Thunderbirds join LPGA event in Arizona, raise Ford Championship purse to $2.25 million

It’s not just about the purse, of course.

The Ford Championship purse just got bigger. The Thunderbirds, host of the wildly popular WM Phoenix Open, have partnered with the LPGA for the first time, and their $250,000 contribution brings the total purse to $2.25 million.

It’s not just about the purse, of course. The Thunderbirds also bring a unique expertise in raising money for charity and getting fans in the stands.

The 2024 Ford Championship presented by KCC will be held March 28-31 at Seville Golf and Country Club. Last year, Celine Boutier won the 2023 Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club. The LPGA has played in Arizona more than 70 times since its inception in 1950.

“We’re extremely proud to be a founding partner of the Ford Championship presented by KCC and to be a part of the historic tradition of LPGA events in the Valley of the Sun,” said Pat Williams, Big Chief of The Thunderbirds, in a statement. “We are equally excited to partner with the LPGA in an effort to continue growing the game of golf and giving back to the community. We look forward to seeing the world’s best golfers tee it up at Seville Golf and Country Club later this month.”

Lydia Ko is expected to return to the LPGA at Seville. The Kiwi is one point away from entering the LPGA Hall of Fame and has had several close calls so far since winning the season-opening Tournament of Champions.

2024 Blue Bay LPGA prize money payouts for each LPGA player

Check out how much money each player earned in China.

There were many nights when Bailey Tardy wondered if it might be time get a new job. She’d missed more cuts than she’d made at the start of her rookie season last year. And it had already taken a long time to even get to the LPGA.

“It’s expensive being out here,” said Tardy. “I wasn’t making any money. I’m 27, so it’s kind of like either you make it or you go get a job.”

A $482,136 paycheck for a fourth-place finish at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble, however, provided much-needed breathing room. Now, after securing her first victory in China at the Blue Bay LPGA, that bank account looks especially strong after a $330,000 payday.

Tardy has now amassed $911,491 in official career earnings on the LPGA.

This marked the first event on the Asian swing this season to feature a cut. A total of 66 players earned a paycheck on Hainan Island.

Here’s how much money each player earned at the 2024 Blue Bay LPGA.

Prize money payouts

Position Player Score Earnings
1  Bailey Tardy -19 $330,000
2  Sarah Schmelzel -15 $208,128
3  Ayaka Furue -14 $150,982
T4  Savannah Katarina Grewal -13 $95,907
T4  Minjee Lee -13 $95,907
T4  Lydia Ko -13 $95,907
7  Ruixin Liu -12 $64,381
8  Stephanie Meadow -11 $56,405
9  Hye-Jin Choi -10 $50,708
T10  Xiyu Lin -9 $44,440
T10  Lucy Li -9 $44,440
T12  Celine Boutier -8 $37,450
T12  Gaby Lopez -8 $37,450
T12  Mao Saigo -8 $37,450
T15  Yunxuan Zhang -7 $29,247
T15  Yan Liu -7 $29,247
T15  Anna Nordqvist -7 $29,247
T15  Albane Valenzuela -7 $29,247
T15  Gabriela Ruffels -7 $29,247
T15  Sei Young Kim -7 $29,247
T21  Yuna Nishimura -6 $22,660
T21  Frida Kinhult -6 $22,660
T21  Moriya Jutanugarn -6 $22,660
T21  Lauren Coughlin -6 $22,660
T21  Mi Hyang Lee -6 $22,660
T21  Yu Jin Sung -6 $22,660
T21  Olivia Cowan -6 $22,660
T28  Emily Kristine Pedersen -5 $18,972
T28  Narin An -5 $18,972
30  Esther Henseleit -4 $17,890
T31  Hee Young Park -3 $15,554
T31  Kristen Gillman -3 $15,554
T31  Jennifer Song -3 $15,554
T31  Weiwei Zhang -3 $15,554
T31  Yu Liu -3 $15,554
T31  Caroline Inglis -3 $15,554
T37  Xiaowen Yin -2 $12,620
T37  Auston Kim -2 $12,620
T37  Muni He -2 $12,620
T37  Chanettee Wannasaen -2 $12,620
T41  Danlin Cai -1 $10,939
T41  Pavarisa Yoktuan -1 $10,939
T41  Mary Liu -1 $10,939
T44  Roberta Liti E $9,515
T44  Daniela Darquea E $9,515
T44  Yuai Ji E $9,515
T44  Miranda Wang E $9,515
T48  Yijia Ren (a) 1
T48  Paula Reto 1 $8,318
T48  Wichanee Meechai 1 $8,318
T48  Celine Borge 1 $8,318
T52  Azahara Munoz 2 $7,521
T52  Peiyun Chien 2 $7,521
T52  Liqi Zeng 2 $7,521
T55  Sandra Gal 3 $6,837
T55  Agathe Laisne 3 $6,837
T55  Zixuan Wang (a) 3
T55  Wei-Ling Hsu 3 $6,837
59  Ruoning Yin 5 $6,382
60  Linnea Strom 6 $6,153
T61  Iris Wang 7 $5,812
T61  Lauren Hartlage 7 $5,812
T63  Xinyu Cao 8 $5,527
T63  Yanhong Pan 8 $5,527
65  Yuli Shi 11 $5,356
66  Matilda Castren 16 $5,242

