LPGA: August Tourneys & TV Schedules

Apr 6, 2014; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA; Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie walk toward the eighteenth hole in the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

After a two-week break The LPGA Tour’s getting back to work this week and August is packed with four tourneys, getting everybody warmed up and ready take another big trip, this time to Europe for the season’s fifth Major, The Evian Championship, September 11-14 at Evian-les-Baines, France. where golf will compete with Laura Davies’ annual player and caddie football game, shopping, and the quintessential spa. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Take a look at the August events and get them on your calendars.

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Grand Rapids, Michigan, August 7-11

It’s been more than a decade since either the LPGA or PGA Tours held an event in Michigan, and local fans are delighted to get back on the LPGA schedule with the Meijer LPGA Classic presented by Kraft Info.

Blythfield Country Club, a 6859 yard, par 72 course, is an ideal setting for the event. Officially opened in 1929, Blythfield’s hosted the 1953 Western Amateur, the 1961 Western Open, and the 2005 Western Junior and crowned Dale Morey, Arnold Palmer, and Rickie Fowler champions of those events.

Who’s going to claim the victory at this inaugural event? The field’s packed with possibilities and includes nine of the ten top-10 ranked players in the world (So Yeon Ryu is sitting this one out) as well as four additional 2014 champions outside the top-10 in the world rankings: Jessica Korda (Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic), Mo Martin (RICOH Women’s British Open), Anna Nordqvist (Honda LPGA Thailand and Kia Classic), Paula Creamer (HSBC Women’s Champions) are competing. Three of the Team Spain stars who left us all breathless at last week’s International Crown are in the field: Belen Mozo, Azahara Munoz and Beatriz Recari.

Golf Channel will provide daily coverage from 5-7pm ET, August 7-11 and my colleagues and I here at ProGolfNow will also provide updates and daily commentary for the Meijer Classic.

Pittsford, New York, August 14-17

Inbee Park, world ranked no. 3 & Wegman’s defending champion

From Michigan the Tour will head back east to Pittsford, New York and the fourth Major in the schedule, the Wegman’s LPGA Championship, where world ranked number 3, Inbee Park, is the defending champion.

The Monroe Golf Club, a 6717 yard, par 72 Donald Ross designed track that’s ranked one of the top 100 classically designed courses in the United States, will host the 2014 Wegman’s Championship.

Although the final field’s yet to be announced, the Wegman’s always draws the elite players on the Tour to compete for the Major championship and a big share of the $2.25 million purse. Because this is a Major, there are also 625 Race to the CME Globe points at stake rather than the standard 500 points for regular events.

Golf Channel will provide a total of thirteen hours of coverage for the Wegmans, with daily live broadcasts of the rounds, and ProGolfNow will also provide ongoing updates and commentary.

London, Ontario, August 21-24

Lydia Ko, world ranked no. 2 and Canadian Open defending champion. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

From western New York it’s an easy trip to London, Ontario and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at the par 72, 6656 yard track at the London Hunt and Country Club. This is the tournament where the Tour’s rookie star, Lydia Ko, has twice left the winner’s purse on the table. Ko won the event back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 as an amateur.

This will be her first title defense playing as a pro and you can be sure Ko will tee off playing for her third win this season and the winner’s share of the $2.25 million purse. I’m looking for a battle!

Information about the full field and television coverage for the event aren’t yet available. I’ll post that information as it’s announced by the LPGA.

Portland, Oregon, August 28-31

Suzann Pettersen, world ranked no. 4 and Portland Classic defending champion. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The Tour will close out August with a West Coast tournament, the Portland Classic presented by Cambia Health Solutions (previously the Safeway Classic presented by Coca-Cola). World ranked number 4 Suzann Pettersen will defend the title she claimed last year on the par 72, 6465 yard Columbia Edgewater Country Club track when she outplayed Stacy Lewis and clinched her 12th LPGA victory.

Opened in 1925, the Columbia Edgewater has figured in the Pacific Northwest golf scene for more than 90 years and hosted a long list of amateur and professional golf competitions, including: the 1929 and 1930 Oregon Open, the 1963 and 1970 Northwest Open, the LPGA Safeway Classic (1974-2008, 2013), and the 2010 US Open Sectional Qualifier. It’s a fine venue for some hot golf.

Golf Channel will again broadcast daily live coverage of the tournament and ProGolf Now will also provide ongoing updates and commentary.

You can follow me on Twitter @bethbethel and I’ll notify you as I publish commentary on all women’s professional golf events and activities for both the LPGA and LET Tours.

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