DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 29, 2020) – Given the continued impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and in collaboration with its partners, the LPGA Tour today is announcing updates to the remainder of its 2020 schedule in preparation for a safe and responsible return to competition.

The LPGA recently informed its athletes that it is currently targeting a restart of the 2020 LPGA Tour season in mid-July.

“One thing that has become clear is that there will be no ‘opening bell’ regarding a return to safe play in this new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “To be honest, being ‘first’ has never been the goal when it comes to returning to play in this new normal. We have built a schedule that we think is as safe as possible given what we know about travel bans, testing availability, and delivering events that our sponsors and our athletes will be excited to attend.

“While July seems like a long way away, we are certainly aware that restarting our season in Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey will require a continued improvement in the situation in each of those states.”

The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G in Rogers, Ark., originally scheduled for June 19-21, will now take place Aug. 28-30. The Marathon Classic presented by Dana in Sylvania, Ohio, originally scheduled for July 9-12, will now be held July 23-26.

The PGA of America also announced Wednesday that the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., originally scheduled for June 25-28, will move to Oct. 8-11. For more information, please visit pga.com.

Additional changes have also been made to deliver a full LPGA Tour season for 2020.

The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in Grand Rapids, Mich., previously postponed from its June date, has been rescheduled for Oct. 1-4. The Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging in Belleair, Fla., which had been rescheduled to November, will shift one week later to Nov. 19-22, and the Volunteers of America Classic in The Colony, Texas will move to Dec. 3-6.

Finally, the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., originally scheduled for Nov. 19-22, will move to Dec. 17-20 and will be the final event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season.

Due to the limited dates available for official full-field events on the LPGA calendar, the UL International Crown will not take place in 2020. Additionally, the Volvik Founders Cup, the LOTTE Championship, the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open and the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, which had previously been postponed, will return to the schedule for the 2021 season.

The LPGA also announced increases to the purses of numerous 2020 tournaments, bringing the total available purse remaining for the year to more than $56 million, with players competing for an average of nearly $2.7 million per event.

“Many of our remaining events will feature higher purses in 2020 thanks in part to some of our sponsors, who could not reschedule their events, offering some of their prize funds to increase other purses,” said Whan. “In what has been a very challenging year for everyone, we are so thankful to our partners for their creativity, collaboration and dedication to helping our athletes get the most out of the playing opportunities they will have in this unprecedented season.”

Summary of LPGA Tour events affected in the latest schedule update:

• Marathon Classic presented by Dana will move to July 23-26
• Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G will move to Aug. 28-30
• UL International Crown, originally slated for the week of Aug. 24, will not be played in 2020 so a full-field, official event can be held that week
• Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give will move to Oct. 1-4
• KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will move to Oct. 8-11
• Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging will move to Nov. 19-22
• Volunteers of America Classic will move to Dec. 3-6
• CME Group Tour Championship will move to Dec. 17-20 and will be the final event of the 2020 LPGA Tour season

If necessary, further schedule adjustments will be shared when appropriate.

Below is a revised look at the LPGA Tour’s 2020 schedule, as of April 29:

The LPGA Tour has announced that in an effort to minimize risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has suspended all events through June 14 and has revised the balance of its 2020 schedule, tentatively set to begin June 19-21 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G.

The 2020 CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C. remains on the revised LPGA Tour schedule, set for August 31 – September 6. Together with our partners at CP and the LPGA Tour, Golf Canada will continue to monitor the recommendations and guidelines of government and health experts to assess any related impact to the event.

Golf Canada will provide regular status updates including any onsite precautionary protocols or safety measures being implemented. The health and safety of our athletes, volunteers and everyone who supports the CPKC Women’s Open – and our community as a whole – will always come first.

The LPGA Tour has announced that in an effort to minimize risks associated with the global outbreak of COVID-19, all LPGA Tour events up to and including the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship (April 30-May 3) have been postponed.

With this news, we wanted to provide an update regarding the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open, scheduled for August 31 – September 6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

First and foremost, the health and safety of everyone associated with the CPKC Women’s Open and our community will continue to be our top priority as we navigate the ongoing health crisis.

