LPGA TOUR HEADS NORTH TO MICHIGAN AND THE MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE
The next stop on the 2019 LPGA season takes the Tour to western Michigan for the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Nine of the top 10 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings have made their way to Grand Rapids, led by World No. 1 Jin Young Ko and World No. 9 So Yeon Ryu. At the 2018 Meijer LPGA Classic, Ryu closed with a 5-under 67 to capture a two-stroke win overCaroline Masson and went on to donate $100,000 of her winner’s check to the Simply Give charitable program.
This Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give event helps raise awareness about Meijer Simply Give, support local food pantries and to bring the community together through local events and the game of golf. Proceeds from the tournament and each of the week’s festivities will once again benefit the Meijer Simply Give program that stocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. The 2018 tournament raised $1 million for local food pantries through Simply Give. In total, the tournament has generated more than $3.1 million for the Meijer Simply Give program.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE
- This is the sixth playing of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, with all tournaments held at Blythewood Country Club
- Four of the five past champions are in the field – Brooke Henderson (2017), Mirim Lee (2014), So Yeon Ryu (2018) and Lexi Thompson (2015)
- The course was rerouted in 2019 to heighten the experience around the 25,000-square-foot Grand Taste pavilion, which is billed as the best food experience on any tour
LEXI THOMPSON STILL RIDING EAGLE HIGH
With an eagle on the final hole at last week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic, Lexi Thompson earned the 11th victory of her LPGA career and reached the winner’s circle for the seventh consecutive season, the longest active streak on Tour. Combined with a tie for second at the previous week’s U.S. Women’s Open and Thompson heads to the Meijer LPGA Classic, where she has finished in the top 10 the last four years, as a force to be reckoned with.
“I just feel good where my game's at, I feel confident, and just coming into a new week, new golf course,” said Thompson, who is still using the claw putting grip she switched to on the Tuesday of the U.S. Women’s Open. “Just try to get to know the golf course and go out with the same attitude that I have been the last few weeks.”
Thompson will tee off at 12:59 p.m. on No. 10 on Thursday with fellow past Meijer LPGA Classic champions Brooke Henderson and So Yeon Ryu.
WORLD NO. 1 KO RESTED AND READY FOR BLYTHEWOOD
Fresh off a week of vacation with her parents in Atlanta, World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, the self-proclaimed Happiest Player in Golf, is right back in her happy place.
“I went to an aquarium in Atlanta with my family because it was my mom's first time to an aquarium,” said Ko, who hosted her parents from their home in the Republic of Korea over the last two weeks. “We had great time. I'm happy playing golf again, so I'm looking forward like this week and the next week, too.”
Ko is making her second appearance at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give after finishing T13 in 2018.
Ko will tee off at 8:10 a.m. on No. 1 on Thursday with Gaby Lopez and Gerina Piller.
RACE TO THE CME GLOBE UPDATE
Heading into the 15th week of the 2019 Race to the GME Globe, two-time 2019 winner Jin Young Ko leads the standings with 2,240 points. She is followed four fellow 2019 winners – Minjee Lee(1,718 points), Jeongeun Lee6 (1,717 points), Lexi Thompson (1,395 points) and Brooke Henderson (1,394 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.
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