By Brian Wacker
When Amy Olson resumes her pursuit of a U.S. Women’s Open title on Monday morning, she’ll do so with a heavy heart.

On Saturday night, Olson’s father-in-law, Lee Olson, died suddenly and unexpectedly. The news was first reported by Golfweek and confirmed to Golf Digest by the LPGA on Olson’s behalf.

Olson’s husband, Grant, who played football at the couple’s alma mater, North Dakota State, where he currently is the linebackers coach, had travelled to Champions Golf Club this weekend as his wife moved into contention. The 28-year-old, who is looking for her first career victory in her seventh year on the LPGA Tour, is one stroke off the lead of Japan’s Hinako Shibuno with 18 holes to play.

Grant Olson, who married Amy in 2017, returned home on Sunday night to be with his mom and brother, an LPGA official confirmed.

While Amy Olson, who recorded an NCAA-record 20 wins at NDSU, has yet to win as a professional, she has come close on multiple occasions. Two years ago, she played in the final group of two majors, the ANA Inspiration and Evian Championship, only to finish T-9 and T-2, the latter coming after a double bogey on the 72nd hole as she went from leading by one to losing by one.

The U.S. Women’s Open final round was suspended shortly after 9 a.m. local time on Sunday, less than 30 minutes before Olson was set to tee off with Shibuno and Moriya Jutanugarn in the day’s final group. Play never resumed, and 3½ hours later the round was suspended for the rest of the day and is scheduled to resume at 8 a.m. local time Monday.

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By Keely Levins
Two months out from the start of the U.S. Women’s Open, the USGA announced that fans will not be allowed onsite at the Champions Golf Club in Houston for the championship.

The decision falls in line with the USGA holding the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September with no spectators. Additionally, the LPGA has yet to play any event where fans have been permitted since restarting its schedule on July 31.

“Following extensive consultation with health officials, we have decided that hosting the U.S. Women’s Open without spectators will provide the best opportunity to conduct the championship safely for all involved,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director of Championships, in a press release. “While we are disappointed that we won’t be able to welcome fans and their unmatched energy at Champions Golf Club, we know this is the right decision for the community and players.”

The USGA announcement comes just days after the PGA Tour revealed that a limited number of fans will be allowed at the Vivint Houston Open in two weeks. Two thousand daily tickets are being sold for that tournament, marking the first PGA Tour event in the United States that will allow general admission fans onsite since the tour restarted play in June.

The U.S. Women’s Open was originally scheduled for June, but in April as professional golf remained paused due to the spreading of COVID-19, the USGA announced that the U.S. Women’s Open would be moved to Dec. 10-13. The switch comes with some logistical challenges—among them being limited daylight. To ensure the first two rounds will be completed on time, they’ll be played on two courses: Jackrabbit and Cypress. Spreading the field out will make it easier to get the first 36 holes of the championship completed on time before cutting the field for the final 36 holes played on the Cypress.

The USGA noted that those who purchased tickets for the championship through the USGA will be automatically refunded.

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By Alex Myers
Michelle Wie West is expecting the birth of her first child this summer. But now she’s also thinking about a return to the golf course shortly after.

The LPGA star is eying the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open as a possibility for her first tournament back. The event originally scheduled for June has been moved to Dec. 10-13 at Champions Golf Club in Houston due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Logistically, it opened my eyes and I was like, ‘Whoa, like maybe it could happen,’” Wie West told ESPN. “I’m not making a decision right now, but my ears definitely perked up when I heard that the U.S. Open is going to be in December. Suddenly, it’s something that seriously needs to be discussed.”

It’s been nearly a year since Wie, 30, last played in an LPGA event at the 2019 KPMG PGA. Since then, she married Golden State Warriors executive Jonnie West, joined both the Golf Channel and CBS as a golf analyst, and of course, announced her pregnancy. But the latter has the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champ particularly eager to play again.

“The motivation to come back is even stronger because I’m having a girl,” Wie said in January. “I really want her to see me play. I want her to see me be a strong woman. That’s really important to me. The motivation to come back and play is definitely there.”

RELATED: What will the LPGA look like when it comes back?

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