The scenic par-3 17th hole at
Kingsmill’s River Course could be
the site of some late dramatics.
Salas says. “It’s all the little things that
add up, and the tournament really tries to
accommodate us.”
Inside the ropes, the event has rarely
been short on dramatics or historymaking achievements. Salas’ romp last year
notwithstanding, Sorenstam collected the
last of her 72 victories on the LPGA Tour
at Kingsmill in 2008. Jiyai Shin and Paula
Creamer dueled in an epic nine-hole, twoday playoff in 2012, with Shin outlasting her
fellow-competitor for the title. Kerr defeated
Suzann Pettersen in extra holes two years
ago. Nine of the 10 Kingsmill winners have
also won at least one major championship.
In addition to its longevity and experience
in hosting professional golf championships,
Kingsmill has 1,400 volunteers each year who
are a part of the fabric of the championship.
They help marshal more than 60,000 fans
around the course during championship week.
Organizers and volunteers “just seem
to go above and beyond the call of duty
every year,” says tour veteran Brittany
Lincicome. “They go overboard every year
to make us happy. That’s what keeps bringing
the top players back.”
In October 2013, Kingsmill and the LPGA
announced in October an extension that will
carry the event through the 2017 season.
This year signals the 40th anniversary of
the River Course, and Schulze hopes to
attract 100,000 golf fans to the championship
from throughout the Virginias, Carolinas
and greater Washington, D.C., and beyond.
Schulze and his team have built an improved
venue for 2015, and the tournament director
believes fans will come, just as they have for
more than three decades.
“When you talk to a volunteer or a fan at
Kingsmill, they often talk about the history
of the LPGA, as well as individual players,”
Commissioner Whan adds. “In a market like
that where we have played for a while, it feels
like they are a part of us.”
And in this part of historic Williamsburg,
the Kingsmill Championship occupies a
memorable spot in LPGA history, as well as
a viable place in its future.
Author Lisa D. Mickey is a Florida-based writer
and a regular contributor to Virginia Golfer.
Paula Creamer is among many players
who stop to sign autographs for fans.
2015 KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP
When: May 14-17, 2015
Where: Kingsmill Resort
(River Course), Williamsburg
Purse: $1.3 million
Tickets: $25 (daily grounds
tickets good any day); $35 (daily
clubhouse passes) and $200
(book of 10 tickets good any day;