A whimsical beginning turns into a storied tradition
Juli Inkster, the Hall of Fame golfer who once captained the Solheim Cup, now serves as commissioner of the Sh*thead Fantasy Football League, a tongue‑in‑cheek competition that began as a spontaneous idea among twelve women in 2023. What started as a playful draft, decided by video clips, quickly evolved into a season‑long saga crowned by a lip‑sync battle featuring pop star Dua Lipa, with Catriona Matthew and Laura Diaz securing the second pick for Inkster.
This year marks the eighth edition of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, a milestone that finds Inkster not only overseeing the event but also competing alongside a field that includes fellow Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam, Hollis Stacy and Karrie Webb. The championship is staged at Barton Hills Country Club, a Donald Ross‑designed layout renowned for its strategic challenges, and will be broadcast by NBC’s veteran play‑by‑play voice Mike Tirico, who will serve as a starter for the weekend.
The tournament’s roots trace back to Suzy Green‑Roebuck, a former LPGA player who first tasted victory at the inaugural Senior Women’s Open and later helped shepherd the championship to Ann Arbor. Green‑Roebuck’s vision, sparked after playing at Pine Needles the previous year, planted the seed for Barton Hills to host the event, linking past amateur triumphs such as Grace Park’s 1998 U.S. Women’s Amateur win and Joan Higgins’s 2008 Mid‑Amateur triumph on the same course.
Among the 120‑player field, four competitors — Martha Leach, Kathy Hartwiger, Ellen Port and Stacy Slobodnik‑Stoll — have experienced both of those historic amateur events, underscoring the deep talent pool that converges on the historic Donald Ross greens. Their presence, alongside the league’s playful spirit, illustrates how a light‑hearted fantasy concept can coexist with serious championship golf.
Beyond the fairways, the event highlights community efforts to bring the championship to Ann Arbor, blending competitive golf with local outreach. As the league’s eighth season unfolds, Inkster’s dual role as fantasy commissioner and tournament overseer reflects a unique convergence of sport, entertainment and tradition.