Complete Groups and Tee Times for the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer>>
Lydia Ko, Shanshan Feng, Austin Ernst – 8:10 a.m. (10th Tee)
Lydia Ko finally got the monkey off her back earlier this year and broke through for a victory for the first time in more than a year, and she’s decided to go a different route this week – teeing it up at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer for the first time in her career. Ko has missed only one cut this season and has notched three top-10 finishes.
Shanshan Feng dropped two spots in the Rolex Rankings last week to fourth in the world after missing the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open. However, Feng – who hasn’t yet found the winner’s circle this year but has four top-5 finishes – is primed to break out for a good week. Feng didn’t play this event last year but finished T-33 in 2016 and T-10 in 2015. Her scoring average is 8th on Tour, meaning she knows what it takes to go low.
Austin Ernst, meanwhile, has yet to win on the LPGA Tour this season, but she notched her best result of the year (a solo sixth-place finish) just two weeks ago. She finished tied for fifth at this event two years ago.
In-Kyung Kim, Anna Nordqvist, Stacy Lewis – 12:59 p.m. (10th Tee)
A power trio of past winners, as each of the last four years’ worth of ShopRite LPGA Classic champions tee it up in this group.
In-Kyung Kim captured last year’s tournament with an 11-under par total. It was her first of three victories on the LPGA Tour as she skyrocketed up the Rolex Rankings. She hasn’t yet won on Tour this year, but has two top-5 finishes, including a runner-up just two weeks ago.
Nordqvist, meanwhile, is adjusting this year to some new equipment and has shown flashes of brilliance. However, if there was going to be one course where she was going to start to pick up steam for the balance of the season it would be the Stockton Seaview layout, as she dominated it in years’ past – winning the tournament two years in a row in 2015 and 2016.
Lewis won this event in 2014 and knows what it takes to go low. If she does win she’ll become just the third LPGA Tour member to win while pregnant.
Brooke Henderson, Emma Talley, Jodi Ewart Shadoff – 1:10 p.m. (10th Tee)
Henderson withdrew from last week’s U.S. Women’s Open originally citing personal reasons, but it was revealed over the weekend that her grandfather had passed away. In a statement written in his obituary, Henderson (and her sister Brittany) said the “bond that we shared with our Gramps was truly special.” With Henderson listed to participate this week, don’t be surprised if she plays with a little extra motivation.
Emma Talley, a rookie on the LPGA Tour this year after graduating from the Epson Tour in 2017, finished tied for 41st last week at the U.S. Women’s Open at her home club of Shoal Creek in Alabama. Her best result of the year has been a tie for fifth at the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open.
Shadoff has missed only one cut this year and finished tied for ninth at the ANA Inspiration, her best-ever finish at a major championship. Her best finish at the ShopRite LPGA Classic is a tie for 15th (2015).
Sung Hyun Park, Pornanong Phatlum, Amy Olson – 1:32 p.m. (1st Tee)
It’s been a curious season so far for Sung Hyun Park, last year’s Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year. She’s found the winner’s circle once, yes, but in between that victory is three missed cuts (she missed zero cuts a year ago). However, it should be no surprise if Park returns to form, and quickly.
Phatlum’s best result of the season was a tie for seventh, which came at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February. She finished tied for 26th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic a year ago.
Olson, meanwhile, held the lead after the first round of the LPGA Volvik Championship two weeks ago before falling back to a tie for 10th. Olson, however, has yet to miss a cut on the LPGA Tour this year and has been a model of consistency.