Kingsmill Championship presented by JTBC
Williamsburg, Virginia
Tuesday Pre-Tournament Notes
May 12, 2015

BACK-TO-BACK SALAS?
Defending Champion Lizette Salas broke out at the 2014 Kingsmill Championship after four prevoius close calls. This year, the fourth-year player looks to channel her positive
memories of her victory for a chance to repeat at Kingsmill for the first time since Cristie Kerr won her second and third champinships in 2009 and 2013.

“You know, it’s a special feeling.” Salas said. “And so when I’m walking around Kingsmill, I’m walking with my head up a little higher and I’m much more happier.”

The River Course at the Kingsmill Resort challenges the field of players, but Salas wants to keep her focus on the proven strategy that worked for her just one year ago.

“Just really trying to get dialed in on the right quadrant on the putting green,” Salas said. “My strategy last year was just fairways and greens and try to roll in as many putts as possible, really minimizing your mistakes, especially coming down 15, 16, 17, 18.”

At the Tour’s most recent stop, Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout, Salas finished T20 but was pleased with what she saw out there on the course.

“I just made a couple changes, and the final round of Dallas I shot 3‑under par, but definitely could have gone a little bit lower,” Salas said. “I’m going on an upward motion. I’m doing the right things and have the right team around me. I’m just trying to be stress free out on the golf course and trying to play the game I know how to play.”

AIRTIMES THIS WEEK
Golf Channel will broadcast all the action at the Kingsmill Championship presented by JTBC with airtimes listed below. All times listed are Eastern.

May 14       9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
May 15       9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
May 16       5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
May 17       5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

AFTER THE WIN
There have been eight different winners of the Kingsmill Championship presented by JTBC, with Cristie Kerr ‘s three wins being the only time a player has won more than once in the 10 year history of the event. Below is a look at the defending champions’ scrores and where they finished the following year.

*Past winners of the Kingsmill Championship*
Year	Player	Scores	Finish Following Year
2014	Lizette Salas	67 - 68 - 65 - 71 = 271 (-13)	TBD
2013	Cristie Kerr	66 - 71 - 66 - 69 = 272 (-12)	29
2012	Jiyai Shin	62 - 68 - 69 - 69 = 268 (-16)	T32
2009	Cristie Kerr	69 - 63 - 66 - 70 = 268 (-16)	Cut (in 2012)
2008	Annika Sorenstam	64 - 66 - 69 - 66 = 265 (-19)	DNP again
2007	Suzann Pettersen	66 - 72 - 68 - 68 = 274 (-10)	T16
2006	Karrie Webb	66 - 68 - 66 - 70 = 270 (-14)	T10
2005	Cristie Kerr	68 - 68 - 68 - 72 = 276 (-8)	T4
2004	Se Ri Pak	70 - 71 - 69 - 65 = 275 (-9)	Cut
2003	Grace Park	67 - 68 - 69 - 71 = 275 (-9)	T12

FAVORITE STOP
The Kingsmill Championship has always been a favorite stop of LPGA platers and with nine of the top-10 ranked players in the field this week and 17 of the top-20, this year is no different. Kerr, who recently moved into the top-10, is looking for her fourth win in Williamsburg.

This will be Kerr’s 11th time playing in the Kingsmill Championship, and she has finished in the top-10 six times, including her wins. This year, Kerr has finished in the top-20 in each of her last three tournaments, including a T2 at her last tournament played, the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout.

Thanks to Kerr’s win at the Kia Classic in March, and her two additional top-10 finishes she would currently make both the 2016 International Crown team as well as the 2016 Olympic team.

SOLHEIM CUP WATCH
The Solheim Cup is four months away, but competition for the final spots on both teams is heating up. St. Leon Rot Golf Club in Heidelberg, Germany will play host to the event in September.

Defending Champion Lizette Salas knows how important every event is from here on out, as she battles to make a spot on Team USA. Salas, a member of Team USA in 2013, currently sits 10th with 219.5 points. She is 4.5 points behind Gerina Piller and just 0.5 points ahead of Paula Creamer. Every finish within the top-20 of an event is awarded points, so her T20 at the Volunteers of America North Texas LPGA Shootout was a huge step in the right direction.

“When I saw I was tied for 20th I like got so excited,” Salas described. “I was like, Oh, my God, we tied for 20th. It’s Solheim Cup points and a Solheim Cup year. There is such more meaning to finishing in the top 20.”

The cut-off event for American players to earn points will be at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open August 20-23 in Vancouver. Players started earning points at the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open and will receive heavier weighted points at LPGA events in 2015 and double points at the Tour’s five major championships. Members of Team USA are decided by the top-8 U.S. Solheim Cup Points earners, two players from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings not already qualified by points, and two captain’s picks.

For more information on how the teams will be decided, please visit Team Europe’s website at www.solheimcup.de/en/team/team-qualification-criteria/

To access the current standings for U.S. Solheim Cup Points, please visit the LPGA’s website at www.lpga.com/statistics/points/solheim-cup

KEY NUMBERS TO KNOW
1- There has only been one repeat winner of the Kingsmill Championship in its history, that was Cristie Kerr
4- Number of Americans within the top-10 of the Rolex Rankings
3- Number of wins for Cristie Kerr at the Kingsmill Championship
7 - Top-10 finishes for Lydia Ko and Stacy Lewis in 2015, which leads the LPGA
11- This year marks the 11th year of the Kingsmill Championship
3 million - After the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout, Lydia Ko surpassed $3 million in career earnings
14 - Consecutive weeks spent at the top of the Rolex Rankings for Lydia Ko
19 - Annika Sorenstam’s 19-under in 2009 is the Kingsmill tournament record

Kingsmill Championship Pre-tournament Notes

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