At U.S. Senior Women's Open, the only question for dropping minimum age is how low
The drumbeat to drop the minimum age from 50 to 45 has grown louder as the years go by. But should it be even lower than that?
At the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the primary debate revolves around the minimum age for participation. Juli Inkster, a 66-year-old LPGA Hall of Famer, demonstrated her stamina by reaching 4 under, only to fall short with a late triple-bogey. Inkster, who started playing in the championship at age 58, believes the minimum age should be lowered to 40, arguing that women's bodies decline more rapidly than men's.
Annika Sorenstam, who won the event in its inaugural year, now supports a lower age limit, citing the lack of parity in age requirements between the two senior championships. The USGA, however, has yet to reach a consensus on the matter, citing the strength of the current field and the event's history as reasons against change. Outside the U.S., the LPGA is witnessing a trend where players retire early, with the youngest winner in 2020 being 40.
Experts suggest that lowering the age limit to 45 could attract more high-caliber players to the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, including names like Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, and Paula Creamer.
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