Sei Young Kim, Jessica Korda, Brooke Henderson
Group 12 – 10th Tee – 8:10 a.m.
Defending champion Sei Young Kim returns to Grand Rapids already a winner in 2017. Kim outlasted the field in Mexico to capture the Lorena Ochoa Match Play for her first win of 2017, but Kim has struggled in recent weeks. She arrives in Michigan off a MC and WD in her last two starts. She’ll look to regain the spark she found at Blythefield Country Club in 2016 where she won in her first appearance. Kim will play alongside Jessica Korda and Brooke Henderson in the opening rounds. Korda is coming off a tie for 11th in her last start at the LPGA Volvik Championship. She hasn’t had much success in Michigan where she looks to crack the top-20 for the first time this week. Henderson is the final member of this group, making just her second start in Grand Rapids. She finished tied for 21st at this event last year but is coming into this event in good form with a tie for 11th last week at home in Canada at the Manulife LPGA Classic.
In Gee Chun, Cristie Kerr, Shanshan Feng
Group 14 – 10th Tee – 8:21 a.m.
Fresh off her fourth runner-up finish of 2017, In Gee Chun arrives in Michigan in search of her first win of the season. The two-time major champion could get it done this week at Blythefield where she finished third last year in just her first appearance. Chun will play alongside Cristie Kerr and Shanshan Feng on Thursday and Friday. Kerr is coming off a great stretch of five events that included her first win of 2017 and not a single finish outside the top-7. She has come back to earth in recent weeks and arrives in Michigan off back-to-back weeks tied for 60th. Feng is also already a winner this season with her victory in the Tour’s first stop in Michigan in May when she captured the LPGA Volvik Championship. The Olympic bronze medalist has consistently played well in Grand Rapids where she has twice finished in the top-8.
Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko
Group 16 – 10th Tee – 8:32 a.m.
Michelle Wie’s game has continued to impress. She arrives this week in Michigan off a tie for third at the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fourth top-10 of 2017. Wie looks to carry that momentum to Grand Rapids where she finished tied for 56th in her first start last season. Wie will play alongside 2015 Meijer LPGA Classic champion Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko. Fresh off her third runner-up of 2017, Thompson has showed incredible form all season long. She looks to become the first multiple winner of 2017 this week in Grand Rapids. For the first time in more than a year, Ko won’t be teeing it up at the world’s No. 1 player. Ko dropped into the No. 2 spot on Monday following Ariya Jutanugarn’s victory at the Manulife LPGA Classic when she took the top-ranking. Ko is in search of her first win of 2017 this week at Blythefield where she finished tied for fourth last season.
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