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A win away from the Hall of Fame, Lydia Ko tied for lead at Blue Bay LPGA

Sunday could be historic.

Sunday could be historic on the LPGA.

Needing one win to secure the final point to earn Hall of Fame status, Lydia Ko is tied for the lead at the Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course in China. Ko shot 6-under 66 on Saturday to move into a tie with Bailey Tardy (66) and Sarah Schmelzel (69) with 18 holes to go.

Ko, a 20-time winner on the LPGA, is one point away from meeting the minimum threshold to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. The 26-year-old could earn her 21st win on Sunday, making herself the youngest player to ever be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame.

“Still a lot of golf to be played, and it seems like someone shoots a really low score at least one of the rounds,” Ko said. “We all know the pin positions dictate the scores, so I just got to stay patient and keep giving myself good looks and see where that puts me.”

Ko’s round featured five birdies, an eagle and a lone bogey. For Tardy, who played alongside Ko in the third round, she had a clean scorecard with four birdies and an eagle.

Meanwhile, after a player tied the course record in each of the first two rounds, Canadian Savannah Grewal set a new one on Saturday, shooting 8-under 64.

“Feels kind of surreal. Still soaking it all in,” she said. “Just wanted to come out and play my best. I was joking with my brother yesterday that I shot 2 over that today is moving day. I got it.”

However, the focus on Sunday will be Ko, who nearly earned that last point earlier this season. After winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions to open the year, she lost in a playoff against Nelly Korda at the LPGA Drive On Championship the next week.

Come Sunday in China, Ko can make LPGA history.

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Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson banned from NXXT after Florida-based mini-tour changes gender policy

“It is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports,” the CEO said.

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson’s playing options just got significantly smaller.

NXXT Golf announced on Friday that, effective immediately, competitors must be a biological female at birth to participate. A statement from the tour notes that it underscores the organization’s commitment to “maintaining the integrity of women’s professional golf and ensuring fair competition.” The news comes on International Women’s Day.

“As we navigate through the evolving landscape of sports, it is crucial to uphold the competitive integrity that is the cornerstone of women’s sports,” said NXXT Golf CEO Stuart McKinnon in a statement.

“Our revised policy is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to celebrating and protecting the achievements and opportunities of female athletes. Protected categories are a fundamental aspect of sports at all levels, and it is essential for our Tour to uphold these categories for biological females, ensuring a level playing field.”

Davidson, a three-time winner on the tour, currently ranks second on the mini tour’s season standings. She has played nine times this season on the NXXT.

The NXXT is the second U.S. mini-tour to make such a change. Last month, the Arizona-based Cactus Tour announced on National Girls and Women in Sports Day that it had reinstated a female-at-birth requirement.