This is a very fluid situation that requires constant review, communication and transparency. We are working closely with key partners, such as the LPGA Tour, PGA TOUR, Canadian Olympic Committee and other national/international sport and entertainment properties to make informed and responsible decisions.

As we prepare for the 2020 playing of the CPKC Women’s Open, Golf Canada will continue to monitor information provided by the World Health Organization, Health Canada, B.C. Public Health and other expert governmental/regional health experts to follow developments and receive guidance.

Golf Canada will provide status updates including any additional protocols put in place to ensure the health and safety of all in attendance. We encourage our fans to stay informed on the developments of COVID-19 through official health sources and will provide further updates as new information becomes available.

Vancouver, January 31, 2020 – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Golf Canada announced today that BC Children’s Hospital Foundation has been chosen as the primary charity partner for the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open. Fundraising initiatives will occur leading up to the tournament and a month-long public match campaign starts February 1, in recognition of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Month.

“The CPKC Women’s Open is an amazing opportunity to draw attention to the important work being done by doctors to mend the hearts of the future,” said Keith Creel, President and CEO of CP. “Partnering with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation again is a natural fit and progression from our first partnership in 2015. I look forward to seeing the lasting legacy this brings to the hospital, children and families who need it.”

Funds raised through the CPKC Women’s Open partnership will be used to purchase a new fleet of the latest generation cardiac ultrasound machines, recruit an additional interventional cardiologist to the hospital’s catheterization program and train the next generation of medical superstars by supporting two cardiology fellows.

“We are delighted to be chosen as the charity partner for the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open and are honoured to be the first charity to partner with CP for a second time,” said Teri Nicholas, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Funds raised through this partnership will continue to take children’s health care in our province to the next level, giving new hope to kids and families when they need it most.”

“CP’s generosity will not only support the daily work of the clinical care team, it will enable us to substantially expand our research capacity,” said Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani, head of cardiology at BC Children’s Hospital. “This infusion of high-quality personnel into our scientific programs will create additional opportunities to pursue new solutions for children’s heart health. We are very grateful to have a partner like CP by our side as we work to solve tomorrow’s problems today.”

The month-long public match campaign beginning tomorrow until the end of February will match online donations to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. In addition to matching all one-time donations, CP will also match the total of the first year of contributions for all new monthly gifts. With the match in place, the Foundation is hoping to acquire 100 new monthly donors by the end of the month. Visit bcchf.ca/heart for more information.

In addition, CP is also proud to announce our CPKC Women’s Open community charity partner in Kamloops. CP will contribute $250,000 to fund raising efforts at Royal Inland Hospital in support of cardiac care.

“We are so proud to witness first-hand the incredible work CP does through CP Has Heart and the meaningful impact made in the lives of countless Canadians,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada. “Excitement for the CPKC Women’s Open continues to grow in the Vancouver area and I’m very much looking forward to a tournament week highlighted by world-class golf and charitable giving in support of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.”

The 2020 CPKC Women’s Open will feature the stars of the LPGA Tour at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club from August 31 – September 6.

About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to major ports on the west and east coasts. CP provides North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.

About CP Has Heart
At CP, we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community. That’s why, through CP Has Heart, we’ve already helped raise more than $20.5 million to help improve the heart health of men, women and children across North America. And along the way, we’re showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on www.cpr.ca or @CPHasHeart.

About Golf Canada
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 271,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our vision is to be a world leader in golf. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

About the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open
The stars of the LPGA Tour will challenge for the CPKC Women’s Open from August 31- September 6, 2020 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Through its CP Has Heart program, title sponsor CP will once again make a substantial donation to the host community of Canada’s National Open Golf Championship by supporting local pediatric care. The 2020 CPKC Women’s Open is proudly sponsored by CP, Audi, RBC, Steam Whistle, Levelwear, Hilton, Coca-Cola and the Government of Canada. For information on volunteer opportunities, tickets or corporate hospitality, visit www.cpkcwomensopen.com or call 1-800-263-0009.

About BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
BC Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in the province devoted exclusively to the care of children. As one of the few pediatric medical centres in North America with a world-class acute care centre, research institute, mental health facility and soon, rehabilitation centre, all on a single campus, BC Children’s provides specialized care, innovative therapies and expertise for BC’s kids, including the sickest and most seriously injured. At BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, we have a vision that every child is healthy and able to fulfill their hopes and dreams. The generosity of donors fuels our ability to help conquer childhood diseases, prevent illness and injury, and prioritize the unique needs of kids in every aspect of their care. Please follow us at @bcchf or visit bcchf.ca for more information.

NAPLES, FLA. (Golf Canada) – ​The success of the 2019 CPKC Women’s Open at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., was recently recognized as the Tournament Partners of the LPGA presented Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) with two Gold Driver Awards for delivering best-in-class elements among all LPGA Tour events.

The annual Gold Driver Awards were hosted in conjunction with the LPGA Tour’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. The Tournament Partners of the LPGA (formally Tournament Owners Association) have a long standing tradition of recognizing best in class tournaments with Gold Driver Awards at the season ending event on the LPGA Tour calendar.

At the formal ceremony, the CPKC Women’s Open received Gold Driver Awards for Best Community and Charity Engagement and Best Sponsor Activation.

The award for Best Community and Charity Engagement was earned for the CP Has Heart community investment campaign, which raised nearly $2.5 million for children’s charities in the Greater Toronto Area – the largest donation in the history of the CPKC Women’s Open. As part of the program, $2.2 million was presented to the SickKids Foundation in Toronto, while a $250,000 donation was made to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont., to support paediatric cardiac care. In the six years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CPKC Women’s Open, more than $10.5 million has now been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada. This is the second time in the last three years that the CPKC Women’s Open was awarded the Gold Driver for Best Community and Charity Engagement.

The CPKC Women’s Open netted Best Sponsor Activation for the Levelwear Caddy Lounge. Headed by Canadian apparel company and Golf Canada partner, Levelwear, the activation delivered a first of its kind hangout for LPGA Tour caddies. The Lounge featured a host of amenities, from food and drinks to post-round massages, haircuts, games and more.

“It is humbling to see the CPKC Women’s Open honoured with two Gold Driver Awards,” said CPKC Women’s Open Tournament Director, Ryan Paul. “This year’s event was a true team effort. Thanks to tremendous fan, player and partner support, the 2019 CPKC Women’s Open was a resounding success and it is rewarding to be recognized with these meaningful awards.”

In August, Rolex World No. 1 Jin Young Ko fired a 26-under 262 over four rounds to best a stellar field of golfers, including 96 of the top 100 golfers in the world and become the 2019 CPKC Women’s Open champion. By doing so, she would take home US$337,500 of the US$2.25 million purse, the largest purse on the LPGA Tour outside Major Championships and the CME Group Tour Championship.

The 2019 CPKC Women’s Open enjoyed record walk-up and corporate hospitality sales and was the third-most attended CPKC Women’s Open in history.

The stars of the LPGA Tour are headed back to Vancouver as the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open will be contested at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club from August 31- September 6, 2020. The championship will mark the sixth time that the province of British Columbia has hosted Canada’s Women’s Open Championship, with the last time being 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club, where Lydia Ko won her third CPKC Women’s Open title.

Information regarding tickets and corporate hospitality for 2020 can be found at www.cpkcwomensopen.com/tickets.

Stars of the LPGA Tour return to Vancouver August 31–September 6, 2020 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club  

VANCOUVER (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), are pleased to announce that tickets are now available for the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place August 31 to September 6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. 

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CPKC Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour. Cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she leads the stars of the LPGA Tour back to Vancouver alongside defending champion and world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, past champions Ariya Jutanugarn, Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu and rising stars Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Danielle Kang and Minjee Lee.  

The 2020 CPKC Women’s Open will mark the sixth time that the province of British Columbia has hosted Canada’s Women’s Open Golf Championship, with the last time being 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club, where Lydia Ko won her third CPKC Women’s Open title.  

CLICK HERE to get your tickets for the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open 

General admission tickets, starting at just $20 for early week admission, provide access to the grounds to get an up-close look at the stars of the LPGA Tour. 

Tournament rounds for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are just $50; a Sunday final-round ticket is $60; and a week–long, fully transferable badge is $130. A $60 Anyday Grounds ticket is also available for those looking for ticket flexibility.

