The final countdown: USWNT defeats Ireland 1-0 in last friendly ahead of Women’s World Cup

By Lisa AntonucciApr 12, 2023, 10:00 AM EDT

Update: The USWNT secured a 1-0 victory over Ireland Tuesday, powered by a goal in the 43rd minute by Alana Cook, who also happened to be celebrating her 26th birthday.

The U.S. Women’s National Team is back in action Tuesday night with one final friendly against the Republic of Ireland ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The U.S. women, who notched a 2-0 win over the Irish last Saturday in Austin, Texas, will finish the April International window with a matchup at newly-opened CITYPARK in St. Louis, Mo.

Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the weekend was the injury loss of Mallory Swanson, who suffered a torn patella tendon in her left knee near the end of the first half in the USA’s victory. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s second clash with Ireland that “she’s doing better than I thought.”

“She’s stronger than me, let’s put it that way,” he said, noting he got the chance to talk with her. “Even before we knew what the injury is, when she was walking out, she had this big smile on her face and said, ‘Coach, I’m fine. I’ll be good,'” he added. “When I talked to her after that she was really good and she was very thankful for all the support that she got from the staff, from players in and outside of the environment. She said that all she wants is for the team to be successful, and that she’s gonna be our biggest supporter, so very, very good mindset, very good mentality.”

Swanson was replaced on the roster by 18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson, who made headlines as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft by Angel City FC and becoming the youngest draftee in league history. Thompson, who was listed on the “Starting XI” Tuesday, made her USWNT debut last October in front of more than 76,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London, coming into the match against England in the second half. She also came in off the bench against Spain four days later for her second cap.

“[Thompson] is an exciting player,” Andonovski said. “She has abilities to turn in small areas that not many players have. And it’s not just the turn, but she accelerates with the ball and runs at defenses with confidence. I almost want to say sometimes, for an 18 year old, it’s borderline arrogant when she goes at you.”

Not playing on Tuesday is midfielder Rose Lavelle, who suffered “a little knock” during Saturday’s game. Also not dressing Tuesday are Adrianna Franch and Taylor Kornieck. Andonovski said Monday that sitting Lavelle was a precaution.

“This is not a moment for us to take any chances,” he said. “Even though Rose was not happy with the decision because she felt like she could play, we think that it’s a good opportunity for us to see other players and at the same time be very, very safe.”

Looking to get more minutes Tuesday are two-time World Cup champion Julie Ertz and 2022 BioSteel U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and 2022 NWSL MVP Sophia Smith, both of whom made their return to action Saturday after extended absences on the USWNT roster. The 22-year-old Smith, who opened the 2023 NWSL season with four goals and one assist in two games for the Portland Thorns, returned after missing the year’s first two USWNT events due to a foot injury and played the entire game.

The 31-year-old Ertz came into Saturday’s game in the 67th minute, earning her first cap in 611 days and making her first national-team appearance since the bronze-medal match of the Tokyo Olympics. Ertz, who gave birth to her first child — a son — in August 2022, is the 15th woman to play for the USWNT after becoming a mother.

USWNT veteran Becky Sauerbrunn, a St. Louis native, will be honored Tuesday evening for earning her 200th cap, which came in the first match of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup more than a year ago in Carson, California. The match in St. Louis will be the USA’s 10th in Missouri and sixth in St. Louis. Of note, it marks the first game for the USWNT at the home of the newest franchise in MLS — St. Louis CITY SC, which is the first female majority-owned team in the league. Previously, the U.S. women played at Busch Stadium in their lead-up to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

Tuesday’s game will be the final match for the USWNT in before Andonovski selects the 23-player roster for the World Cup, where the four-time champions will kick off their 2023 campaign in just 100 days in New Zealand, taking on Vietnam in its opening match of the group stage.

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How to watch the USWNT vs. Republic of Ireland friendlies

Saturday, April 8, at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas

USA 2, Ireland 0: Emily Fox 37′; Lindsey Horan 80′

Tuesday, April 11, at CITYPARK in St. Louis, Mo.

