The U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills: 6 Storylines to Follow

The 2025 season is trekking along, as the second women's major of the year rapidly approaches. The U.S. Open is among one of the most highly anticipated events for men and women each year, as it serves as the ultimate test to the world's most elite golfers. It's a week where the best players look almost human, and those of us watching from home turn into agronomists engaging in conversations about rough length like the sickos we are.

The U.S. Open feels like people's major, especially given how many amateurs qualify for the competition, but the storylines seem to deliver even before the first tee shot has even been struck.

The 80th U.S. Women's Open kicks off at Erin Hills Golf Course, and here's what you need to know ahead of the competition.

Erin Hills Knows Championship Golf

Nestled no more than 40 miles north of Milwaukee, Erin Hills Golf Course is not stranger to big time golf.

This week's women's major will be the fifth different USGA championship to be conducted at Erin Hills in a 17-year stretch. The previous tournaments have been the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links, the 2011 U.S. Amateur, the 2017 U.S. Open (when Brooks Koepka won), and the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Brooks Koepka in action on Sunday at Erin Hills GC. (Donald Miralle/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The women will play the week at a lengthy 6,829 yards; in 2017, the men played from 7,721 yards. Koepka won with a record-tying 16 under par, but there was a noticeable lack of wind, which is usually the course's biggest line of defense.

Weather will be a huge thing to watch this week. As players continue prep earlier in the week temperatures won't get over 65 degrees. The forecast will warm up toward the weekend.

Record Entries

The number of USWO entries this year totaled out to a whopping 1,904, the second-most in championship history. The first? The 2,107 players who entered to play in 2023 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Venues with history matter; they attract the best golf and golfers.

The U.S. Open has consistently raised the bar in women's golf, pulling in world class venues, sponsors, and financial support—all things that make the world's best golfers want to be participants. They're eager for the challenge and the prestige is important.

Defending champion, and two-time USWO winner Yuka Saso said in her Monday presser, "The U.S. Open set up makes me focus more. [There's] no time to relax, it helps with focus."

Erin Hills is notoriously difficult, and it's enticing.

Saso and Korda to Headline

Yuka Saso as seen on the 10th hole during a practice round ahead of the 2025 U.S. Women's Open Presented by Ally at Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wis. on Monday, May 26, 2025. (Kathryn Riley/USGA).

That said, Saso is in the field this week set to defend her title, along with World No.1 Nelly Korda. Korda won her second major championship last year and is among 84 exempt players currently in the field. This will be her 11th U.S. Women’s Open.

Jeeno Thitikul, world No.2, is also headlining the field this week, after a commanding four-stroke win at the Mizuho Americas Open. The young Thai player is in search of her first major.

World No. 3 Lydia Ko, recorded her 23rd LPGA victory in March at the HSBC Women's World Championship—and will be in the field this week looking to potentially earn her career grand slam. As if the 2024 Olympic gold medalist needs more to add to her resume, it'll be exciting to watch her compete in her 14th Women’s Open. Her best finish came in 2016 at CordeValle, she finished T-3.

Holy Amateurs!

There are 26 amateurs in the USWO field this week, and 10 are in the top 50 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and you may recognize a few.

Some notable amateurs in the field include top-ranked am Lottie Woad, USGA champion Asterisk Talley (who we first met at last year's Open at Lancaster), the 2025 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion Carla Bernat Escuder, and recent NCAA champion Maria Jose Marin.

Maria José Marin of the Arkansas Razorbacks celebrates with the stroke play national champion trophy during the fourth round of the Division I Women's Golf Championship held at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on May 19, 2025 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Yani Tseng Qualifies for first time since 2016

It's been nearly a decade but Yani Tseng, our friend who was putting lefty at the Chevron Championship, advanced through qualifying to make her first USWO start since 2016.

The five-time major winner went viral for putting left-handed and guess it's working out because she'll be able to compete this week and we're pulling for her!

The Largest Prize Fund in Women's Golf

The U.S. Women's Open continues to offer the largest purse in women's golf, with the total prize sitting at $12 million. The winner taking home a little more than $2 million. Players who miss the cut will receive $10,000, the same as the men's U.S. Open.

The USGA was the first women's major to offer a $1 million paycheck to the winner in 2019.