Women’s Open and her iconic shot revolutionized the women’s game and gave Wisconsin an important place in the major championship’s storied history.
The 80th playing of the U.S. Women’s Open, and the state’s third, will be at Erin Hills from May 26-June 1, 2025 and the course hopes to be the canvas for another memorable chapter in women’s major golf.
“This state embraces golf,” USGA championships director Allison Burns said Monday. “Golf in general – it doesn’t matter what championship we’re hosting, whether it’s an amateur event or an Open or a tour event. They want to come out and the community really surrounds itself around golf. I think that’s super important for us. Then, in addition, this whole state supports events in general. I think you can see that.
“People are excited to be at the event of the year and this is going to be the event of the decade, so I think that’s important, too, about this state.”
The 2025 U.S. Women’s Open will be Erin Hills’ first time hosting the women’s national championship, which was awarded to the course in 2019.
In other national championships contested at Erin Hills, Matthew McClean won the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur, Brooks Koepka won the 2017 U.S. Men’s Open, Kelly Kraft won the 2011 U.S. Amateur and Tiffany Joh won the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links on its rolling terrain.
At its most diabolical, Erin Hills can be a windswept, beast of a course. It can be stretched to 8,000 yards – but no one plays it at that distance. The men played it at 7,741 yards in 2017.
The longest course the USGA has played the women’s national championship was the 2011 championship at The Broadmoor in altitude-affected Colorado Springs (6,860-7,026 yards). Erin Hills has stretched the teeing grounds on five holes and changed some bunkering to give the USGA more flexibility for the 2025 championship.
New date for championship may present challenges
Wisconsin has a strong reputation for supporting major championship golf, and the U.S. Women’s Open has been no different. The 1998 and 2012 championships at Blackwolf Run were well-attended – and held over the Fourth of July holiday.
But in 2018 the USGA moved the championship to the end of May and early June.
“Before everybody gets into their summer plans, students are still around and the families are together so certainly hope that will set itself (up),” said Erin Hills director of operations and tournament chair Kris Schoonover.
“But regardless, women’s golf just continues to explode. Women’s sports continue to explode. And our goal is to get the exposure. The nice thing about the ticket sales is you can buy a weeklong ticket but you don’t have to buy it just for Thursday. There’s this flexibility that they’re allowing with it. That’s really nice, that if something comes up, you can do that. It’s setting the tone, it’s knowing that Wisconsin is here to support it, the best players in the world coming to a daily fee public golf course that you can experience yourself. So, we need your help and support to do that.”
That change creates a bit of competition for the Erin Hills championship not faced by those at Blackwolf Run.
There is a chance the Milwaukee Bucks will still be playing, along with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Green Bay Packers also typically hold organized team activities the last week of May and early June.
That’s not to mention the different kind of weather and course conditions the golfers may face 37 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
“Yes, we do run into Memorial Day week for the most part – Monday is typically Memorial Day – we have made adjustments in making Monday and Tuesday just a fun time for our volunteers to come out for the week, for local schools to come out and experience some one-on-one time with the players and what the championship will set up to be like,” Burns said.
“Then, it usually is exam week for schools so it’s a field trip time. It’s just come out and enjoy the local event that’s happening. So we’re seeing a lot of success from a community standpoint with that week. Then from a broadcast perspective it’s just set up really well for us as an organization to have the championship kind of play out end of May, early June right before the U.S. Open.”
When will Wisconsin get another major?
While Burns’ visit to Erin Hills was celebratory in advancing the 2025 championship, it also brought into focus the fact that after two decades of major championship golf in the state the majors will be gone for some time.
“That’s what we hope for,” Schoonover said of getting another major championship. “We are in partnership with the USGA. We believe in that blend of amateur, grow the game, to that professional level. So, our goal is to put on a good showcase again for the women and then have an opportunity with the USGA down the way.
“The Opens, they’re solidifying those. There’s a couple of spots yet, a ways out, but we know that that’s something we want to continue to work with.”
The USGA moved to “anchor” venues for its signature championships and Erin Hills was left off that list.
The next open dates for the U.S. Women’s Open are 2037, 2039 and 2041. The next open dates for the U.S. Men’s Open are 2043 and 2045.
The U.S. Senior Open, which has been held at Whistling Straits (2007) and SentryWorld (2023), does not have an open date until 2031. There may be hope for Wisconsin with this major, as venues for 2033-37 have yet to be decided.
The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is a relatively new championship, first contested in 2018. It has open dates in 2026, 2028 and 2029.
“We’ve already hosted several USGA championships in the state, you all know that,” Burns said. “We are looking forward to hosting a U.S. Women’s Open here (at Erin Hills), which has not happened before. We’re looking forward to how the success of that plays out.
“The USGA always wants to be invited back everywhere we go. That’s one of my main priorities, that the day after this championship we’re having a meeting and they want to know when we’re coming back. So I hope that I do my job the right way from a USGA perspective and Erin Hills, I know, will be great partners in that as well.”
Schoonover smiled.
“We have a long future with the USGA and they’re working through their sites but want to be a part of it, absolutely,” she said. “We’re striving to do that. We believe we need that.”