7:30 p.m. ET; watch on HBO Max and stream live on Universo, Peacock, and the Telemundo app

Who’s playing for the USWNT vs. Republic of Ireland

Vlatko Andonovski named a 26-player roster on March 28 for the USA’s BioSteel Training Camp ahead of the April friendlies vs. the Republic of Ireland. Andonovski will name 23 players to suit up for each match. The USWNT roster by position (includes current club, caps/goals):

GOALKEEPERS (3):

Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current; 10)
Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 13)
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 90)

DEFENDERS (10):

Alana Cook (OL Reign; 23/0)
Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars; 48/1)
Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage; 28/1)
Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC; 131/24)
Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 15/0)
Sofia Huerta (OL Reign; 28/0)
Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars; 37/0)
Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 156/3)
Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 215/0)
Emily Sonnett (OL Reign; 74/1)

MIDFIELDERS (7):

Julie Ertz (Unattached; 116/20)
Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 127/27)
Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC; 12/2)
Rose Lavelle (OL Reign; 88/24)
Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 50/7)
Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 23/3)
Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 43/3)

FORWARDS (6):

Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 18/5)
Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC; 205/121)
Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 16/2)
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 28/12)
Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 2/0)
Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)

Julie Ertz, Sophia Smith address return ahead of friendlies vs. Ireland

Julie Ertz told media last week that she began exploring a return to the USWNT this past winter, participating in private workouts with a high-performance coach and training sessions with an MLS academy team, which led to what she calls a “refreshed love for the game.”

“I don’t want to go back and be the player that I was because I want to be better,” said Ertz, who will be honored before Saturday’s game for earning her 100th cap, a milestone she actually achieved in March 2020, just before the onset of the global pandemic. “I know it seems weird being out (for so) long, but …I don’t feel like I’ve been gone as long as I have. I feel good, and I love the sport differently than I did (before) and I thought I loved it then. But taking a step away and kind of having a new perspective has given me kind of like a new drive.”

As for her expected playing time in the friendlies, USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski confirmed she’ll see action, but how much remains to be seen: “We’ll certainly see her on the field, but as everyone else, she will have to earn some minutes. Nothing is going to be given.”

Also top of mind for Ertz is signing with a club team. She hasn’t played for an NWSL team since the 2021 season with the Chicago Red Stars and admitted: “I’m trying to stay focused on the games coming up, but also knowing that I need a club team.”

For Sophia Smith, missing the first two national team camps was difficult, but she found a silver lining in the experience: “I think during that time, I learned a lot about myself. I learned how to be patient. I put things in perspective and realized how big a year this was. So it was important for me to take the time I needed to get healthy, to address all the things I I didn’t have time to address last year, and get that all right before I started again, because I knew once I started again, we won’t stop for a very long time.

“I obviously paid a lot of attention to how I was training, when I wasn’t in camp so that when I got back to camp, it feels natural, it feels smooth. And then with the Thorns, I mean, I just feel like I haven’t let my confidence drop, even being injured and being out. So I think that’s a big thing. And just training with the with the team and having preseason games to build I think allowed me to come out in the first game of the season feeling pretty good about where I was.”

More on the USWNT roster: Emily Fox scores first international goal

Defender Emily Fox got the scoring started on Saturday, recording her first career international goal and in what was her 28th cap. She was one of five players who entered the match looking for their first international goal. According to the USWNT media, Fox is now the 116th player all-time to score for the USWNT as well as the seventh different player and first defender to do so in 2023. Of note, Fox leads the U.S. women in total minutes played in 2023 with 495 minutes of action, and she was the only U.S. player to play the full 270 minutes at the 2023 SheBelieves Cup. Since the October 2021 FIFA window, Fox has played in 24 of the USA’s 28 matches, making 12 starts.

For midfielder Lindsey Horan, the converted penalty kick marked her 27th international goal and first of 2023. Providing the assist was midfielder Andi Sullivan, who recorded her fifth career assist and first in 2023.

