[2] The championship was open to any female professional or amateur golfer with a USGA handicap index not exceeding 2.4.

Additional players were exempt from qualifying because of past performances in professional or amateur tournaments around the world.

[4] Choi Na-yeon (10,15,16), Chun In-gee (9,11,13-KLPGA,15,16), Paula Creamer (10,15), Ji Eun-hee (10,15,16), Cristie Kerr (10,12,15,16), Ryu So-yeon (9,10,15,16), Michelle Wie (10) Hannah O'Sullivan (a), Sierra Brooks (a) Julia Engström (a) Leona Maguire (a) Shanshan Feng (13-LET,14,15,16), Brooke Henderson (9,11,12,15,16) Stacy Lewis (9,10,15,16), Mo Martin (16), Yani Tseng Lydia Ko (8,10,11,12,15,16), Brittany Lincicome (15,16), Lexi Thompson (11,12,15,16), Yoo Sun-young (10) Kim Hyo-joo (12, 13-KLPGA,15,16), Suzann Pettersen (10,15,16) Pernilla Lindberg (10), Shiho Oyama (15,16), Jane Park (10), Morgan Pressel (10,15,16) Amy Yang (10,15,16) Marina Alex, Baek Kyu-jung, Chella Choi (12,15,16), Carlota Ciganda (15,16), Austin Ernst, Sandra Gal, Julieta Granada, Jaye Marie Green, Wei Ling Hsu, Charley Hull (15,16), M. J. Hur, Karine Icher, Jang Ha-na (11,12,15,16), Ariya Jutanugarn (12,15,16), Moriya Jutanugarn, Danielle Kang, Kim Kaufman, Christina Kim, In-Kyung Kim, Kim Sei-young (11,15,16), Jessica Korda (12,15,16), Candie Kung (15,16), Brittany Lang (15,16), Alison Lee (15,16), Ilhee Lee (15), Lee Mi-hyang (15), Min Lee, Minjee Lee (11,12,15,16), Mirim Lee (15,16), Caroline Masson, Catriona Matthew, Maria McBride, Sydnee Michaels, Mika Miyazato (15,16), Azahara Muñoz (15,16), Haru Nomura (11,12,15,16), Anna Nordqvist (15,16), Ryann O'Toole, Lee-Anne Pace (15,16), Park Hee-young (16), Pornanong Phatlum (15,16), Gerina Piller (11,15,16), Beatriz Recari, Lizette Salas (15), Alena Sharp, Jenny Shin (11,12,15,16), Kelly Shon, Jennifer Song, Angela Stanford, Kris Tamulis (12), Mariajo Uribe, Karrie Webb (15), Sakura Yokomine Ssu-Chia Cheng, Xi Yu Lin Su-Hyun Oh, Ayaka Watanabe Se Ri Pak[6] Additional players qualified through sectional qualifying tournaments taking place in May and June at sites in the United States, China, South Korea, England, and Japan.

Both players made pars on the first two holes, but it was soon determined that Nordqvist had slightly moved sand prior to her approach shot from the fairway bunker on 17, a two-stroke penalty (rule 13-4b).

The players were told of the penalty by a rules official midway through the par-5 final hole, after Nordqvist's third shot but before Lang's.