Virginia Golfer January/February 2024 VG_JanFeb24_Digital | Page 35

LPGA ’ s Record Growth Continues

In 2021 , the total prize money awarded on the LPGA Tour was approximately $ 70 million . In 2024 , that number has increased a whopping 69 percent to $ 118 million . The Tour ’ s growth is real , and it appears to be quite sustainable .
The global LPGA schedule will see the Tour visit 15 U . S . states and 10 countries in 2024 , including two multi-event swings in Asia between February and March and again in October . As LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan notes , “ Our global reach and competitiveness have never been stronger .”
One familiar face remains on the LPGA Tour , as former University of Virginia standout Lauren Coughlin finished 66th in the 2023 Race to the CME Globe to retain her status for the new year . Everyone will be chasing American Lilia Vu and Frenchwoman Celine Boutier , who each won four times in 2023 to separate themselves from the chasing pack at the end of the year .
2024 LPGA Tour Schedule Dates | Tournament | Location | * Defending champion | x-denotes major championship
USGA
Jan . 18-21 : Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions | Lake Nona G & CC Orlando , Fla . | * Brooke M . Henderson Jan . 25-28 : LPGA Drive On Championship Bradenton CC | Bradenton , Fla . | * Celine Boutier Feb . 22-25 : Honda LPGA Thailand Siam CC ( Old Course ) | Chonburi , Thailand * Lilia Vu Feb . 29-March 3 : HSBC Women ’ s World Championship | Sentosa GC ( Tanjong ) Singapore | * Jin Young Ko March 7-10 : Blue Bay LPGA Jian Lake Blue Bay GC | Hainan Island , China * Gaby Lopez ( 2018 ) March 21-24 : Seri Pak L . A . Open | Palos Verdes GC | Palos Verdes Estates , Calif . * Ruoning Yin March 28-31 : Arizona Championship presented by JTBC | Site TBD | Phoenix , Ariz . * New event April 3-7 : LPGA Match Play at Shadow Creek | Shadow Creek | Las Vegas , Nev . * Pajaree Anannarukarn x-April 18-21 : The Chevron Championship The Club at Carlton Woods The Woodlands , Texas | * Lilia Vu » Vu jumpstarted her excellent 2023 campaign by winning the first of her two major championships , topping Angel Yin in a playoff . April 25-28 : JM Eagle L . A . Championship presented by Plastpro | Wilshire CC Los Angeles , Calif . | * Hannah Green May 9-12 : Cognizant Founders Cup | Upper Montclair CC | Clifton , N . J . | * Jin Young Ko May 16-19 : Mizuho Americas Open Liberty National GC | Jersey City , N . J . * Rose Zhang x-May 30-June 2 : U . S . Women ’ s Open Lancaster CC | Lancaster , Pa . | * Allisen Corpuz
» The national championship makes its second appearance in Lancaster . Chun In-Gee posted an 8-under 272 to win by one stroke over Amy Yang in 2015 . June 7-9 : ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer | Seaview ( Bay Course ) Galloway , N . J . | * Ashleigh Buhai June 13-16 : Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give | Blythefield CC Grand Rapids , Mich . | * Leona Maguire x-June 20-23 : KPMG Women ’ s PGA Championship | Salhalee CC Sammamish , Wash . | * Ruoning Yin » The Women ’ s PGA will be played on the West Coast for just the second time . Salhalee also hosted in 2016 , when Brooke Henderson won in a playoff . June 27-30 : Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational | Midland CC | Midland , Mich . * Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol x-July 11-14 : Amundi Evian Championship Evian Resort GC | Evian-les-Bains , France * Celine Boutier » Boutier thrilled the local crowd by becoming the first Frenchwoman to win the major last year , finishing six strokes clear of Brooke Henderson . July 18-21 : Dana Open | Highland Meadows GC | Sylvania , Ohio | * Linn Grant July 25-28 : CPKC Women ’ s Open | Earl Grey GC | Calgary , Alberta | * Megan Khang Aug . 1-4 : Portland Classic Columbia Edgewater CC | Portland , Ore . * Chanettee Wannasaen Aug . 15-18 : Women ’ s Scottish Open TBD | Scotland | * Celine Boutier x-Aug . 22-25 : AIG Women ’ s Open St Andrews ( Old Course ) | Fife , Scotland * Lilia Vu
ABOVE : Rose Zhang
» The Women ’ s Open makes its third visit to iconic St Andrews . Previous winners include two-time U . S . Solheim Cup Stacy Lewis ( 2013 ) and legend Lorena Ochoa ( 2007 ). Aug . 29-Sept . 1 : FM Global Championship | TPC Boston | Norton , Mass . * New event Sept . 13-15 : Solheim Cup | Robert Trent Jones GC | Gainesville , Va . | Europe » Stacy Lewis and the American team will look to get back on track on home soil as the Cup visits a VSGA member club for the first time . Sept . 19-22 : Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P & G | TBD Cincinnati , Ohio | * Minjee Lee Sept . 27-29 : Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P & G Pinnacle CC | Rogers , Ark . | * Hae Ran Ryu Oct . 10-13 : Buick LPGA Shanghai Qizhong Garden GC | Shanghai , China | * Angel Yin Oct . 17-20 : BMW Ladies Championship Korean location TBA | * Minjee Lee Oct . 24-27 : Maybank Championship Kuala Lumpur G & CC | Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia * Celine Boutier Oct . 31-Nov . 3 : TOTO Japan Classic Seta GC | Shiga , Japan | * Mone Inami Nov . 6-9 : LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei | Ewa Beach , Hawaii * Grace Kim Nov . 14-17 : The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican | Pelican GC Belleair , Fla . | * Lila Vu Nov . 21-24 : CME Group Tour Championship | Tiburon GC ( Gold ) Naples , Fla . | * Amy Yang
vsga . org J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2024 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 33