Morgan Pressel qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Open at age 12, finding the national spotlight long before she could drive a car. Four years later, she nearly won the whole thing at Cherry Hills Country Club, shortly after her 17th birthday. Birdie Kim’s hole-out bunker shot on the 72nd hole dashed Pressel’s chances of becoming the second amateur to win the championship.
She’d go on to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur later that summer.
Pressel turned 36 years old on Thursday, May 23, 2024, and while she’s now retired from competitive golf after 16 seasons on tour, the 2007 Kraft Nabisco champion still plays a prominent role in the women’s game as lead analyst for Golf Channel/NBC’s LPGA coverage.
When the tour heads to Lancaster Country Club next week for the 79th U.S. Women’s Open, Pressel will once again be in the booth shaping the conversation. She tied for fifth at Lancaster when the club first hosted the Women’s Open in 2015.
Take a look back on Pressel’s career through the years:
2021 Hugel-Air Premia LA Open
Morgan Pressel looks on at the first green during the third round of the 2021 Hugel-Air…
Morgan Pressel looks on at the first green during the third round of the 2021 Hugel-Air Premia LA Open at Wilshire Country Club. (Photo: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
2001 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel watches her tee shot on the third hole at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf…
Morgan Pressel watches her tee shot on the third hole at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club during the first round of the 2001 US Women’s Open. (Photo: Scott Halleran/Allsport)
2023 Solheim Cup
Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel Stacy Lewis, captain of team USA and Angela Stanford pose with the…
Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel Stacy Lewis, captain of team USA and Angela Stanford pose with the Solheim Cup trophy during the official photocall prior to the The Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin Golf Club. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Morgan Pressel
Madison Pressel of Texas tees off at No. 1 during the second round.
2021 Honda Classic
LPGA golfer and TV analyst Morgan Pressel works during the third round of the PGA Tour’s…
LPGA golfer and TV analyst Morgan Pressel works during the third round of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel’s Morgan & Friends Fight Cancer Tournament in 2024.
2023 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel and Mina Harigae during the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Preview Day in the Pebble…
Morgan Pressel and Mina Harigae during the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Preview Day in the Pebble Beach. (Copyright USGA/Jed Jacobsohn)
2023 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel during the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Preview Day in the Pebble Beach, Calif. on…
Morgan Pressel during the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open Preview Day in the Pebble Beach, Calif. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. (Copyright USGA/Jed Jacobsohn)
2001 U.S. Women’s Open
Pressel, 13, looks on during the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at the Pine Needles Lodge and…
Pressel, 13, looks on during the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Photo: Craig Jones/Allsport)
2001 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel, 13, signs autographs during practice ahead of the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at the…
Morgan Pressel, 13, signs autographs during practice ahead of the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. (Photo: Luke Frazza/AFP via Getty Images)
2019 Solheim Cup
Morgan Pressel plays her shot from the second tee in her match with Anna Nordqvist of…
Morgan Pressel plays her shot from the second tee in her match with Anna Nordqvist of Team Europe during the final day singles matches of the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
2009 Solheim Cup
Angela Stanford, Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel, Beth Daniel, Kristy McPherson and Brittany Lincicome of the U.S.…
Angela Stanford, Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel, Beth Daniel, Kristy McPherson and Brittany Lincicome of the U.S. Solheim Cup team at Rich Harvest Farms on August 20, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo: Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
2021 Gainbridge LPGA
Morgan Pressel on the sixth hole during round one of the 2021 Gainbridge LPGA in Orlando.…
Morgan Pressel on the sixth hole during round one of the 2021 Gainbridge LPGA in Orlando. (Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
2020 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel walks off a tee box during the practice round at the 2020 U.S. Women’s…
Morgan Pressel walks off a tee box during the practice round at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club (Jackrabbit Course) in Houston, Texas on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)
2007 Solheim Cup
U.S. President George W. Bush poses with members of the 2007 Solheim Cup winning team: Pat…
U.S. President George W. Bush poses with members of the 2007 Solheim Cup winning team: Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Nicole Castrale, Sherri Steinhauer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Bush, team captain Betsy King, Laura Diaz, Angela Stanford, Natalie Gulbis, Stacy Prammanasudh, Juli Inkster and Cristie Kerr in the Oval Office at the White House. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Morgran Pressel
Morgan Pressel’s Morgan & Friends Fight Cancer Tournament.
Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda and the rest of Team USA ahead of the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. (Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
The United States team: Megan Kang, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Altomare, Angel Yin, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda,…
The United States team: Megan Kang, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Altomare, Angel Yin, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Juli Inkster (captain), Danielle Kang, Marina Alex, Ally McDonald, Lizette Salas, Annie Park and Stacy Lewis at the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
2019 U.S. Women’s Open
Morgan Pressel waves to the gallery on the seventh green during the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open…
Morgan Pressel waves to the gallery on the seventh green during the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open at Country Club of Charleston. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel’s Morgan & Friends Fight Cancer Tournament.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel and her MammoVan (Photo: Jason Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel at her home in early 2017. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Morgan Pressel at her home in early 2017. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel shown in a 2011 file photo for Golfweek. Pressel won the 2005 U. S.…
Morgan Pressel shown in a 2011 file photo for Golfweek. Pressel won the 2005 U. S. Women’s Amateur at Settindown Creek Course, Roswell, Ga. (Photo: Tracy Wilcox/Golfweek)
Morgan Pressel
Some of the stars who came out to support the Morgan Pressel Foundation included Stacy Lewis,…
Some of the stars who came out to support the Morgan Pressel Foundation included Stacy Lewis, Juli Inkster, Lexi Thompson and Paula Creamer.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel of the U.S. Solhiem Cup team celebrates after winning her match 3 and 2…
Morgan Pressel of the U.S. Solhiem Cup team celebrates after winning her match 3 and 2 during the Friday foursomes matches at 2013 Solheim Cup.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel has made photo books for her fellow teammates from the Solheim Cups. Photography is…
Morgan Pressel has made photo books for her fellow teammates from the Solheim Cups. Photography is Pressel’s main off course hobby.
Morgan Pressel
Photo of Golfweek photographer Tracy Wilcox photographing Morgan Pressel with the tools of her hobby, Canon…
Photo of Golfweek photographer Tracy Wilcox photographing Morgan Pressel with the tools of her hobby, Canon cameras.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel has used her hobby of photography to make photo books of her travels.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel shows off her collection of cameras. Her big off course hobby.
Morgan Pressel
Madison Pressel, Grandma, and Morgan Pressel on top of Mount of Olives.
Morgan Pressel
Morgan Pressel lines up a birdie putt on the first playoff hole during the final round…
Morgan Pressel lines up a birdie putt on the first playoff hole during the final round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club on July 5, 2009 in Sylvania, Ohio.
