ATHENS, Ga. — Former Georgia golfer Bailey Tardy earned a spot in the field for the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this week in dramatic fashion at Somerset Country Club in Mendota Heights, Minn.
Tardy birdied the fourth hole of a playoff with Jennifer Chang for the site’s second qualifying spot for the Open. Tardy and Chang both shot 4-under 140 over 36 holes, two strokes off the pace of Amy Olson.
Tardy will be competing in her fourth U.S. Open, following appearances in 2014 in Pinehurst, N.C.; 2016 in San Martin, Calif.; and 2017 in Bedminster, N.J.
The 2023 U.S. Women’s Open will be held at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time ever on July 5-9.
Tardy graduated from Georgia in 2019 after turning professional earlier that year. She was a two-time All-American for the Bulldogs and was named 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year. Tardy posted 12 top-10 and 19 top-20 finishes in 26 career tournaments, including victories at the 2015 Windy City Collegiate and the 2016 NCAA Bryan Regional. She compiled a 72.98 stroke average over 70 rounds, with 36 par-or-better scores.
Tardy is in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour. She secured her card by finishing second in the LPGA Q-Series qualifying school last fall. Tardy spent four years on the Symetra and Epson Tour, posting 14 top-10 efforts and winning the 2021 Copper Rock Championship.