Far Hills, N.J. - Reigning U.S. Women's Amateur Links champion Ya-Ni Tseng leads the list of players who have earned spots in the 156-player field for the 2005 U.S. Women's Open through sectional qualifying.

Sixty-six players were fully exempt into the Championship, leaving 89 spaces open for qualifiers in the field. One place is still being held open for the winner of this weekend's LPGA event, should that winner not already be fully exempt into the Women's Open. The USGA received a record 1,158 entries for the 60th U.S. Women's Open, which is scheduled for June 23-26 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Tseng, 16, of Chinese Taipei, advanced to her first Women's Open, while Morgan Pressel, 17, of Boca Raton, Fla., won her sectional qualifier by seven strokes to advance to the Women's Open for the third time.

In addition to Tseng, seven other past USGA champions qualified for the 2005 U.S. Women's Open. Other USGA champions in the field are: Catherine Cartwright (2000 Women's Amateur Public Links); Dorothy Delasin (1996 Girls' Junior, 1999 Women's Amateur); Tracy Hanson (1991 Women's Amateur Public Links); Marcy Hart (1995 Girls' Junior, 2000 Women's Amateur): Kelli Kuehne (1994 Girls' Junior and 1995 and 1996 Women's Amateurs); Virada Nirapathpongporn of Thailand (2003 Women's Amateur) and Laurie Rinker (1980 Girls' Junior).

Naree Song, 19, of Korea, and Charlotta Sorenstam of Sweden both advanced to the championship, where they will join their sisters Aree Song and Annika Sorenstam, who are already fully exempt.

Pressel, Song and Tseng lead the list of teenagers who qualified for the Women's Open. They will be joined by Marlowe Boukis, 18, of Lutherville, Md.; Dori Carter, 18, of Valdosta, Ga.; Esther Choe, 15, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Amie Cochran, 19, of Torrance, Calif.; Nicole Hage, 19, of Coral Springs, Fla.; Brittany Lang, 19, of McKinney, Texas; Taylor Leon, 17, of Dallas, Texas; Brittany Lincicome, 19, of Seminole, Fla.; and Angela Park, 16, of Torrance, Calif.,

The U.S. Women's Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA. Other championships include the U.S. Open, the U.S. Senior Open, and 10 national amateur championships.

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