A few more roster notes about the USWNT ahead of its series vs. Ireland:

The U.S. roster features six players with 100 caps or more: Becky Sauerbrunn (215), Alex Morgan (205), Kelley O’Hara (156), Crystal Dunn (131), Lindsey Horan (127) and Julie Ertz (117).
Players with less than 20 caps include Trinity Rodman (16), Naomi Girma (15), Casey Murphy (13), Taylor Kornieck (12), Adrianna Franch (10) and Alyssa Thompson (2).
Morgan leads all scorers on the U.S. roster with 121 career goals — good for fifth in U.S. history. Horan has 27, Dunn and Lavelle each have 24 and Ertz has 20.
In what is an unofficial record, the USWNT has five mothers in camp ahead of the final friendlies: Ertz, Franch, Morgan, Krueger and Dunn.
Back on the roster — but did not suit up on Saturday — are Olympian Casey Krueger, who gave birth to her first child (a boy) in July 2022 and is in her first USWNT camp since October 2021; veteran defender Kelley O’Hara, a two-time World Cup winner who is returning from injury and has not played for the U.S. since last summer, and fellow World Cup champion defender Tierna Davidson, who trained with the USWNT before the 2023 SheBelieves Cup but has yet to see action since recovering from ACL surgery. If she does, it will be her first appearance for the U.S. since the 2022 SheBelieves Cup.

Who’s NOT playing: Forward Megan Rapinoe, who has 199 caps, was ruled out of the April friendlies as she recovers from a lower leg (calf) injury. Additionally, Catarina Macario, who suffered an ACL injury last June, remains out.

“I think she’s supposed to be on the field sometime beginning of next month,” said Andonovski, who noted that Macario has the same evaluation process as everyone else via professional games over the next two months.

Republic of Ireland preps for its FIFA World Cup debut

Ireland, which will make its World Cup debut this summer, qualified for the 2023 tournament in dramatic fashion: After finishing second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group A behind Sweden, Ireland faced Scotland in a one-game playoff at the famed Hampden Park in Glasgow, which drew more than 10,000 fans. Irish forward Amber Barrett scored in the 72nd minute to give “The Girls in Green” a 1-0 win and send them to their first World Cup.

For the matches vs. the USWNT, Ireland head coach Vera Pauw has called up a 27-player roster that includes eight players who saw action in the decisive matchup against Scotland. Midfielders Denise O’Sullivan and Katie McCabe are the leading scorers on the roster with 18 international goals each. Defender Áine O’Gorman is the most experienced player of the group with 115 caps, followed by fellow defender Louise Quinn with 101 caps. O’Sullivan will hit the 100-cap milestone in the first matchup against the U.S.

“Ireland is a highly motivated, hard-working team that has talented players with big hearts who I know are really excited to be representing their country in a World Cup,” Andonovski said recently. “The two games will be a great test at a crucial time in our team’s run to the World Cup. While there will be plenty of league games for us to watch after April, these will be the final matches for our players with the National Team before we have to pick the World Cup roster, so they will carry that importance.”

Additional notes ahead of USWNT-Republic of Ireland friendlies

The USWNT has played Ireland 14 times and won every match.
Alex Morgan has scored in all three of her previous appearances against Ireland, recording five goals total and featuring a hat trick in her first match against the Irish in 2012. Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan and Mallory Swanson have all also scored in previous meetings with Ireland.
The match in Austin marked the USWNT’s 32nd match in Texas, where it has never lost. The USWNT played the first-ever match at Q2 Stadium (home of Major League Soccer club Austin FC) on June 16, 2021, defeating Nigeria 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd. The April 8 matchup marked USA’s first match at Q2 since that night, which featured goals by Christen Press and Lynn Williams in the U.S. victory.
At the upcoming World Cup, Ireland will play in Group B, which also includes Canada, Nigeria and co-host Australia. Ireland will face Australia on July 20 in the second match of the tournament and the first in Australia, where they’ll play at the 82,000-seat Stadium Australia.
The U.S. team will play in Group E at the 2023 World Cup, where they’ll face Vietnam, Netherlands and playoff-winner Portugal.

RELATED: 2023 Women’s World Cup – Storylines to watch as USWNT prepares to take aim at historic three-peat

Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges still to come and embracing her AAPI heritage

By Lisa AntonucciMay 31, 2023, 9:59 AM EDT

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Li Li Leung joined USA Gymnastics as president and CEO in March 2019, when the organization was reeling from the fallout of Larry Nassar’s widespread sexual abuse and the subsequent revelations of larger cultural issues within the sport. Since then, Leung has seen USAG through an ongoing transformation, one that hinges on the work of the survivors and staff around her, whom she is quick to credit. That evolution, as she calls it, has included instituting new norms and standards at all levels of the sport, particularly in matters related to athlete safety.

