2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational

2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational prize money payouts at Midland Country Club

The duo earned $326,872.

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There are two winners this week at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, meaning two players are taking home the top prize.

The LPGA’s best took on Midland Country Club in Midland, Michigan, this week in a team competition. With a major championship on the horizon next week in Europe, some players took the week off, but there was plenty of star power in the field looking to fine tune their games before the Amundi Evian Championship.

Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol held on to their 54-hole lead to win at 23 under. Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan had a birdie putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff, but it just missed. Knight and Szokol earned $326,872 for their victory, splitting the first-place prize.

Here’s a look at the prize money payouts for the 2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.

Position	Player	Score	Earnings (per player)
1	Cheyenne Knight, Elizabeth Szokol	-23	$326,872
2	Matilda Castren, Kelly Tan	-22	$160,017
T3	Celine Boutier, Yuka Saso	-20	$77,400
T3	Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Emma Talley	-20	$77,400
T3	Celine Borge, Polly Mack	-20	$77,400
6	Stacy Lewis, Maria Fassi	-19	$49,366
7	Yan Liu, Muni He	-17	$43,306
8	Sarah Kemp, Alena Sharp	-16	$38,403
T9	Peiyun Chien, Yu-Sang Hou	-14	$30,914
T9	Yu Liu, Ruixin Lin	-14	$30,914
T9	Paula Reto, Amelia Lewis	-14	$30,914
T9	Ana Belac, Bianca Pagdanganan	-14	$30,914
T13	Daniela Darquea, Karis Davidson	-13	$30,369
T13	Megan Khang, Alison Lee	-13	$30,369
T13	Mi Hyang Lee, Jeongeun Lee5	-13	$30,369
T13	Wichanee Meechai, Pavarisa Yoktuan	-13	$30,369
T17	Dewi Weber, Alexa Pano	-12	$21,925
T17	Hae Ran Ryu, Yaeeun Hong	-12	$21,925
T17	Carolina Inglis, Amanda Doherty	-12	$21,925
T17	Sarah Schmelzel, Lindsey Weaver-Wright	-12	$21,925
T21	Min Lee, Weiwei Zhang	-11	$11,822
T21	Jennifer Chang, Karen Chung	-11	$11,822
T21	Linnea Strom, Linnea Johansson	-11	$11,822
T21	Jasmine Suwannapura, Cydney Clanton	-11	$11,822
25	Maddie Szeryk, Lauren Hartlage	-10	$9,737
T26	Hannah Green, Su Oh	-9	$9,125
T26	Pornanong Phatlum, Dottie Ardina	-9	$8,853
T26	Pauline Roussin, Pernilla Lindberg	-9	$8,853
T29	Pajaree Anannarukarn, Aditi Ashok	-8	$7,218
T29	Yealimi Noh, Soo Bin Joo	-8	$7,218
T31	Savannah Grewal, Annabelle Pancake	-6	$6,469
T31	Julietta Granada, Sofia Garcia	-6	$6,469
33	Christie Kerr, Kristy McPherson	-5	$6,060
T34	Christina Kim, Lindy Duncan	-4	$5,788
T34	Haeji Kang, Tiffany Chan	-4	$5,846
36	Sophia Schubert, Haylee Harford	-1	$5,345
37	Jasmine Ly, Kimberly Dinh	1	$5,209

Cheyenne Knight, Elizabeth Szokol hold on for victory at 2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational

It’s the first LPGA victory for Szokol.

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Matilda Castren smacked her putt, and partner Kelly Tan watched anxiously as it rolled toward the cup.

The ball looked as if it was going in the whole way, but instead, it broke hard right at the hole and missed. Standing off to the side of the 18th green, Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol gave a hug to each other before Emma Talley and Maria Fassi rushed the green and sprayed them in champagne.

Knight and Szokol held on to their 54-hole lead, shooting 5-under 65 to hold on at 23 under and win the 2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland Country Club in Midland, Michigan. For Knight, it’s her second LPGA victory while Szokol picked up her first. It was their third start as partners in the tournament.

“It’s amazing to get my first win,” Szokol said. “It’s something I’ve been working for a long time, and it’s so tough to win out here. Everyone is such a great player.

“So to finally do that, and it’s even better with Cheyenne by my side. We’ve been talking about this event all year. And since our good finish last year, we couldn’t wait to get back, and to actually win is pretty amazing.”

Knight and Szokol also became the second American duo to win the event, joining defending champions Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas.

They each won $326,872.

Castren’s putt would’ve forced a playoff, but her and Tan settled for solo second at 22 under. There was a three-way tie for third at 20 under, including Celine Boutier/Yuka Saso, Jodi Ewart Shadoff/Talley and Celine Borge/Polly Mack.