A specially-priced youth ticket (13-17 years old) is also available while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.

In addition to general admission tickets and corporate hospitality products, the CPKC Women’s Open also offers a premium ticket product – The Heritage Lounge. 

The Heritage Lounge delivers an elevated fan experience within the Clubhouse of the prestigious Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club. This premium destination is the perfect home base to sit, relax and map out your experience following the stars of the LPGA Tour! It offers upgraded food and beverage for purchase, ample televisions with a live feed of the broadcast and private washrooms.  Heritage Lounge tickets cost $100 for single day access or $250 for a fully transferable tournament (Thursday – Sunday) pass.  

Volunteer opportunities to be a part of the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open are also available with a full listing of committee positions here. 

For an elevated experience, the CPKC Women’s Open offers many great hospitality packages to fit any budget. All corporate hospitality comes with private seating on one of Shaughnessy’s closing holes and all-inclusive food & beverage. A full list of offerings can be found here. 

The CPKC Women’s Open is so much more than a sporting event. Enjoy world-class golf and a premium hospitality experience at a signature Canadian sporting event that will leave a meaningful charitable legacy through CP Has Heart in support of children’s heart health.   

Get your tickets today at www.cpkcwomensopen.com/tickets. 

* Prices do not include applicable taxes or Ticketmaster fees. 

NAPLES, Fla. – As the 2019 LPGA Tour season ends, the CME Group Tour Championship provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate a year’s worth of incredible on-the-course performances and off-the-course accomplishments.  

Four-time 2019 LPGA Tour winner Jin Young Ko earned major hardware at Thursday night’s Rolex LPGA Awards, accepting the Rolex Player of the Year award and Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. She later added the Vare Trophy to her tally when she captured the award for the season’s lowest scoring average following completion of the CME Group Tour Championship, finishing at 69.062.

“At this very special occasion, I want to say that this is not the end but only the beginning,” said Ko. “I will work even harder to become a better golfer.”

Additionally, by winning the 2019 Official Money title with $2,773,894, Ko joined Yani Tseng, Lorena Ochoa and Ariya Jutanugarn as the only players to win the Player of the Year and the Vare Trophy and lead the Tour in season earnings while also sitting first in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Brooke Henderson received the 2019 Founders Award, an honor previously known as the William and Mousie Powell Award. The award is given annually to an LPGA Member who, in the opinion of her playing peers, best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA through her behavior and deeds. The award has been given out since 1986, with a list of previous recipients that includes Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Juli Inkster, Lorena Ochoa, Chella Choi, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb and So Yeon Ryu. Effective this year, the award will be presented in honor of the 13 LPGA Founders who began the LPGA Tour in 1950.

“I know we as a Tour will continue to do our best to honor all 13 Founders and act as they so courageously and inspiringly did. What makes this award even more special is that it was voted on by my playing peers on the LPGA. Thank you to all of you,” said Henderson. “I have made many great friends over my five years on Tour. I love being able to live my dream playing out there and to experience this journey along so many talented golfers who are also great people.”

Suzann Pettersen, who retired in September after returning from an extended maternity leave to sink the winning putt for Team Europe at the 2019 Solheim Cup, was named the winner of the 2019 Heather Farr Perseverance Award. The award honors an LPGA player who, through her hard work, dedication and love of the game of golf, has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player. Established in 1994, the Heather Farr Perseverance Award celebrates the life of Farr, an LPGA Tour player who died on Nov. 20, 1993, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer. Previous winners of this award include Heather Farr, Shelley Hamlin, Martha Nause, Terry-Jo Myers, Lorie Kane, Nancy Scranton, Brandi Burton, Kris Tschetter, Kim Williams, Beth Daniel, Colleen Walker, Amy Read, Se Ri Pak, Leta Lindley, Sophie Gustafson, Lisa Ferrero, Stephanie Meadow, Ariya Jutanugarn and Jessica Korda.

