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Shinnecock Hills to host consecutive U.S. Opens in 2036 for men, women

Shinnecock Hills to host consecutive U.S. Opens in 2036 for men, women

In another first for the U.S. Women’s Open, the USGA has announced that Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will host the championship in 2036. But the good news doesn’t stop there. Shinnecock will become only the second venue to host back-to-back U.S. Open championships as the men and women will compete in consecutive weeks at the illustrious Southampton, New York, club.

Ten years ago, Pinehurst No. 2 became the first venue to host the men and women in back-to-back weeks, and it was a wildly successful campaign for the women, with champion Michelle Wie West drawing in massive television numbers, up 92 percent from the year prior.

Pinehurst will once again host back-to-back championships in 2029.

The U.S. Open trophy as seen at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in the Southampton, N.Y. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)

One of five founding members clubs of the USGA, Shinnecock’s roots date to 1891. Its nine USGA championships include the second U.S. Amateur and second U.S. Open, both in 1896. Five U.S. Open championships have been held at Shinnecock, with Brooks Koepka winning the latest in 2018.

Shinnecock Hills ranks No. 1 in New York on Golfweek’s Best list of private-access courses in each state, and it is fourth on the list of top classic courses in the U.S.

While the 91st U.S. Women’s Open will be the first contested at Shinnecock, the club does boast the distinction of becoming the first golf club in America to have women members at its founding.

When LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park won the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open down the road at Sebonack Golf Club, which opened in 2006, it naturally raised questions about whether the women would ever get their chance to become part of golf history, a mere 2 ½ miles away.

At long last, the answer is yes.

“Few places can match the historic importance of Shinnecock Hills to golf in the United States,” said USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer in a release. “As an organization, we felt that this iconic venue would be an ideal stage for both our men’s and women’s premier championships. It will offer the perfect opportunity to bring the game’s best to one course and provide fans the chance to watch them compete for a national championship in back-to-back weeks.”

Last year, the U.S. Women’s Open was hosted at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time. The lineup of courses for the women’s championship leading up to 2036 is dreamlike: The Los Angeles Country Club (2032),…

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