The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer is back on the shores of New Jersey for the 27th edition this week. The tournament originally debuted in Atlantic City in 1986 but did not take place from 2007-2009. It’s the fourth longest-running, non-major event on the Tour’s current schedule, trailing only the Marathon Classic, the Cambia Portland Classic and the LPGA Japan Classic.
The event is one of only three tournaments all season that crowns a champion after 54 holes and the first to do so this season. A stellar field of 144 players will tee it up on the Bay Course at Seaview and will include 46 out of the top-50 players on the current LPGA Tour Official Money List. Seven past champions are also set to play this week: Stacy Lewis (2014, 2012), Karrie Webb (2013), Brittany Lincicome (2011), Ai Miyazato (2010), Cristie Kerr (2004), Angela Stanford (2003) and Juli Inkster (1986, 1988).
CAN LEWIS MAKE IT WIN NO. 3 IN THE GARDEN STATE?
Stacy Lewis wrote herself into the ShopRite LPGA Classic record books last year after putting together three rounds in the 60’s (67-63-67) for her 10th career victory. Lewis finished at 16-under par, one shot shy of the tournament record set by Annika Sorenstam in 1998 and 2005 and won by a six-stroke margin, the largest margin of victory in the event’s history. She also joined three Hall of Famers as the only multiple winners of the event: Juli Inkster (1986, 1988), Betsy King (1987, 1995, 2001) and Annika Sorenstam (1998, 2002, 2005). She’ll have a chance this week to join King and Sorenstam as the only players to win three times.
Her victory also pushed her back to the No. 1 ranking in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, a spot she would hold for 21 consecutive weeks in her second time at the top. Her win came in the middle of a brilliant stretch of golf last summer that included three wins and three additional top 10s in a seven-week span. Lewis has yet to break into the winner’s circle in 2015 but has consistently put herself in contention each week and co-leads the Tour with Lydia Ko with the most top-10 finishes (7 in 10 starts). The reigning Rolex Player of the Year also has the lowest scoring average (69.53) and ranks second in putts per GIR (1.71) and putting average (28.21).
2015 ROOKIE CLASS CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
Minjee Lee’s victory at the Tour’s last stop at the Kingsmill Championship helped solidify this year’s LPGA rookie class as one of the most dominant and achieved classes in Tour history. Lee became the third different rookie to win through the first 12 events this year joining Sei Young Kim (2 wins) and Hyo Joo Kim. The class as a whole has seven career wins (Hyo Joo Kim and Q Baek won last season as non-members).
Currently five LPGA Tour rookies are ranked in the top 25 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and seven are ranked in the top 50.
| Rolex Ranking | Rookie Player |
| 4 | Hyu Joo Kim |
| 15 | Sei Young Kim |
| 20 | Minjee Lee |
| 21 | Q Baek |
| 22 | Ha Na Jang |
| 43 | Ariya Jutanugarn |
| 47 | Charley Hull |
LEE BOUNCES BACK
Another rookie and California native Alison Lee bounced back last week after falling short of her first career title at the Kingsmill Championship. Lee held as much as a four-shot lead in the third round but finished with a double bogey on the 16th and a bogey on the 17th to drop one shot back. Fellow rookie Minjee Lee ran away with the win after an over two-hour rain delay that pushed the finish to Monday morning.
Alison was scheduled to play in the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier in Virginia on Monday but was granted a transfer to the Mira Loma qualifying site at Goose Creek Golf Club outside of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, she shot 71-73 to share medalist honors and earned herself a spot in her fourth U.S. Women’s Open. She tied for 26th in 2009 as 14-year old, missed the cut in 2010 and tied for 60th in 2012 all as an amateur.
TV TIMES
Golf Channel (all times listed are Eastern)
May 29 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
May 30 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
May 31 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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