“I never knew Heather Farr, but I’ve known of her and this award since I joined the LPGA Tour. I can’t tell you how much is means to receive this, not just because of the player it honors, but because of all the players who have received before me and because it’s chosen by our fellow players, my peers,” said Pettersen, who became emotional later in her speech when speaking of her son Herman. “The LPGA Tour has been such a huge part of my life. It gave me the opportunity to follow my childhood dream and to reach beyond my wildest imagination. To go places, meet people and do things I never dreamed possible. For almost two decades, I’ve been able to measure my game against the very best female golfers in the world. I made many great friends and received lots of good advice along the way.”

The Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony celebrated Rolex-First Time Winners Celine Boutier, Cydney Clanton, Hannah Green, Cheyenne Knight, Bronte Law and Jeongeun Lee6. Additionally, Lee6 also added to her trophy count when she accepted the 2019 Rolex Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year award with a painstakingly memorized English speech that brought the crowd to its feet.

“With the support of my family and friends, I was able to pursue my biggest dream. The LPGA Tour is where we get to compete with the best players in the world. Just being a part of it made me feel like I could take on anything,” said Lee6, the 13th player from the Republic of Korea to capture the honor and the fifth consecutive, following Jin Young Ko (2018), Sung Hyun Park (2017), In Gee Chun (2016) and Sei Young Kim (2015). “It is an honor to compete on the LPGA Tour, to be able to play at the best golf courses around the world and among the world’s best golfers. Winning the U.S. Women’s Open and receiving Rookie of the Year has all been a dream come true.”

LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan selected KPMG as the 2019 recipient of the Commissioner’s Award. In his speech, Whan spoke of their foresight in stepping in as title sponsors of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, revamping the LPGA Championship into a week-long celebration of female leadership and empowerment. When accepting the award, retired Chairman of KPMG International and incoming LPGA Board member John Veihmeyer thanked LPGA Tour player and KPMG Ambassador Stacy Lewis for her role in elevating the competition and focusing its most important asset – the players.

“There’s nothing that has made me more proud over the years of being at this championship than listening to the players, hearing them or having them come up to me and telling me how much they love this event,” said Veihmeyer. “This is all about the players. We have some of the greatest athletes in the world here. They deserve to be on the best courses in the world. They deserve to be playing for the best purses in the world and they deserve to be on network TV.”

Nancy Quarcelino, a member of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals (T&CP) Hall of Fame who has coached players on both the LPGA Tour and the PGA Tour, joined an elite group of her peers as the recipient of the 2019 Ellen Griffin Rolex Award. Instituted in 1989, the award honors the late Ellen Griffin, the best-known woman golf teacher in U.S. history. The award recognizes an individual, male or female, who has made a major contribution to the teaching of golf and who has demonstrated, through teaching, Griffin’s spirit, love and dedication to the golf student, teaching skills and game of golf.

“I’ve been very blessed in my life to be able to get up every day and go to work and do something that I love,” said Quarcelino. “I can only hope that I can be an inspiration to people that are watching, that are teaching, that are coming up, that are playing. I can only hope that I can be that inspiration to them and I do want to Drive On for the future.”

Earlier in the week, the LPGA Tour celebrated the winners of two season-long competitions. Carlota Ciganda captured the inaugural Aon Risk Reward Challenge and earned the $1 million prize. The competition, which measured the performance of LPGA Tour and PGA Tour golfers on a series of holes across multiple tournaments, tested players’ ability to analyze risk, utilize data-driven insights to identify opportunities and maximize performance in the moments that matter most. Ciganda joined PGA Tour winner Brooks Koepka in winning the inaugural honor, with both players receiving equal prize money.

Additionally, Ko won the LEADERS Top 10 competition on a tiebreak, earning $100,000. She racked up 12 top-10s in 21 starts, including four victories and three runner-up spots, to finish ahead of second-place Brooke Henderson and third-place Hyo Joo Kim. Henderson and Kim also recorded 12 top-10s but Ko won the competition via a tiebreak, her four wins eclipsing Henderson (two) and Kim (none).

NAPLES, Fla. – In 2020, for the first time in the history of the LPGA Tour, the world’s best female athletes will compete for a combined prize fund of $75.1 million, which includes the fourth playing of the UL International Crown, and air on more than 500 hours of television, both true signs of the continued growth for the game’s global tour.

