STAGE IS SET FOR MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTS IN MINNESOTA
Major championship golf returns to Minnesota this week at Hazeltine National Golf Club for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship bolsters Hazeltine’s impressive golf heritage, which includes a Ryder Cup in 2016, multiple PGA Championships (2002, 2009), multiple U.S. Opens (1970, 1991), multiple U.S. Women’s Opens (1966, 1977), as well as a U.S. Senior Open (1983), a U.S. Amateur Championship (2006), a U.S. Mid-Amateur (1994) and a NCAA Division I Men’s Championship (1999).
The 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will again deliver one of the strongest fields in women’s golf, as 99 of the top 100 active members on the LPGA Official Money List are scheduled to play this week at Hazeltine (as of Tuesday, June 18). In each of the three previous years (Kemper Lakes/2018, Olympia Fields/2017, Sahalee/2016), the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship included the top 100 players on the LPGA Official Money List.
In 2018, Sung Hyun Park outlasted a three-person playoff, defeating So Yeon Ryu and Nasa Hataoka on the second extra hole to win her second major title and fourth career victory on the LPGA Tour. Park rolled in birdie putts on both playoff holes, the second one dropping in at the par 4, 16th hole.
Nine past KPMG Women’s PGA Championship are competing this week: Laura Davies (1994, 1996), Shanshan Feng (2012), Brooke Henderson (2016), Danielle Kang (2017), Cristie Kerr (2010), Inbee Park (2013, 2014, 2015), Sung Hyun Park (2018), Anna Nordqvist (2009) and Karrie Webb (2001).
LEXI THOMPSON MAKES CHANGES BEFORE HITTING HAZELTINE
Change is never easy, especially in the game of golf. But change seems to be working for Lexi Thompson in the weeks leading up to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. After missing cuts at the HUGEL-AIR PREMIER LA Open and the Pure Silk Championship presented by Visit Williamsburg, the 24-year-old American had had enough.
“I probably put in 6 to 7 hours of just hitting balls and working on my game – probably the best decision I made,” said Thompson, who flew home to Florida to spend time perfecting her game with her father/coach Scott Thompson. “Unfortunately, I missed the cut in Kingsmill but it definitely paid off at the next three (events).”
That it did. Since missing that cut in Virginia, Thompson tied for second at the U.S. Women’s Open, won the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer and again tied for second at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Her aggressive play exhibits a change in her mental perspective.
“Golf is at least 80 percent mental and I mean it's been tough for me to actually get in that mindset because I've known golf my whole life,” said the self-proclaimed perfectionist. “I'm just focusing on myself and what makes me the happiest and what will make my game better and what I need to improve on and I think that's all I can do. Wherever that takes me, it takes me.”
NEW PRIORITIES FOR NEW MOM STACY LEWIS
When Chesnee Lynn Chadwell came into the world on Oct. 25, 2018, her mom didn’t know just how much her life was about to change. With 12 LPGA Tour titles to her name, Stacy Lewis had been at the top of the world as No. 1 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. But since late October, her priorities have understandably changed. Golf, while still incredibly important, is no longer her top focus.
“My golf is not the No. 1 priority anymore. That is a hundred percent okay. She is my No. 1,” said Lewis, who took maternity leave for much of the 2018 season. “It's about her eating and sleeping and doing everything in the right time and golf and me and my husband (Gerrod Chadwell), we're second now and that's okay.”
Lewis has been a KPMG ambassador since 2012 and was instrumental in bringing the professional services firm into the greater LPGA family as a title sponsor for this week’s major. The pair made headlines in 2018 when KPMG announced that it would honor Lewis’ full contract, even through her maternity leave. As more female athletes speak out on motherhood and its financial ramifications, KPMG’s dedication to allowing Lewis to be the working mother and athlete she wants to be opened the door for more corporate sponsors, such as Diamond Resorts and CME Group, to support their ambassadors.
“For us it was just the thing that we knew was the right thing to do for Stacy and we're so proud that others have followed suit in the regard to the importance of parental leave and making time for that really special moment in all of our lives,” said Lynne Doughtie, chairman and CEO of KPMG. “There's no more important role than being a parent and we were glad that we had the chance to help Stacy through that.”
On Tuesday, ESPN.com published a letter that Lewis penned to her 8-month-old daughter. In that note, Lewis wrote that she cried in the Wilshire Country Club parking lot after hearing of KPMG’s support for her. She hopes that the path she is walking creates a brighter future for Chesnee and future generations of women leaders.
“Something cool for her to have when she's older and know a little bit more about what I went through and what I was doing right after I had her, just kind of the experience of it,” said Lewis when asked what she hopes Chesnee takes away from her mom’s letter. “Ultimately I would like it so, you know, she never has to answer those questions or write a letter about that; that we never have to talk about why men and women are paid differently. That's ultimately what I hope for her in the long run.”
NO. 1 JIN YOUNG KO LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS, MORE WINS
Jin Young Ko captured the first major championship of the 2019 LPGA season, the ANA Inspiration, and ascended to the top of the Rolex Women’s World Rankings in the process. Now in her 11th week as the No. 1 player in the world and in a season that has seen her capture two wins, six top-10 finishes and no finish worse than T29, Ko says that while she’s not sure if this is the best golf she’s ever played but she’s enjoying the ride.
“Actually, I don't know, but I tried always the best in my life,” said Ko. “I'm having great season now. I won two times already so I'm looking forward.”
Ko is making her second career start at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after a T11 finish in 2017 in her debut. While Ko would like to win, her focus remains on being “the happiest golfer on the course.”
“I'm always happy to be playing KPMG Women's PGA Championship because food is really amazing,” said Ko with a big laugh. “The course is great and then all the volunteers really make me happy. (They’re) always smiling so I'm really happy on the course.”
RACE TO THE CME GLOBE UPDATE
Heading into the third major championship of the season and the 16th week of the 2019 Race to the CME Globe, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko holds a narrow lead over fellow two-time 2019 winner Brooke Henderson with 2,288 points and 1,894 points, respectively. 2019 HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open winner Minjee Lee is in third with 1,773 points followed by 2019 U.S. Women’s Open winner Jeongeun Lee6 with 1,755 points.
The 2019 season brings a fresh face to the Race to the CME Globe. LPGA Members will accumulate points at each official LPGA Tour event leading up to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 60 points earners and ties will then earn a spot in the CME Group Tour Championship, with the entire field competing for the $5 million purse and the $1.5 million winner’s check, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf.
PURSE
$3.85 million USD; winner’s portion is $577,500
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