1996 Pine Needles Hosts Its First U.S. Women’s Open

The renaissance of the Sandhills area becoming a mecca for competitive golf began in the early 1990s with Pinehurst No. 2 hosting the Tour Championship in 1991, and during that week the USGA announced it would bring its 1996 U.S. Women’s Open to Pine Needles. Annika Sorenstam won the tournament in the first of four Women’s Opens to be held at Pine Needles, with Karrie Webb (2001), Cristie Kerr (2007) and Minjee Lee (2022) adding their names to the championship winners list.