A number of LPGA players have used the mini-tour over the years to kick off rust and develop their games as amateurs and young pros. Past winners include three-time major winner Anna Nordqvist, 2023 U.S. Women’s Open champ Allisen Corpuz, Grace Kim, Mina Harigae, Gabriela Ruffels and Cheyenne Woods.

Bobbi Lancaster, a retired physician who became the first transgender player to compete in LPGA Q-School, once spent time competing on the Cactus Tour. Lancaster recently told Golfweek that her views on allowing trans women to compete in elite women’s sports have changed.

Davidson’s victory on the NXXT in January got national attention after many believed her performance put her on the doorstep of the LPGA. The NXXT has a new partnership this season with the Epson Tour, the developmental feeder tour for the LPGA. The top five earners on the NXXT points list will earn two exemptions into Epson Tour fields.

The fine print, however, details that for players to receive those Epson Tour exemptions, the NXXT must have a minimum of 10 events with an average of 40 players, and fields were falling well short of that number.

In the wake of the Davidson controversy, the NXXT initiated an anonymous poll among its players to gather their opinions on the tour’s gender policy, the results of which had not been made public.

The tour also requested that Davidson undergo additional testosterone testing to ensure compliance.

Davidson earned a scholarship to play on the men’s team at Wilmington University, an NCAA Division II school in Delaware, before transferring to the men’s team at Christopher Newport, an D-III school in Virginia.

On Sept. 24, 2015 – a date that’s tattooed on her right forearm – Davidson began undergoing hormone treatments, and in January 2021 underwent gender reassignment surgery, a six-hour procedure that’s required under the LPGA’s Gender Policy.

Three years ago, Davidson became the second transgender player to compete in LPGA Q-School and did not make the cut. She tried again in 2022, missing the 54-hole cut by a single stroke.

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LPGA: World No. 1 Lilia Vu forced to withdraw for a second week in a row in Asia

Last week, it was illness. This week, the top-ranked player has a different reason for the WD.

For a second week in a row, Lilia Vu has withdrawn from an LPGA event. Last week, the World No. 1 withdrew during Sunday’s final round at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. LPGA media reported that it was due to illness.

This time at the Blue Bay LPGA event in China, it’s being listed as an injury.

Vu, who opened with a 72 in China, said this at the start of the week in a press conference: “Last week my body wasn’t feeling great overall physically, and it was just Sunday that I couldn’t handle. So I took the whole day off yesterday and hopefully I can regroup and have a good week this week.”

Last summer, Vu had a back injury scare at the Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey that forced her to withdraw. She took nearly a month off before returning at the KPMG Women’s PGA in late June.

“I’m really grateful to be here right now because it could have been bad with my back,” Vu said last year at the KPMG.

The 2023 Chevron Championship is coming in five weeks, and Vu will be looking to defend her title in Texas.

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Narin An ties 18-hole scoring record, tied for lead at Blue Bay LPGA in China

Record scores galore in China.

It was a record-setting day for Narin An in China.

The 28-year-old from South Korea tied the 18-hole scoring record Friday at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club during the second round of the 2024 Blue Bay LPGA, shooting 7-under 65 with a stretch that included five straight birdies. An is tied for the lead with Sarah Schmelzel at 9 under heading to the weekend.

“Especially shot and putt was really good today, so I had a lot of birdies on the course,” An said after the round.

An followed up Minjee Lee’s opening-round 65 with one of her own. Lee, however, shot even-par 72 on Friday and is T-4 heading to the weekend.

Schmelzel’s round featured four birdies, including three straight on Nos. 12-14, and one bogey, but she’ll be in the final pairing on Saturday.

“Yeah, we played together a couple times,” Schmelzel said of An. “She’s really sweet, really nice, works really hard. It’s cool to see her up at the top the leaderboard. Like I said, she works hard at her game. I’m excited to play with her tomorrow it looks like and see what’s in store.”

Hye-Jin Choi is solo third at 7 under. Lydia Ko, a point away from earning Hall of Fame status, sits three shots back and T-6.

