ROGERS, AR - Defending champion Seon Hwa Lee will return to the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons in September with hopes of winning her second title. She will be joined by the three 2009 LPGA Tour major winners, including Eun-Hee Ji, last week's U.S. Women's Open champion. Brittany Lincicome and Anna Nordqvist, who won the Kraft Nabisco Championship and McDonald's LPGA Championship, respectively, will also compete. Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming tournament at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, September 11 - 13.
"Our LPGA event in Northwest Arkansas is fortunate to be part of a vibrant, growing community," said Jay Allen, Tournament Chairman. "We have an opportunity to be a truly special event on the LPGA Tour and the players and the Tour appreciate the potential here. When all is said and done, we will have a world-class field come September."
Lee shot 15-under-par over three rounds to defeat Jane Park and Meena Lee by one stroke in 2008. The 23 year-old Lee native of South Korea is a four-time LPGA Tour champion and the 2006 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. Lee earned $1,187,294 in 2008, the sixth-highest total on the LPGA Tour. She has already earned three top-10 finishes in the first half of the 2009 season, including a third-place finish recently at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.
Ji turned in the performance of her life last week at the U.S. Women's Open to win her second career LPGA Tour event and first major championship. She made a remarkable 20 foot downhill putt on the final hole to avoid a playoff and capture the trophy. Ji was the only golfer to break par for the tournament. She earned $585,000 for the victory, the largest payout on the LPGA Tour.
Lincicome is one of the top, young American stars on the LPGA Tour. She is one of the longest hitters on Tour and a fan favorite because of her outgoing personality. The 23 year-old broke through for her first major this year at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. It was her third career victory.
Nordqvist became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the McDonald's LPGA Championship. The 22 year-old native of Sweden turned professional in late 2008 following the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. She had a successful amateur career in Europe and then collegiately at Arizona State University.
Daily tickets are $15 Tuesday - Thursday of tournament week and $25 for championship play, Friday - Sunday. Week-long grounds badges can be purchased for $50. Fans can purchase online at www.PGBeautyChampionship.com or by calling (479) 715-6100.
The tournament will continue to allow 20 area charitable organizations who are dedicated to children and children's health the opportunity to sell weekly grounds badges while keeping 100 percent of the proceeds. To support your favorite participating charity, visit www.PGBeautyChampionship.com.
For more information on the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, please visit www.PGBeautyChampionship.com.