Tournament Set to Return to the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort March 28-31, 2019

Carlsbad, Calif. (November 13, 2018) – Kia Motors America announced today that the 2019 LPGA Kia Classic – the tournament’s 10^th Annual – will return to Southern California and is set to take place at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort from March 28-31, 2019.

Usually producing one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, the tenth annual Kia Classic is shaping up to be no different when 144 players will compete for a total purse of $1.8 million. Tournament week will include a qualifier, practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday, a Wednesday pro-am and four competitive rounds of play from Thursday through Sunday.

“The Kia Classic has become the highlight of the professional season and over the past decade has introduced hundreds of thousands of consumers to both the Kia and LPGA brands,” said Saad Chehab, Vice President, Marketing Communications, Kia Motors America. “We are thrilled to continue this tradition and look forward to familiarizing even more LPGA fans with not only this world class tournament but also Kia’s world-class model line-up.”

Eun-Hee Ji will look to defend the title she claimed eight months ago when she closed with a scintillating 67 at Aviara Golf Club to hold off Cristie Kerr and Lizette Salas as she triumphed by two strokes. Ji became the third player from the Republic of Korea to win the Kia Classic, following inaugural champion Hee Kyung Seo (2010) and Mirim Lee (2017). With her victory, Ji not only claimed the winner's cheque for $270,000 and the tournament’s distinctive red glass trophy, but she also walked away with the keys to an all-new 2019 Kia Stinger fastback sports sedan and to a 2019 Kia Sorento SXL for a hole-in-one that helped her on the way to victory.

"Kia has been a tremendous supporter of not only this tournament but the LPGA and professional women’s golf," said Tournament Director Lindsay Allen. "Kia is an integral part of this tournament’s success and we look forward to continue growing this event throughout Southern California."

Since the inaugural Kia Classic was held in 2010, the tournament has proved to be a great success on multiple fronts. A decade-long alliance between the world’s leading professional golf organization for women and Kia Motors America has led to ongoing charitable work which has helped benefit military families and cancer research among several other worthy causes.

The event has also proved to very popular as the ultimate family destination, with activities and attractions that range from family zones to junior clinics that are typically held on the Saturday of tournament week.

To purchase tickets or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.kiaclassic.com. Tickets start at just $20 for a daily ticket. The volunteer package is $70 and includes a round of golf at Aviara Golf Club. Military members and their families and children aged 17 or under receive free admission. Information on corporate hospitality packages, pro-am opportunities and advertising opportunities are also available at www.kiaclassic.com.

Kia Classic fans can also follow the tournament through social media. The Kia Classic’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kiaclassic/), Instagram (@lpgakiaclassic) and Twitter feed (@LPGAKiaClassic) will allow fans to keep up on pre-tournament and tournament-week news, view exclusive photos and enter various contests for the chance to win Kia Classic tickets and other prizes.

Kia Motors and LPGA Begin Preparations for Tenth Annual Kia Classic Golf Tournament

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