The 2020 LPGA Tour schedule will feature 33 official events across 11 countries and regions, with the most hours of television production in LPGA history, and at least seven tournaments that will air on network television. Additionally, the UL International Crown, a unique biennial team event, will feature a $1.6 million unofficial purse and showcase the best female golfers from the top eight countries across the globe. 2020 will also see the world’s top players head to Japan for the Summer Olympics, bringing the game into even more households around the world.

“As we close 2019 and move to 2020, I could not be more excited about what the future will bring for the LPGA Tour and the sponsors that support us,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “$75.1 million in total purse. That number is a testament to the support we are receiving from sponsors and industry partners around the globe. As I enter my second decade as commissioner, we find ourselves in a new phase of the LPGA Tour. We’ve grown, but now we must flourish. We talk a lot about the next generation, but we will lift THIS generation. I know a lot of our fans understand the difference we are making for women’s golf in America, but they might be surprised to know about the impact our Tour is having all around the globe.”

The largest purse increase for the 2020 season comes at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The purse for the season’s third major championship will grow to $4.3 million, up $450,000 from 2019. Additionally, the purse at the ANA Inspiration, traditionally the first major of each professional golf season, will increase to $3.1 million, up $100,000 from 2019 and the sixth consecutive year with a purse increase since ANA assumed title sponsorship in 2015.

Other purses increasing in 2020 are the CPKC Women’s Open ($2.35 million, up $100,000), the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give ($2.3 million, up $300,000), the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational ($2.3 million, up $300,000), the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana ($1.85 million, up $100,000) and the Volunteers of America Classic ($1.4 million, up $100,000).

As previously announced, the 2020 LPGA Tour season will include two new events in Florida, making it four tournaments for the Sunshine State. The Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio will be held Jan. 23-26 at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, one week after the season-opening Diamond Resort Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America in Lake Buena Vista. Four months later, the Tour will return to the Sunshine State for the Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging, to be held May 14-17 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair. Finally, for the seventh consecutive year, the LPGA Tour will end its season in Naples at the CME Group Tour Championship, a competition that awards the winner with $1.5 million, the largest single prize in women’s golf history.

2020 will also see the return of the Blue Bay LPGA, which was not conducted in 2019 to transition the competition into a spring time slot. The tournament in the People’s Republic of China will now be held March 5-8 as part of the LPGA Tour’s Spring Asia Swing, following stops in Thailand and Singapore.

The major season will kick off in Rancho Mirage, Calif., with the ANA Inspiration celebrating its 49th year on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. The U.S. Women’s Open, conducted by the USGA, will visit Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, while the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be held at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa. The final two majors send the LPGA Tour overseas, with the Evian Championship returning to Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bain, France, and the AIG Women’s British Open heading to Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland.

In early August, between the Evian Championship and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, the LPGA Tour will go on hiatus to accommodate the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. The women’s golf competition will be held Aug. 5-8 at Kasumigaseki Country Club, located 40 miles outside Tokyo. Qualifying for the 60-player field ends following the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, with the top 15 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings automatically qualifying for the Games (no more than four players per country). The remaining spots will be awarded to the highest-ranked players from countries that do not already have two qualified players. Weekly Olympic golf rankings are posted every Monday on the International Golf Federation website.

The 2020 UL International Crown will be held Aug. 27-30 at Centurion Club, located outside of London, England. Spain won the inaugural competition in 2014, with the United States winning in 2016 and the Republic of Korea winning in 2018.

The 2020 LPGA Tour season will again feature three season-long races. In its second year, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge will award $1 million to the players on the LPGA and PGA Tours who best navigate risk across the season’s most strategically challenging holes. Carlota Ciganda captured the inaugural title on the LPGA Tour, while Brooks Koepka won on the PGA Tour. For the third consecutive year, the LEADERS Top-10s competition will award $100,000 to the player with the most top-10 finishes, with Ariya Jutanugarn (2018) and Jin Young Ko (2019) earning the first two awards. Finally, the Race to the CME Globe will see the top 60 players following the season’s penultimate event heading to the CME Group Tour Championship with the opportunity to win the $1.5 million winner’s check.

