Solheim Cup teammates Suzann Pettersen and Catriona Matthew commit to field
MIDLAND, Mich. – The world’s best golfers will team up to compete at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, an inaugural event taking place July 15-20 at Midland Country Club. The first-of- its-kind LPGA tournament will feature a 72-hole, stroke play team format, and SCG has teamed up with the event as the official sponsor of team commitments to unveil player pairings.
Suzann Pettersen, an ambassador for Dow since 2008, will tee it up with Catriona Matthew at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational this summer. This will be the first time Pettersen will be competing since 2017. The 15-time LPGA Tour winner and two-time major champion became a mother in early August of 2018 and has yet to get back to professional golf.
“I’m excited to be making my 2019 LPGA debut this July in the Great Lakes Bay Region, a place that has welcomed me warmly for the past 11 years, said Pettersen, who will serve as a vice captain for Team Europe for the second time at the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland this September. “I have been fortunate enough to play on eight Solheim Cup teams, most of which have been alongside my Solheim Cup captain, Catriona Matthew, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to join forces again and team up for this exciting, new event.”
Matthew, a Scotland-native, has collected four Tour wins and over 100 top-10 finishes over her 24-year career. The two veterans have established not only a professional relationship on the course, but a friendship off the course as well.
Pettersen and Matthew are one of 72 teams who will compete for the $2 million purse at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. The top 70 players, based on the 2019 LPGA Priority List, have the opportunity to choose their playing partner, who must have LPGA Tour playing status. The remaining two will be determined by sponsor exemptions, who must play together. Each winner will receive the standard two- year winner’s exemption on the LPGA Priority List, as well as a one-year exemption into three major championships: ANA Inspiration, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and The Evian Championship.
Over four days, players will play alternating rounds of foursomes (alternate shot) and four-ball (best ball) competition. After 36 holes, the field will be a cut to the low 35 teams and any ties for 35th. In the event of a tie after 72 holes, the champions will be determined by a hole-by-hole playoff using the foursomes format.
Other top teams committed to heading to Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region this summer include Lexi Thompson and Cristie Kerr, Minjee Lee and Jin-Young Ko, as well as Lydia Ko and In Gee Chun. Additionally there are some top ranked players that have committed to the field, without a confirmed playing partner as of now including Ariya Jutanugarn, Nasa Hataoka, Danielle Kang, Angela Stanford, and Marina Alex. Over the next two months, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational and SCG will continue to team up to announce player pairings.
“SCG has enjoyed the past 31 years of partnership with Dow, and we are excited to continue that relationship through the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational,” said Roongrote Rangsiyopash, president and CEO of SCG. “This event is a great avenue to showcase SCG’s commitment to integrity, sustainability, and the support of these iconic women inspiring youth around the world.”
Dow CEO Jim Fitterling also shared his enthusiasm for the international partnership.
“On behalf of Dow, I’d like to personally thank SCG for over three decades of partnership and friendship,” said Fitterling. “Dow is excited to be announcing the extraordinary golfers coming to our Great Lakes Bay region, and we’re happy the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational will be another chapter in their incredible stories.”
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