Among the notable USAG initiatives that Leung has brought to fruition is the Athlete Bill of Rights, established in December 2020 as a tool “to unite the full gymnastics community around a shared vision of behavioral expectations.” At the same time, USAG instituted a protest policy for national team members aimed at supporting athletes who choose to use their voice on public platforms. Both initiatives were among the first of their kind in sport.

Prior to joining USAG, Leung served as a vice president at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she was responsible for building and managing key partner relationships around the world. She continues to use that experience in her roles as vice chair of the National Governing Bodies Council of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Executive Committee.

Leung, who began competing in gymnastics at age 7, was a member of the U.S. junior national training team and represented the U.S. at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games. She was a four-year member of the four-time Big 10 champion University of Michigan gymnastics team and was an NCAA Championships participant.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, On Her Turf sat down with Leung to talk about her journey with USAG, the challenges still to come and how being a member of the AAPI community has shaped the person she is today.

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This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start by talking about your journey since joining USA Gymnastics in 2019. What have the last four years been like for you?

Li Li Leung: This was just an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me. And I really mean that because I started in the sport when I was 7 years old and did it for 15 years. It’s taught me all of these different skills that I apply to my daily life, both professional and personal. It feels a little bit like I’ve come full circle, and honestly, never in a million years did I think I would find myself in this role. … I joined at a time when it was a tumultuous time for the organization. It’s been just a little a little over four years now, and it has been an incredible journey — and believe it or not, I have enjoyed it. While it hasn’t been easy, I actually have enjoyed it, because I’ve been able to make it not just me. One thing that’s important to note is that — I had even said on my first interview with the board — it will take a village to accomplish what we need to accomplish. This is not a one-person job. And I was lucky enough to be able to bring on a leadership team that has been incredible, and also retain the staff that we have retained, as well as hire other new staff members. And it’s because of them and some really key volunteers that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to do.

OHT: Can you talk a little more about this cultural transformation that the organization has experienced and your approach to tackling this all-encompassing change?

Leung: When I was interviewing for the position, I actually met every single board member. It was really critical to both sides that they felt that I matched the role and their needs and also I had to be confident in the board believing in the ultimate mission of the organization and what we wanted to achieve. So that the culture really does stem from the well – from the top down and everything in between as well. And when I was looking for leadership team, … one of the characteristics I was really looking for was they couldn’t have an ego. The job couldn’t be about themselves or about what they would personally get out of the role. It had to be about them believing in the bigger picture and believing in what we collectively wanted to achieve. I knew that we would only be able to accomplish what we need to accomplish if people were willing to roll up their sleeves and just do whatever needed to be done, so that was one of the key things in terms of having no ego.

Since 2018, we’ve turned over more than 70 percent of our staff. We’ve been able to retain the really key members of our staff, who have been critical to our success, but also have been able to really bring in new thinking, new blood, new perspectives. Because the other thing I was looking for when I was hiring for the leadership team was diversity in perspectives. That was critical because I did not want to be surrounded by “yes people.” I wanted to be surrounded by people who would be willing to have really robust conversations and engage in difficult conversations, because ultimately, you end up in a better place because of that.

In 2020, we reset our mission to be about building a community and culture of health, safety and excellence, with athletes who thrive in sport and in life. So we were no longer about developing technically superior gymnasts who perform well in gym. We reset our focus to be about helping set our athletes up for success with the skill sets that you learn in gymnastics, and when we come to the office each day, that’s what we’re thinking about. …

The other piece is we also know from a community standpoint that our national team coaches are the most visible representation (of USAG), and a lot of coaches model them. So we’ve been working really hard in terms of working on educating our national team coaches. We work with Positive Coaching Alliance to do educational training with them as well. And we also have introduced training specifically for young coaches coming in, because we know when they come in and they’re new, that they’re eager to learn, and that’s when you can start training and moving them in a way. So our thinking is with this top-down and bottom-up strategy, eventually the middle will meet.

OHT: You noted how the coaches can be some of the most visible representatives of USAG. Regarding the addition of 2008 Olympic silver medalists Chellsie Memmel (USAG technical lead) and Alicia Sacramone Quinn (USAG strategic lead), how have those women impacted the program?