While the overall TV schedule is still being finalized, the 2020 LPGA Tour will see 500 global hours of broadcast coverage, including at least seven events aired on network TV. The Tour will be televised in more than 175 countries and in more than 500 million households.

The Symetra Tour, which is celebrating its 40th season, is still finalizing a schedule that will include at least 20 events for players on the LPGA Tour’s Official Qualifying Tour. Earlier this year, the Symetra Tour announced that the Circling Raven Championship, the first new event of the 2020 campaign, will be held at Circling Raven Golf Club at Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort and Hotel in Worley, Idaho. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7 million in prize money to a record $4 million awarded over the course of 23 tournaments in 2019.

2020 will see a date change for the Senior LPGA Championship presented by Old National Bank. After three years in October, the tournament will move to July 30-Aug. 1, but will remain at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick (Ind.) Resort. Additionally, the LPGA’s Q-Series presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, the two-week qualifying tournament that replaced Stage III of Q School, will be held Oct. 19-31 in Pinehurst, N.C., while the LPGA T&CP National Championship will be held Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 at Reynolds Lake Oconee Golf Course in Greensboro, Ga.

2020 LPGA Tour Schedule (bold = major; italics = new event; * = unofficial money; ** = to be confirmed)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The LPGA Tour announced today that Jeongeun Lee6 has won the 2019 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. Lee6, who won the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open, clinched the honour following her tie for eighth at last week’s Volunteers of America Classic. Lee6 has earned 1,273 points and holds an insurmountable 756-point lead over second-place Kristen Gillman with five events left in the 2019 season.

“For five consecutive years, Korean golfers have won this Rookie of the Year award. I’m part of that list, and I am so proud and honoured,” said Lee6, 23. “This is all thanks to those players who came before me, who have all given me so much advice. Since the season is almost over, I want to finish strong for the rest of our tournaments and perform well.”

Lee6 is the 13th player from the Republic of Korea to capture the award and the fifth consecutive, following Jin Young Ko (2018), Sung Hyun Park (2017), In Gee Chun (2016) and Sei Young Kim (2015).

Lee6 earned 2019 LPGA Tour Membership after taking medalist honours at the inaugural Q-Series in 2018. In June, she became a Rolex First-Time Winner when she won the U.S. Women’s Open, becoming the 19th player in championship history to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first LPGA Tour victory. She also has runner-up finishes at the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer and Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, along with 10 other top-20 finishes. She currently sits fourth in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

With five events left in the season, Lee6 is second on the LPGA Official Money List with $1,913,357, behind only four-time winner and 2018 Rookie of the Year Jin Young Ko. She is also second in the Rolex Player of the Year standings behind Ko and was runner-up to Ko in the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award standings. Lee6 is in the top 10 in scoring average (No. 5, 69.6), birdies (No. 8, 305), eagles (No. 8, nine), greens in regulation (No. 10, 75%), rounds in the 60s (No. 6, 35) and rounds under par (No. 3, 58).

Prior to joining the LPGA Tour, Lee6 was a member of the Korean LPGA Tour from 2016-18. She won six KLPGA events, including major championships at the 2018 Hanwha Classic and 2018 KB Financial Star Championship, and led the KLPGA money list in 2017 and 2018.

Lee6’s unusual last name comes from the fact that she is the sixth player in KLPGA history named Jeongeun Lee. She has embraced the moniker, emblazoning it on her clothing and golf bag, and even naming her official Korean fan club “Lucky Six.”

Lee6 will receive the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award at the 2019 Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony, to be held Thursday, Nov. 21, at Tiburon Golf Club during the week of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

Since its inception in 1962, 10 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year winners have become members of the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame: Joanne Carner (1970), Jan Stephenson (1974), Amy Alcott (1975), Nancy Lopez (1978), Beth Daniel (1979), Patty Sheehan (1981), Juli Inkster (1984), Annika Sorenstam (1994), Karrie Webb (1996) and Se Ri Pak (1998).

AURORA, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Jin Young Ko played flawless golf again Sunday at the CPKC Women’s Open to capture her fourth LPGA Tour title of the 2019 season.

