Six months pregnant, Fargo's Amy Olson qualifies for U.S. Women's Open

The first child of Amy and Grant Olson will have major championship experience — before it's even born.

Olson, an LPGA golfer from Fargo who played collegiately at North Dakota State, qualified for the U.S. Women's Open on Monday by firing a 6-under par total over 36 holes at Somerset Country Club in Mendota Heights, Minn.

That's good.

The big story?

Olson is about six months pregnant.

The 30-year-old Olson and her husband, an assistant coach with the North Dakota State football team, made the announcement in March they were expecting their first child in September.

At the time, Olson said she was going to play golf this summer "until I can't play anymore."

That looks like it will be at least through July 7, and a couple of days longer if she makes the 36-hole cut. The U.S. Women's Open is scheduled for July 6-9 at famed Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.

"I’m going to be seven months pregnant at (Pebble Beach)," she said to the Minnesota Golf Association on Monday. “I wanted a shot at it because it’s Pebble. That was the big motivation and it’ll be my last tournament before the baby comes, so it’s a good way to go out.

"I’ve always loved the U.S. Open. They always set up the course very fair, but hard. It’s usually not quirky—hit it straight, hit it long and two-putt a lot of greens. That’s generally favored my style of game."

In March, Olson said she wasn't ruling out the Open, if she qualified and if she feels up to it.

"If I qualify for that, I think I’m going to waddle up there and do whatever I can," she said at the time, laughing.

She plans on playing, if her Twitter account is any indication. Olson wrote that she's already sending requests to the United States Golf Association.

"I’m high maintenance, but the USGA is here for it," Olson posted.

Olson topped the field in the suburban Twin Cities by shooting a second-round 66 in the 36-hole qualifier. After shooting an even-par 72 over the first 18, she made six birdies and no bogeys in the second round to win by two shots over Bailey Tardy of Norcross, Ga., and Jennifer Chang of Cary, N.C.

Olson finished tied for second in 2020 at Champions Golf Club in Houston.

She made three birdies on each side of her second round at the Open qualifier.

"I had a hard time getting the ball to the hole initially, and finally got some putts to fall," she said Monday. "I figured I’d have to get to about 4-under and get a little more aggressive with the putts, and it kind of worked.

"Yesterday during the practice round was the best I have been hitting it in about a year and a half. I struggled a lot last year with just hitting it solid. It was really nice to have everything come together today and post a 6-under. That’s a huge confidence boost for me."

Olson has more than 190 career starts on the LPGA Tour, 13 top-10 finishes and more than $2.5 million in career earnings. But she said she’s never had a sense of job security during her career.

"I’ve always had to take my life one year at a time because I’ve never had status for more than one year," Olson said. "I’ll take the same approach after the baby comes, but I’m pretty noncommittal one way or the other. Life’s going to change a lot.

"Going into Pebble, I’m going to do everything I can to stay healthy and do the best I can."

Tardy and Chang tied at 4-under-par 140, with Tardy making a birdie on the first playoff hole to grab the second qualifier spot.