FAR HILLS, N.J. — The U.S. Golf Association has accepted 1,236 entries for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, set for June 26-29 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.
 
It is the fifth consecutive year the number of entries for the championship has surpassed 1,000. The record of 1,251 entries was set in 2007.
 
The first to file an entry was Katie Sylvan of San Diego, Calif., who was one of 33 people to enter on March 3, the first day online applications were available. The last to file was Sarah Neville of Austin, Texas, who submitted her entry online at 4:46:31 p.m. on April 30, 14 minutes before the official deadline. More than 87 percent of the total entries were received online, including 63 on the last day (April 30) applications were accepted.
 
The youngest entrant is 11-year-old Samantha Wagner of Easton, Pa., with a birth date of Oct. 6, 1996. For the second consecutive year, the oldest player who listed her date of birth on her entry form is Barbara Israel of New York, N.Y., at age 62.
 
Sixty golfers are currently fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming championship. Defending champion Cristie Kerr leads the list of nine past winners who are fully exempt. Kerr is joined by: Laura Davies (1987); Juli Inkster (1999, 2002); Birdie Kim (2005); Hilary Lunke (2003); Meg Mallon (1991, 2004); Se Ri Pak (1998); Annika Sorenstam (1995, 1996, 2006); and Karrie Webb (2000, 2001). One other past champion, 1988 winner Liselotte Neumann, has entered to go through qualifying.

Two former area ACC players, Meaghan Francella (UNC) and Brittany Lang (Duke), along with Duke junior Amanda Blumenherst, the U.S. Women's Amateur runner-up, are exempt.

The number of fully exempt golfers will increase with the inclusion of top 35 money leaders on the official 2008 LPGA Tour money list as of June 1. Spots are also reserved for anyone who wins an official LPGA Tour event through the weekend prior to the start of the 2008 Women’s Open who is not already fully exempt.
 
Local qualifying at 16 sites begins May 9 and runs through May 19. Sectional qualifying will be conducted at seven sites on June 9.

The lone U.S. Women's Open local qualifier will be held Monday, May 12, at Pinewild Country Club's Magnolia Course.