There was a nearly two-hour rain delay with the leaders on the 13th hole, but Knight and Szokol made two birdies down the stretch to hold on.

“It was hard going to the rain delay, two-shot lead coming back, and it evaporated really quickly,” Knight said. “It was just surreal. It was, like, wow, we did it. We’ve been out here all day, but we did it. So it was just, yeah, pure joy.”

Up next is the fourth women’s major championship of the year, the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in France. Brooke Henderson is the defending champion.

Matilda Castren, Kelly Tan pick up where they left off at LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes

A year ago, Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan got off to a lukewarm start, but got progressively hotter through the week.

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The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational is the second of three team events on the LPGA schedule in 2023.

Thailand won the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown earlier this year. In September, of course, is the Solheim Cup. Both of those events are based on teams made of players from the same country.

This week, at the Dow at Midland Country Club in Midland, Michigan, the players get to make their own teams and one of the more interesting duos is the pairing of Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson, who are teaming up for the first time.

A year ago, the duo of Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan got off to a lukewarm start with a 69 in the opening round, but got progressively hotter through the week, posting rounds of 61 and 62 en route to a second-place finish behind champs Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas.

But this year, Castren and Tan picked up right where they left off, using a 64 to get out to a one-stroke lead over Amelia Lewis and Paula Reto.

Paula Reto of South Africa hits her tee shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland Country Club on July 19, 2023, in Midland, Michigan. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

“I felt like I was way more comfortable today than last year the first round, but I think that helps, and also knowing those good memories,” Tan said, soon after the duo birdied four of the last six holes to storm into the lead.

“And, you know, you go up to the hole, and you kind of are saying, oh, last year I chipped in from here and stuff like that. You have those good memories, so that helps with … actually calms me down and makes me happy and excited all day.

“I felt like we gelled really well today, honestly. She struck the ball so good. I had the chance to make the putt. And, I mean, I think vice versa. We both played pretty good today. There’s no complaints.”

Meanwhile, the Swedish team of Linnea Johansson and Linnea Strom had a wild ride with three bogeys and seven birdies in a colorful card, but the tandem is just two shots off the pace.

If the team can prove victorious, it would make for quite a stretch for Swedish golf as countryman Linn Grant secured her first victory last weekend at the Dana Open.

“Every time a Swedish player wins on any tour it’s great, and both of us were lucky to be there. It’s not every week you can be there when someone wins. So we decided to stay and be there for Linn, and it was just an incredible performance. It’s always fun to see someone play so well,” Johansson said. “When I left Sunday, we drove here in the car, and I said, like, Hey, we just have to ride on this. We’re all there for each other and support each other. We are trying to do whatever we can to ride on her great performance from last week.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Strom added. “It just gives so much energy and so much fun to be there on the 18 to watch her win. I think we just have a little bit of energy from last week. We got to do that together, you know, especially for her. It was pretty cool. It’s a lot of fun.”

“Gives me chills just talking about it,” Johansson said.

As for that Thompson/Henderson team, they posted a 3-over 73 on Thursday, nine shots off the pace.

Jane Park returning to LPGA action for first time since daughter’s life-changing incident

Players will also wear ribbons throughout the week to show their support for Jane and Grace.

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Jane Park is set to play in her first LPGA event in two years next week when she returns to action at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Michigan, at Midland Country Club.

Park hasn’t played since the 2021 Volunteers of America. While Park was playing, her then-10-month-old daughter Grace experienced a series of undiagnosed seizures and subsequently suffered severe brain damage, now requiring full-time care.

Park’s husband, professional caddie Pete Godfrey, will caddie for Park. Grace also will be in attendance. Park will team up with Paula Creamer.

“It’s my honor and privilege to compete in the 2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Championship partnered with my great friend Paula Creamer,” Park said in a release. “With the help of family, friends and so many others, I’ll be able to see my LPGA family again inside the ropes one more time. I’m incredibly nervous just like I used to be when I competed full time, but I know my partner will pick up my slack. My husband Pete will be on my bag, so hopefully he will give me some good clubs. The cherry on top is that Grace will be there to say hello to her friends. I can’t wait for everyone to see her again and we are looking forward to making new memories with everyone.”

Last December, Anne van Dam raced a half ironman to raise money for Grace. The week after the incident, LPGA players rallied behind Park and Grace.

Special hats will be available to purchase at the Great Lakes Bay Invitational with proceeds donated to the Epilepsy Foundation and the Golf4Her Foundation. Players will also wear ribbons throughout the week to show their support.

“We are proud to be able to host Jane, Pete and Grace at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational next week,” Dow GLBI Executive Director Carlos Padilla II said in a release. “We hope to be able to showcase the incredible hospitality of the Great Lakes Bay Region to their family, while also helping bring awareness to epilepsy. Fans should plan to come out and support Jane and Paula on the course.”