Leung: The addition of Chellsie and Alicia has been fantastic. They have been phenomenal to work with, and the fact that they have firsthand experience of having gone through it themselves – that also gives them a very good idea of what they would change and what they wouldn’t change, at the same time. It has been a phenomenal addition to be able to have this perspective of firsthand, high-level, high-performing athletes to be able to lead our high-performance team. And the athletes are saying it as well. They’re saying, “We trust them; we feel confident in their decisions; we can relate to them” — all of those things that historically haven’t really happened before.

Then in terms of the athletes who are going to college and coming back to compete with USA Gymnastics – there are so many aspects that I think are great about this. One: It’s showing a lengthened career in a sport that historically has not been very long because it’s so demanding on the body. So that means that our athletes are physically healthier, as well, that they can train and compete at a high level for a longer period of time. It also means that they’re enjoying it more because they’re staying in the sport. From an emotional standpoint, they’re finding a lot more joy in the sport, and they’re talking about it, too. And we love the fact that they’re talking about it. We want them to talk about it, and we want them to have voices and feel open and free about sharing what they’re thinking about. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying seeing almost like — I’m not sure if I can go as far as a new era in the sport maybe — but just this evolution of the sport and the athletes changing in front of my eyes.

OHT: What do you consider now to still be the biggest challenge or obstacle for USAG?

Leung: There are a couple of big initiatives on the list. One is we want to build a training and wellness center where all of our disciplines will train under one roof. This is a long-term project, obviously, but my vision around it is that it will be the heart and hub of gymnastics in America. And while this is where national team athletes will ultimately train to some extent, it is going to be a welcoming place for athletes of all different disciplines and all different levels. We want it to be a place where young athletes can come through and see their role models training. We want this to be a place of education for our community and judges. We want to be able to run clinics there for all different levels. We just want this to be a gathering place of gymnastics and to be able to celebrate the sport there at the same time.

We’re also going to reset our foundation. There’s been the National Gymnastics Foundation, but we are going to reset it and basically be much more proactive on fundraising and development to grow the sport and also to raise more money for athletes in their training.

OHT: Turning to AAPI Heritage Month and being named to the 2023 Gold House A100 List (the A100 is named each May honoring 100 Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society over the past year). What did that honor mean to you?

Leung: It was such an incredible honor to be recognized by them, and my fellow honorees — when I read the list, I thought to myself, “I don’t belong.” There are some incredible names on that list. But again, I go back to what I said earlier: I owe this honor to a lot of the other people who work [at USAG]. I think the really important thing to recognize is that this was not done by just me. It was done by a lot of other people who are on staff and who aren’t getting the accolades or the recognition. But it was an incredible experience to be, and I’m very, very touched and honored to be on that list.

OHT: How do you identify within the Asian American Pacific Islander community? Did you embrace your heritage growing up and how has that shaped who you are today?

Leung: So I’ll tell you a story that I’ve mentioned to other people recently. I grew up in a town called Ridgewood in Bergen County, New Jersey, and most of my friends had blond hair and blue eyes. When I was growing up, I wanted the name “Nancy Smith,” and I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to fit in. As a kid, you always want to fit in. Then when you get older and wizen up a little bit, you realize that it’s okay and it’s good to be different, that you can use that to your advantage. And so upon growing up, I realized that it’s pretty special to be Asian American and there are benefits to being Asian American, and you should embrace the fact that you are different. In fact, I recently lectured to a women-in-sports-business class, and one of the questions they asked me was about impostor syndrome. I said the same thing that I’m saying to you now, which is absolutely embrace who you are. Absolutely embrace your differences, because those ultimately are embedded advantages to who you are and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. So that’s my philosophy now.

OHT: Do you or your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

Leung: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a tradition, but in the Chinese culture, food is really important. Food is what brings people together. It’s a sign of respect, and that is the ultimate unifying language in a way. So when we do get together as a family, it’s really important for us to get together around a meal, because that’s when we share our stories. That’s when we connect with one another.

OHT: You might have just answered my next question, but I want to ask: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Leung: It’s funny, I was actually at a conference last week and you were supposed to find someone you didn’t know in the conference and share a secret talent that you have. I shared that I can eat a lot more than most people think. Food is a really important part of our culture and in my upbringing and family.

