Women’s Open makes 1st Alabama appearance

For the first time in its 73-year history, the U.S. Women’s Open will make an appearance in Alabama. The tournament will be at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club, starting May 29 and continuing through Sunday, June 3.

“I think folks are going to be surprised when they come out here, the major feel of the event,” said Championship Manager John Coppins. “This is a major event, and folks are going to be really surprised about the scale of the event.”

A date change for the tournament made it possible to bring the Women’s Open to Alabama this year, Coppins said. In past years, the Women’s Open would be held in July — a month where it wasn’t feasible to bring the tournament to Alabama. 

The date change makes the Women’s Open the first open championship on the calendar, Coppins said.

“It’s a once in a lifetime experience for the folks in this area to see this championship,” Coppins said. The Women’s Open changes locations each year, with the last five years’ competitions having been held in Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, North Carolina and New York. 

Coppins, who moved to the Birmingham area in September 2016 to begin planning the 2018 Women’s Open, said during an April interview that their team is ready to shift its focus from event logistics to community support in the final few weeks of planning. 

Over the last few years, they have received support from county officials, local businesses and other Shelby County groups, Coppins said, so they are now working to bring the community into the event as well.

“The focus really shifts to the support from the community in the form of volunteerism,” Coppins said. “We would really like these players to see one of those famous Alabama crowds.” 

They expect between 100,000 and 125,000 spectators to come to the Women’s Open over the course of the week, possibly with 20,000 a day on the final days of the championship. 

In addition to this being the first U.S. Women’s Open in Alabama, Coppins said the event provides spectators with a unique chance to meet the competitors.

“You won’t meet a group of athletes more welcoming than LPGA golfers,” Coppins said, adding that spectators will find it’s easy to get an autograph or talk with players. The tournament also includes amateur and professional golfers playing for the same trophy and a share of the $5 million purse. The winner’s share is set to be $900,000 at this year’s tournament.

“To have that balance of — whether it’s a high school-aged golfer, a collegiate golfer or someone who gave up playing professionally — to have that blend competing for the same prize, competing for the same trophy, you don’t get that in other golf championships,” Coppins said.

Sectional qualifiers for the tournament will run from May 2-17 and include 25 sites around the country, as well as some international sites. 

To put on the tournament, however, they also need about 1,500 volunteers. As of mid-April, the tournament still had several volunteer slots open, Coppins said, and they will accept volunteers until about two weeks before the start of the Women’s Open.

“We, like most golf events, rely heavily on volunteers,” Coppins said. “It’s a massive undertaking.”

Volunteers help with spectator services such as admission, golf cart distribution and merchandise sales, in addition to hospitality, scoring and competition services, according to the Women’s Open website, and they receive admission to all six days of the tournament. Volunteers must also purchase an apparel package for $85.

As of press time, regulations on what could be brought into the tournament and an off-site parking location for spectators had not been established. Those details will be made available closer to the event, Coppins said.

For more information, go to uswomensopen.com.

Schedule of events

►Tuesday, May 29: Opening ceremony, including flag raising

►Wednesday, May 30: Junior programming day. Players 18 and under welcome to interact with and learn from players.

►Thursday, May 31: Championship kicks off. First round, 18 holes, stroke play.

►Friday, June 1: Second round, 18 holes, stroke play. First cut.

►Saturday, June 2: Third round, 18 holes, stroke play.

►Sunday, June 3: Final round, 18 holes, stroke play.