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New Callaway staffer Minjee Lee off to record start at Blue Bay LPGA

Lee got off to a strong start at the Blue Bay LPGA event in China after posting a course record-tying 7-under 65.

Past champion Minjee Lee got off to a strong start at the Blue Bay LPGA event in China after posting a smooth 7-under 65, which ties the course record. The Aussie holds a one-stroke advantage over American Sarah Schmelzel and Chinese players Miranda Wang and Ruixin Liu. This marks the first edition of the Blue Bay event since 2018.

“I just took advantage of the really calm conditions this morning,” said Lee, “and I think with the a little bit the rain it actually stopped it even more, the wind.”

While Lee won twice in 2023, this marks the first time she has led or co-led after the first round since the 2022 Chevron Championship. Earlier this season, it was announced that Lee had joined her brother Min Woo on the Callaway staff. Previously a Srixon player, one of the best ball-strikers on the LPGA had some work to do to get things in order. This is her second start this season. She opened with a T-29 last week in Singapore.

“I actually touched on everything this offseason,” said Lee, “especially changing my equipment to Callaway. Everything has been a little bit of a process getting used to, but I think it’s going to take me a couple events just to knock the rust off and break those clubs in.”

Lee also holds the 36-hole and 72-hole scoring records at Blue Bay.

Schmelzel led after the first round of last week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship and ultimately tied for eighth.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand plays her shot on the 9th hole during the first round of the Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on March 07, 2024 in Hainan Island, Hainan. (Photo by Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images)

Lydia Ko, who needs one more point to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame and a win would get her there, opened with a 68 at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course.

“There are some greens with some pin positions that like is actually really hard to stay on the same tier,” said Ko. “I think how the rules officials are going to set up the golf course and where they put the pins are going to dictate the scores a lot.”

World No. 1 Lilia Vu withdrew from the final round in Singapore on Sunday with an illness. She rested on Monday and shot 72 in the opening round.

“I feel like there was a big crowd out here,” said Vu. “I was playing with Ruoning (Yin), so obviously it’s her crowd. There was a lot of little kids out there following her, so it was really cool to see the turnout here.”

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Blue Bay LPGA returns for the first time in six years, and Ruoning Yin can’t wait

The inaugural Blue Bay event on Hainan Island was held in the fall of 2014.

The Blue Bay LPGA returns this week for the first time since 2018, and much has changed. World No. 1 Lilia Vu, for example, was still in college.

Shanshan Feng, China’s trailblazing LPGA player and 2017 Blue Bay champion, has since retired from golf. Ruoning Yin, the fresh-faced major champion poised to challenge Feng’s records, was years away from even turning professional.

Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, the defending champion, has won twice since 2018 and recently married her longtime sweetheart, Santiago Carranza.

“I’ve always wanted to play in front of a home crowd,” said Yin, a two-time winner on tour and short-term No. 1. “Last week in Singapore, after the last hole, I heard people in the crowd cheering for me in Chinese. It was heart-warming to see.”

Gaby Lopez of Mexico celebrates after winning the Blue Bay LPGA on November 10, 2018, in Hainan Island, China. (Photo by Zhe Ji/Getty Images)

The inaugural Blue Bay event on Hainan Island was held in the fall of 2014. It was halted after five stagings due, in part, to the global pandemic. Three past champions are in the field this week, including Minjee Lee, Sei Young Kim and Lopez.

“I think that every single time you’re in a place where you’ve played good and you have performed well,” said Lopez, “there is this kind of sort of calmness that comes with good memories.”

Lydia Ko is the only 2024 winner in the field. The Kiwi, of course, needs only one more point to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. A victory on Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course would put her there.

There are 25 China Golf Association members in the field of 108. Unlike the previous two Asian events, this one features a 36-hole cut to top 65 and ties and a purse of $2.2 million.

Vu, who withdrew during Sunday’s final round in Singapore with an illness, sounds like she’s on the mend, though she didn’t offer many details during a pre-tournament press conference.

