About the LPGA
Read About the LPGA
LPGA Tour tournaments
Kristy McPherson during her practice round before the 2009 LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock Golf Course.Most of the LPGA Tour's events are held in the United States. In 2010, two tournaments were played in Mexico and one each in Singapore, Canada, France, England, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan. Unofficial events were also held in Brazil and Jamaica. In 2011, the unofficial Jamaica event drops from the schedule, and the tournament that was held in England rotates to Scotland; all other countries will retain their tournaments. In addition, events will be added in China and Taiwan, while the biennial USA–Europe team competition, the Solheim Cup. will be played in Ireland.
Four of the tournaments held outside North America are co-sanctioned with other professional tours. The Ladies European Tour co-sanctions the Evian Masters in France and the Women's British Open, held the following week. The other two co-sanctioned events—the LPGA Hana Bank Championship (LPGA of Korea Tour) and Mizuno Classic (LPGA of Japan Tour)—are held during the tour's autumn swing to Asia.
The LPGA's annual major championships are:
Kraft Nabisco Championship
Wegmans LPGA Championship
U.S. Women's Open
Ricoh Women's British Open (held in cooperation with Ladies European Tour)
[edit] LPGA PlayoffsSince 2006, the LPGA has played a season-ending championship tournament. Through the 2008 season, it was known as the LPGA Playoffs at The ADT; in 2009 and 2010, it was known as the LPGA Tour Championship; and in 2011, the event will be known as the Titleholders. The tournament is held in November.
From 2006 through 2008 the LPGA schedule was divided into two halves, with 15 players from each half qualifying for the Championship based on their performance. Two wild-card selections were also included for a final field of 21 players. The winner of the LPGA Tour Championship, which features three days of “playoffs” plus the final championship round, earns $1 million.
In 2009, the Tour Championship field was increased to 120 players, with entry open to all Tour members in the top 120 on the money list as of three weeks prior to the start of the tournament. The total purse was $1.5 million with $225,000 going to the winner.
The Titleholders, which resurrects the name of a former LPGA major championship (the Titleholders Championship), will be launched in 2011. Its field will be made up of three qualifiers from each official tour event during the season, specifically the top three finishers who have not already qualified for the Titleholders. The 2011 purse will remain $1.5 million, but the winner will receive $500,000.