2026 Exemption Categories
126th Women’s Western Amateur Championship
River Forest Country Club | Elmhurst, IL
July 6-11, 2026
Entries will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. CDT on June 1, 2026.
Exempt players who wish to participate in the Championship must complete an official entry by the posted deadline of June 1, 2026. Players in one and/or both of the following categories may be eligible for exemption into the 126th Women’s Western Amateur Championship, providing: they meet the eligibility requirements under the ELIGIBILITY section of the entry form, and there are spaces available.
- Player qualifies under categories A, B, C, D or
- Player has received a formal invitation for a E-1 Special Consideration Exemption from the Women’s Western Amateur Championship Committee
Players who do not receive an invitation or do not qualify under categories A, B, C, or D, may apply for a “E-1 Special Consideration.” Players applying under this category must submit a tournament resume with their application.
A: Exemptions based on WWGA Championships
Women’s Western Amateur Championship:
A-1 Champion (2016 – 2025)
A-2 Round of 32 match play qualifiers (since 2023)
Women’s Western Junior Championship:
A-3 Champion (2024 – 2026)
A-4 Match Play Runner-Up (2024 – 2026)
B: Exemptions based on other Championships
B-1 Exempt for U.S. Women’s Open (2026)
B-3 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Contestants (2026)
B-2 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Round of 32 Match Play Qualifiers (2025)
B-4 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am Champion (2025)
B-5 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Champions (2026)
B-4 The Women’s Amateur, Match Play Qualifiers (2025)
B-5 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, top 10 and ties (2026)
B-6 Women’s Amateur Latin-America, top 10 and ties (2025)
B-7 Any Women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series (WEAGS) Champion (2025)
- Sea Island Women’s Amateur
- Southwestern Women’s Amateur
- North & South Women’s Amateur
- Ladies National Golf Association Amateur
C: Exemptions based on Collegiate Events
C-1 NCAA (DI, DII, DIII) or NAIA Women’s Championship Individual Champions (2026)
C-2 Winners of the NCAA DI Regionals – Individual Champions (2026)
D: Exemptions based on Rankings
D-1 Top 300 World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) at any point between application launch date and entry deadline date
D-2 Top 100 in SCOREBOARD Powered by Clippd Women’s DI Collegiate Rankings as of date of entry
D-3 Member of the 2025 AJGA Rolex Junior All-American First Team.
E:Exemptions based on Special Considerations:
E-1 A limited number of exemptions, based on special considerations and/or written invitation, may be granted by the Committee. Requests for a special consideration