LPGA MAKES FIRST EVER VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

The LPGA travels to the southwestern Pacific island nation of New Zealand for the first time for the inaugural MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open at Windross Farm Golf Course in Auckland.

A field of players from 25 different countries will compete for a purse of $1.3 million USD at one of four new events added to the 2017 LPGA schedule.

The tournament is sponsored by MCKAYSON, a Korean based company producing uniquely designed high quality sportswear - LPGA pros Lydia Ko and Mariah Stackhouse are among the apparel brand’s ambassadors.

After the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open, the LPGA will take a week off and then begin a five-event Asian swing featuring limited field events beginning at the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MCKAYSON NEW ZEALAND WOMEN’S OPEN

Represents the LPGA’s first ever visit to New Zealand
One of four new events on the 2017 schedule, which has an LPGA-record 34 official events
Top-ranked Kiwi Lydia Ko won this event three times (2013, 2015, 2016) in its eight year history as a tournament co-sanctioned by the LET and the ALPG
The New Zealand Women’s Open was played at Clearwater Golf Club in 2009 and from 2013-16, and was played Pegasus Golf & Sports Club from 2010-12

STAR OF THE SHOW

All eyes are certain to be on Auckland’s own Lydia Ko this week - the 14-time LPGA winner has won three of the last four New Zealand Women’s Opens and was the runner-up in 2014. Ko’s connections run deep with this event, as the tournament sponsor, MCKAYSON, is now the former World No. 1’s apparel sponsor.

“It gets more exciting each time I am home and come to this course that I realize that we have an LPGA event coming here,” Ko said in February while in New Zealand to promote the event. “I think the girls will just love this course and I am looking forward to hosting them at home in Auckland and show off everything this city has to offer.”

While the Kiwi has gone 29 starts since her last win at the 2016 Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I, she has gotten herself into contention of late. Ko played in the last group on the final day in Indianapolis and finished as the runner-up at the Indy Women in Tech Championship presented by Guggenheim, and was a stroke away from making it into a playoff at The Evian Championship.

This week, Ko will seek to become the first non-American player to win a LPGA tournament in their home country since the Republic of Korea’s Kyu Jung Baek at the 2014 LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship - Baek was not an LPGA member.

KIWI WORLD LONG DRIVE STAR GETS INVITE

2016 World Long Drive Championship winner and New Zealand native Phillis Meti received a tournament invitation to compete in her sixth career New Zealand Women’s Open. Meti, 30, finished third at the 2017 World Long Drive competition and set a new world record with a 406-yard drive in the semifinals.

For more information, click here to visit the tournament website.

NEW TOURNAMENTS ON THE BLOCK

The 2017 LPGA schedule includes the addition of four new tournaments and an increase of $4.35 million in total official prize money. In addition to the four new events, 11 of the 30 returning official events feature increased purses in 2017. Four of the Tour’s five major championships have higher purses, including a $5 million purse ($900,000 to the champion) at the U.S. Women’s Open conducted by the USGA, the largest purse in LPGA history.

This week’s tournament marks the final new LPGA stop of the season. The Tour visited Oneida, Wis., for the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in early July, and Katherine Kirk captured her third career LPGA win in the first time the LPGA or PGA Tour has hosted a sanctioned event in the Green Bay area. Three weeks later, the LPGA traveled across the pond to play the LPGA and LET co-sanctioned Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland, where Mi Hyang Lee won on the same course as the men’s Scottish Open.

Earlier this month, the LPGA made a pit stop in Indianapolis, Ind., at the Indy Women in Tech (IWIT) Championship presented by Guggenheim and saw Lexi Thompson become the first American player with multiple wins on the year. After a week off following the season’s final major at The Evian Championship, the LPGA took a week off before traveling to the home of Rolex Rankings No. 8 Lydia Ko to play in this week’s MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open.

#CMEFINALSTRETCH

This week’s MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open is the 27th event in the season-long Race to the CME Globe. World No. 3 Lexi Thompson currently leads the standings with 3,221 points, followed by World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu (2,691 points) and World No. 2 Sung Hyun Park (2,619 points).

Players are still battling to make it into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, where the top-72 LPGA members (plus ties) on the Race to the CME Globe Points Standings, ranked in the order of their position on the standings at the conclusion of the Blue Bay LPGA, make up the field at the LPGA’s season finale which features the largest purse amongst non-majors at $2.5 million.

In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:

The top five finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship
If a player in the top five wins in Naples, she will also win the $1M CME Globe
The top 12 finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe
Please note that previously, the top three controlled their destiny and top nine had a mathematical chance

CME GROUP CARES WEEKENDS EAGLES UPDATE AFTER THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

CME Group Cares Weekend is a season-long charitable giving program that turns eagles into donations. For each eagle recorded during weekend play (Saturday and Sunday) throughout the 2017 LPGA Tour season, CME Group donates $1,000 to the program’s total donation count. The money raised will go towards a charitable pool and be split evenly between Wounded Warrior Project® and Bright Pink®.

Players scored six eagles over the weekend at The Evian Championship, raising 6,000 for charity. This brings the total to 244 eagles on the year, which translates to $244,000 raised.

Ko Stars At Home, A Long Drive Invite and More from New Zealand

Related Articles