During a jam-packed, 10-week stretch of tournaments, it can be tough for players to decide when and where to play. But for the players competing on Wednesday at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, the team competition is a can't-miss tour stop.
In 2019, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational was founded in Midland, Mich. to satisfy the appetite of both players and fans for more team competition. It’s a format usually seen only once a year with the Solheim Cup or Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown. Winners of the Dow GLBI include inaugural champions Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura, a sister act in the Jutanugarns and a pair of Solheim Cup teammates in last year’s champions Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas, who reprised their partnership for a victory in Michigan.
The team match-play competition gets underway on Wednesday with alternate shot as the format for round one. On Thursday play continues with four-ball and then the format returns to alternate shot for the third round on Friday, wrapping up on Saturday with four-ball for the final round.
While the much-anticipated outcome will no doubt have fans on the edge of their seats over the course of the four days of tournament play, just seeing the intriguing partnerships that the team event produces creates nearly as much excitement.
Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson will combine their star power for the first time in what will be a must-see pairing at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. The two players combine for three major championships and 24 LPGA Tour titles. Thompson has been a fixture on the United States Solheim Cup team with five prior appearances, but Canada’s Henderson hasn’t had the benefit of competing in the annual matches. The Canadian will get a first chance to gauge her team match-play ability alongside a Solheim Cup stalwart in Thompson during this week’s event.
And speaking of Solheim Cup, Stacy Lewis, the captain for the U.S. squad, will once again team up with Maria Fassi, a fellow University of Arkansas Razorback. The competition will also give Lewis a chance to assess how some of her potential team members fare in this kind of format. She’ll no doubt be keeping an eye on Cheyenne Knight who is hoping to qualify for the United States team for the first time and who is partnering with Elizabeth Szokol. Alison Lee, who currently sits at 11th in the standings and is partnering with fellow American Megan Khang, will also be another team of intrigue for the Solheim Cup captain.
Other teams of interest include Suwannapura and Clanton, who will team up once more in hopes of recapturing the magic they found in Michigan when they won in 2019.
Mel Reid and Bronte Law, a pair of Englishwomen and close friends, will combine their years of experience competing on behalf of the European team at the Solheim Cup.
Georgia Hall and Ryann O’Toole, partners off the golf course, will test their partnership in the team format this week in Michigan.
And Solheim Cup veteran Cristie Kerr will partner with fellow veteran Kristy McPherson in an effort to convert their years of LPGA Tour experience into success.
In what will no doubt be the feel-good story of the week, Jane Park makes a return to LPGA Tour competition for the first time since 2021. Park stepped away from professional golf two years ago to become the full-time caretaker for her daughter, Grace, who at just 10 months old began suffering undiagnosed seizures which resulted in severe brain damage. Park will be partnering with longtime friend and major champion, Paula Creamer, and will have her husband, Pete, on the bag for her return. Grace will be on-site as well.
One-of-a-kind teams, competing in a fun format, in the midst of a thrilling, summer stretch has made the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational a must-play event for some of the world’s best players. It’s a can’t-miss opportunity not just for the field, but for the fans, who get a chance to catch their favorite players competing in not just one of the most unique events of the summer but also of the year.
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