Ko, who shot an 8-under-par 64 Sunday at Magna Golf Club, has now gone 106 holes without a bogey. She beat Nicole Broch Larsen, whose runner-up was her best career LPGA Tour finish, by five shots.

Lizette Salas and Brooke Henderson tied for third at 19-under.

Jin Young Ko’s winning score of 262 (-26) is a new CPKC Women’s Open tournament scoring record. She beat the prior record – held jointly by Ariya Juanugarn in 2016 and So Yeon Ryu in 2014 (265, -23) – by three shots.

“It was (an) incredible crowd out here, and then lots of fans here and Koreans, too,” said Ko of the final round, where she was grouped with Broch Larsen and Henderson.

Ko has won two majors already this year – the ANA Inspiration and the Evian Championship – along with the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. She leads the Rolex Rankings as the world’s No.1-ranked golfer, as well as the season-long Race to CME Globe.

Ko started to pull away on the back nine, where she made six birdies.

Ko also has a Canadian connection, as she uses PGA of Canada professional Gareth Raflewski has her short-game coach. Ko said Raflewski helped her totally revamp her short game after spending two weeks together in Florida earlier this year.

“I changed everything about my short game, like (my) setup or clubs or mind, everything. And then he help me a lot on the course or off the course, too,” said Ko. “So, I want to say to thank you.”

Ko reveled she was debating staying in South Korea this week versus travelling to play the CPKC Women’s Open, but a tasty Canadian treat helped change her mind.

“I like Canada and I like ice cappuccino. That’s why I wanted to play this week,” she said with a laugh.

Henderson and Ko walked with their arms around each other as they walked up the 18th hole at Magna. Henderson admitted she knew as the round went on there was a point when she wouldn’t be able to catch Ko.

“She’s world No.1 for a reason,” said Henderson. “She’s had an unreal season. I don’t even know, is it four wins now? Four wins on one of the toughest tours there is. There is so much talent out here. To get one win is hard; to get four is really cool.”

The LPGA Tour heads to Portland for the Cambia Portland Classic next week – a tournament Henderson has won twice.

Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver will play host to the 2020 CPKC Women’s Open.

BROOKE HENDERSON WINS SANDRA POST MEDAL AS LOW CANADIAN

Although Brooke Henderson was unable to defend her CPKC Women’s Open title, it was still a fantastic week for her. A tie for third earned Henderson the Sandra Post Medal as Low Canadian.

Henderson, who shot a 3-under-par 69 Sunday, finished seven shots back of Jin Young Ko.

Earlier this year, Henderson topped Post herself as the winningest Canadian golfer of all time on the LPGA Tour.

“I feel like I’m getting better every year on the LPGA Tour, which is a great feeling. I feel like if I can just continue to make small improvements good things can happen in the future,” said Henderson as she looked ahead to what’s to come. “It’s exciting knowing that I can compete against the best in the world every single week and have chances to win championships.”

Henderson, who has won twice ready this year, called this week at Magna Golf Club “incredible.” The tournament enjoyed record walk-up and corporate hospitality sales and was the second-most attended CPKC Women’s Open in history.

“The fans, the crowds, so good. Record-breaking really. So that’s really special,” Henderson said. “I feel like I made a lot of birdies and hopefully made it pretty exciting for them. T3, I couldn’t really ask for anything more. It would’ve been very difficult to catch Jin Young today.”

Henderson said, from start to finish, she had a great week and enjoyed being a proud CP ambassador and CPKC Women’s Open defending champion.

“I feel like I handled it really well,” said Henderson of the extra responsibilities this week. “There were a lot of extra things I had to do, but overall it was really fun. Just to be able to play well in front of all these people, and, you know hopefully, make their weekend a little bit better, that’s all I really want.”

Now Henderson looks ahead to Vancouver in 2020, with a fire already burning to return to the winner’s circle.

“I’m really excited to play Shaughnessy. I’ve never played it; only heard amazing things.” added Henderson. “I think it’ll be fun to get back out on the west coast. I tend to play pretty well out there, so that’s exciting. To finish I guess T12 in Ottawa, the win and then T3 this year, I feel like I’m trending in the right direction and hopefully I can get another top finish.”

Full results can be found here.