OHT: Lastly, I wanted to ask, as we’ve seen an increase in hate-filled actions toward the AAPI community, what does supporting the AAPI community look like for you?

Leung: Well, I think kind of going back to my other answer, it’s just about embracing who you are and embracing your differences. I think part of it is being unafraid of it at the same time, which I know is really difficult. But if you’re going to truly embrace it, and then you can’t be afraid about embracing it at the same time.

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2023 Mizuho Americas Open: How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at Liberty National GC

By Lisa AntonucciMay 30, 2023, 5:03 PM EDT

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The Statue of Liberty is the backdrop for this week’s inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tournament boasts a theme of mentorship and education, and includes a girls’ 72-hole, modified Stableford tournament featuring 24 juniors to go along with the 72-hole stroke-play event for 120 LPGA professionals.

The field is led by seven of the top 10 players on the Rolex Rankings including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 3 Lydia Ko, No. 4 Lilia Vu and No. 5 Minjee Lee. Also teeing it up this week are the finalists from Sunday’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, where Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her second LPGA title with a 3-and-1 victory over Japan’s Ayaka Furue.

Michelle Wie West is serving as the tournament host, and she’ll be on hand to welcome fellow Stanford alum Rose Zhang, who’s fresh off her second straight NCAA individual title and turned professional just last week. Zhang will have her first go at an LPGA prize purse, which tops out at $2.75 million this week with the winner taking home $412,500.

How to watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open

You can watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

Thursday, June 1: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Friday, June 2: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Saturday, June 3: 5-8 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Sunday, June 4: 4:30-5 p.m. ET (streaming only on Peacock); 5-7:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock

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Who’s playing in the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open?

The 120-player field features seven of the top 10 players (and 16 of the top 25 player) on the Rolex Rankings:

No. 1 Jin Young Ko
No. 3 Lydia Ko
No. 4 Lilia Vu
No. 5 Minjee Lee
No. 6 Atthaya Thitikul
No. 8 Brooke Henderson
No. 9 Georgia Hall

Also in the field are 2023 winners Celine Boutier (LPGA Drive On Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), plus several sponsor exemptions including reigning NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang and her Stanford teammate Megha Ganne. Ganne, a native of Holmdel, N.J., finished T-21 at the recent NCAAs and is playing as an amateur. Joining them as an exemption is fellow Cardinal Mariah Stackhouse, who has conditional status on tour in 2023. Monday qualifiers include tour rookie Alexa Pano and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith.

Among the notable juniors expected to play are 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Anna Davis, 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Yana Wilson and 2022 U.S. Junior Girls’ runnerup Gianna Clemente. The 24 junior players were invited through their standings in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

What’s the format for the Mizuho Americas Open?

The professionals will play a 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut to the top 50 and ties after 36 holes. The 24 juniors will play a 72-hole, no-cut competition using the modified Stableford scoring format and a different yardage than the pros.

During the first two rounds, the AJGA players will all be paired together. During the final two rounds, one junior player will play with two LPGA pros with groupings based on scores. This unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase junior and professional competitors playing together.

Stableford scoring refresher: “Stableford” is a scoring system that awards points for the number of strokes taken on each hole in relation to par, rather than simply counting strokes like in stroke play. Unlike in stroke play, where players want the lowest score, the goal in Stableford scoring is to have the highest score. Standard Stableford points values are:

0 Points – Double bogey or worse (two strokes or more over par)
1 Point – Bogey (one stroke over par)
2 Points – Par
3 Points – Birdie (one stroke under par)
4 Points – Eagle (two strokes under par)
5 Points – Albatross or double eagle (three strokes under par)
6 Points – Condor (four strokes under par)

More about Liberty National Golf Club

Located on the shore of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Liberty National Golf Club was designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite and officially opened on July 4, 2006. After the course received mixed reviews following the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust in 2009, the course underwent a renovation led by Steve Wenzloff of PGA Tour Design Services. Of note, the course hosted an event during the PGA Tour Playoffs four times (2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021) as well as the 2017 Presidents Cup, where the U.S. defeated the Internationals 19-11 for the Americans’ seventh consecutive victory in the competition and its 10th straight win overall. For this week’s event, the course will play to a par of 72 with an unofficial scorecard yardage of 6,671 yards.

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