Pebble Beach is hosting the U.S. Women's Open, so the USGA predictably breaks record for number of entries

With the U.S. Women’s Open being played for the first time this July at Pebble Beach, there was an expectation that the USGA might receive an unprecedented number of entries for this year’s national championship. Sure enough, it happened, as the USGA announced on Thursday it had accepted a record 2,107, breaking the previous mark of 1,874 set a year ago and eclipsing the 2,000 threshold for the first time.

“The record number of entries is truly exciting and represents the worldwide interest in competing in the U.S. Women’s Open,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA Chief Championships Officer, in a press release. “Pebble Beach Golf Links is one of America’s iconic and treasured courses and will present a compelling championship venue that will bring out the best in the world’s greatest female players.”

Those entries don't just include dreamers: past champions are also vying to get back into the fold. Cristie Kerr (2007) and Paula Creamer (2010) are no longer exempt into the championship from their previous wins. Instead, both will try to qualify at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., on May 15.

Dreams of playing at idyllic Pebble Beach span multiple generations. The oldest entrant is 60-year-old Kimberly Williams, while the youngest is 9-year-old Bella Simoes.

Eleven past champions are exempt into the event, including last year's winner, Minjee Lee, Michelle Wie West (2014), who has said this will be the last start of her professional career, and Annika Sorenstam, who received a special exemption into the tournament on Monday.

All told, 87 players are currently fully exempt into the field, with more likely to earn that distinction when additional qualifying categories are filled closer to the championship. The remaining spots in the field will be filled with players advancing through 36-hole Final Qualifying events in the U.S. (23), Canada, Japan and Belgium from May 9 to June 7.

U.S. Women's Open exempt players

Marina Alex

Na Rin An

Aditi Ashok

a-Saki Baba

a-Jessica Baker

Celine Boutier

Ashleigh Buhai

a-Krissy Carman

Chella Choi

Hye-Jin Choi

In Gee Chun

a-Monet Chun

Carlota Ciganda

Allisen Corpuz

Gemma Dryburgh

Ally Ewing

Ayaka Furue

Linn Grant

Hannah Green

Georgia Hall

Mina Harigae

Nasa Hataoka

Brooke Henderson

Charley Hull

Mone Inami

Chisato Iwai

Eun-Hee Ji

Ariya Jutanugarn

Danielle Kang

Minami Katsu

Haruka Kawasaki

Megan Khang

A Lim Kim

Grace Kim

Hyo Joo Kim

Sei Young Kim

Cheyenne Knight

Jin Young Ko

Lydia Ko

Jessica Korda

Nelly Korda

Jennifer Kupcho

Brittany Lang

Bronte Law

Alison Lee

Andrea Lee

Da Yeon Lee

Minjee Lee

Mirim Lee

So Mi Lee

Jeongeun Lee6

Hee Joeng Lim

Xiyu Lin

Gaby Lopez

Nanna Koertz Madsen

Leona Maguire

Jill McGill

Yuna Nishimura

Anna Nordqvist

Ryann O'Toole

Min Ji Park

Sung Hyun Park

Paula Reto

Hae Ran Ryu

Madelene Sagstrom

Mao Saigo

Lizette Salas

Yuka Saso

Jodi Ewart Shadoff

Hinako Shibuno

Jiyai Shin

Annika Sorenstam

Angela Stanford

Maja Stark

Patty Tavatanakit

Atthaya Thitikul

Lexi Thompson

Momoko Ueda

Lilia Vu

Michelle Wie West

Miyu Yamashita

Amy Yang

Angel Yin

Ruoning Yin

Yuri Yoshida

a-Yana Wilson

a-Rose Zhang