“Last week my body wasn’t feeling great overall physically,” said Vu, “and it was just Sunday that I couldn’t handle. So I took the whole day off yesterday, and hopefully I can regroup and have a good week this week.”

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LPGA might soon see Caitlin Clark in a pro-am after Gainbridge signed the Iowa superstar

The Tournament of Champions celebrity pro-am could use another female participant.

Caitlin Clark has joined sports icons Billie Jean King and Annika Sorenstam as a Gainbridge brand ambassador, the financial services company announced. The partnership means Clark-mania might be soon coming to the LPGA.

The Iowa basketball player, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer who is revolutionizing the women’s game, is slated to compete in the pro-am at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican later this season, schedule permitting.

The Annika, the penultimate event on the LPGA’s schedule, is slated for Nov.  14-17 this season at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. World No. 1 Lilia Vu won last year’s edition for her fourth title of the season.

On Sunday, Clark broke the NCAA scoring record set by Pete Maravich.

The Gainbridge announcement comes in concert with the company’s launch of its new product, ParityFlex, a multi-year guaranteed annuity product created for women, by women.

“I am honored to be part of the company’s deepening commitment to advancing opportunities for women, on and off the court, and to help promote this visionary new product for women,’’ said Clark in a release.

Clark recently announced that she’ll forgo her final season in Iowa to enter the WNBA draft. The Indiana Fever has the first pick, and tickets to watch the franchise next season have already doubled in price, according to VividSeats.

The lowest ticket price available to watch Clark play Ohio State on Sunday was $491, a record for women’s basketball.

Iowa at Minnesota
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark. (Photo: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)

“It’s an honor to have Caitlin join us on Team Gainbridge,” said King in a release. “She is an amazing talent on the court, but more importantly, she puts her team ahead of herself and is a leader, an agent of change and a champion on and off the court. Thanks to Gainbridge for once again stepping up and showing their commitment to being a leader in women’s sports.” 

On March 10, Clark’s signature will be included on the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda driven by Colton Herta on Indycar and the No. 77 Group 1001 Camaro driven by Corey Lajoie on Nascar.

2023 John Deere Classic
Caitlin Clar and Ludvig Aberg walk to the fifth hole during the pro-am ahead of the 2023 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run. (Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Last summer, Clark created a frenzy at the John Deere Classic Pro-Am when she played alongside Zach Johnson and Ludvig Aberg.

“Honestly, I played (golf) when I was a little kid,” said Clark during a John Deere press conference. “Started golfing with my dad, but then I didn’t play much all throughout high school. Then kind of started again in college. I obviously am pretty busy, so I don’t get to golf as much as I would like.”

Clark enjoys teeing it up with her Iowa teammates and, not surprisingly, they like to keep it competitive, usually playing a quick nine or 12 holes. She also attended the 2017 Solheim Cup, won by Team USA, at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.

Perhaps the Gainbridge pro-am will serve as a warm-up to a bigger commitment. The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions celebrity pro-am could use another female participant.

Five storylines to watch at the Epson Tour opener, including a mother of two and some new faces

The Epson Tour played for a total of $1.6 million in 2023. This year’s schedule features $5 million in total prize money.

The LPGA battle in Singapore on Sunday featured a couple of Epson Tour graduates. In fact, HSBC Women’s World Championship winner Hannah Green and runner-up Celine Boutier were part of the same graduating class in 2017.

The 2024 Epson Tour season kicks off this week in Florida, and a total of 192 players have “graduated” to the LPGA over the past 25 years. Many of them, like Green and Boutier, have gone on to win major championships.

This year’s schedule includes 20 events with a record $5 million in total prize money. The average purse size has increased $20,000 since last season.

Consider that in 2013, the tour played for a total of $1.6 million.

Hannah Green celebrates victory on the 18th green following a birdie putt during Day Four of the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on March 03, 2024 in Singapore. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Another noteworthy change: the season-ending Epson Tour Championship is moving from LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, to Indian Wells (California) Golf Resort next October.

Here are five things to know about the 2024 Epson Tour season: