From Idaho to U.S. Open: Caldwell native plays her way to women’s golf’s biggest major
The U.S. Women’s Open stands as the crown jewel of women’s golf.
The top golfers from around the world tee off for the sport’s most prestigious title in a major that has a record-setting purse of $10 million.
And this year, that field includes a young professional from Idaho.
Gabby Lemieux, 25, will play in the U.S. Women’s Open for the first time this week, a milestone for the Caldwell native and Bruneau resident. She tees off at 5 a.m. Mountain time on Thursday — in the first group of the day — at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina. USA broadcasts the tournament’s first two rounds.
“It’s almost like a dream come true,” Lemieux said. “... It’s every woman’s dream, or every girl’s dream, to play in a major.”
But her presence represents more than a personal achievement. Lemieux has broken barriers throughout her professional career, becoming the first Native American to accomplish a host of feats in women’s golf. This week, she’ll become the first Native American to play in the U.S. Women’s Open.
“I’m hoping I won’t be the last. I’m hoping to be the beginning,” said Lemieux, a member of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation.
“My mentor, Notah Begay, he was the first. Now so many young guys are inspired to be like him. I’m hoping I can be that change for one girl. She can see that Gabby, she’s Native. She can do it. Why can’t I?”
The path to this week’s U.S. Open was anything but straight, though.
Lemieux dominated in Idaho, winning a 5A state title as a senior at Vallivue High in 2014 and three state amateur titles under her maiden name, Gabby Barker.
She held the title of the No. 1-ranked college golfer in the country as a sophomore at Texas Tech and earned Big 12 golfer of the year honors that season. She turned pro after graduating in 2018, but she’s had to scratch and claw her way. This spring marks her fifth season on the women’s developmental circuit, the Epson Tour, where she’s made $40,582 in career earnings.
She qualified for three previous LPGA events, and made the cut at one. Permanent status on the top tour has eluded her, but she said she has no plans to slow down.
She moves to Arizona for the winter to chase good weather, separating her from her husband, Jared Lemieux. But they make up for the missed time when he joins her on tour as her caddie.
“I love it,” she said. “For me, it’s all about having fun and living life. Not many people can say they’ve traveled the country at 25. Really, the only thing stopping me from playing is if I’m no longer having fun. And I’m having a blast.”
U.S. Open qualifiers aren’t always so fun, though. Lemieux came up short at the Oregon qualifier four straight years. So she opted to change strategies for 2022, heading to Minnesota. She battled through a pair of weather delays for a one-shot victory at Chaska Town Course on May 9, claiming the lone qualifying spot available and celebrating with a tequila shot in the clubhouse.
“I had to go through some trials the last four times to try to qualify,” she said. “I finally made a decision to pick a new spot, a new place, and it finally worked out in my favor.”
That momentum has been part of one of her best seasons so far on the Epson Tour. She’s made the cut at five of eight events, including a season-high 13th-place finish last weekend at the Inova Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship in Florida. That showing boosted her to 63rd on the Epson Tour money list.
She leaves that tour behind this week to go toe-to-toe with the sport’s best at the U.S. Women’s Open. Lemieux said she doesn’t plan on it being her last, but she has to keep reminding herself to soak it all in.
And then once she tees off Thursday, cut it loose.
“Maybe it’s that one week where I string everything together,” Lemieux said. “... To me, why can’t I win? I have the same opportunity as everyone else.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
