Tag: Ally Ewing

Photos: LPGA star Ally Ewing through the years

Ally Ewing called herself a “little Mississippi girl.” But nothing about her accomplishments was small.

Ally Ewing once referred to herself as a “little Mississippi girl.”

But nothing about Ewing’s accomplishments on the LPGA was small.

Before announcing that she’ll retire at the end of this 2024 season, the 31-year-old won the 2022 Kroger Queen City Championship, the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play and the 2020 LPGA Drive On Championship since her rookie year in 2016.

The 19th-ranked player in the world represented the United States on four occasions at the Solheim Cup (2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024), compiling a 3-12-1 record.

Here’s a look at the former Mississippi State Bulldog through the years.

Three-time LPGA winner Ally Ewing, 31, announces retirement on heels of Solheim Cup victory

“Thank you to the LPGA and many many others!”

Ally Ewing is ready for the next chapter. The 31-year-old American, a three-time winner on the LPGA, made her retirement announcement on Instagram Wednesday morning ahead of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

She’s currently ranked 18th in the world.

“It is with a heavy but grateful heart, that I want to announce that I’ll be retiring from professional golf at the end of this year,” Ewing said in a poignant video. “When I envisioned my career, I never dreamed this small-town Mississippi girl could have had the career that God has blessed me with.”

Ewing was born in Fulton, Mississippi, a don’t-blink town of about 4,500 that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is about 8.7 square miles. She honed her golf skills at Fulton Country Club, a hilly nine-hole course that tips out at 5,700 yards after two loops.

Photos: Ally Ewing through the years

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There’s no range at Fulton, so Ewing and childhood friend Chad Ramey, now a PGA Tour player, designed their own makeshift range across fairways. They aimed at trees and shagged their own balls, trying to stay out of the way of paying customers.

A self-described tomboy, Ewing begged her mom Angie to play on the middle school football team as quarterback, but mom said they were drawing the line.

While the highly-competitive Ewing shined as a point guard on the girls’ team at Itawamba Agricultural High School, she made her name playing golf with the boys. Ewing, formerly McDonald, became the first girl to win the Mississippi boys state high school championship. The coolest thing about winning, she once said, was that she did it from 7,000 yards, the longest course she’d ever played.

In college, Ewing put Mississippi State on the map, winning five times before joining the now Epson Tour in 2016, where she earned her full LPGA card for the following season.

Ewing won her first LPGA title on her 28th birthday in 2020, several months after she married Charlie Ewing, head women’s golf coach at her alma mater.

Now in her eighth full season on the LPGA, Ewing has $6 million in career earnings and 25 career top-10 finishes. This season alone she’s made $1.8 million on the strength of three top-10 finishes at the majors. She’s ranked ninth of the CME points list, which means she’ll wrap up her career in November at the CME Group Tour Championship, which boasts a $4 million winner’s prize.

“I’ve seen so much of the world and met so many incredible people,” Ewing said in her video, “but I’ve also never felt more alone at times and have missed out on things that were so close to my heart.

“I’ve cried many tears, but I will never take for granted what this game has done for me. I have fulfilled a dream that many strive for.”

Ewing said the highest honor of her career was representing the U.S. at the Solheim Cup, which she did on four separate occasions, finally getting a taste of victory earlier this month in Virginia.

Several of Ewing’s Solheim Cup teammates commented on her Instagram post, including Lexi Thompson, who announced earlier in the year her decision to retire from full-time competition at the end of this season. Jennifer Kupcho noted that the tour will miss Ewing’s “bright light.”

“While I’ve always felt I was able to balance golf and life,” said Ewing, “every decision I’ve made since I was young has always been deliberated with how it would impact golf.”

That changes soon.

Team Ally Ewing-Jennifer Kupcho leads the way at the LPGA’s 2024 Dow Championship

Catch up on Saturday’s action here.

Just like they did in round one, the 35 two-woman teams that made it to the weekend played alternate shot at the LPGA’s 2024 Dow Championship at Midland Country Club on Saturday, and Americans Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho lead the way at 15 under.

Team Ewing-Kupcho shot a 3-under 67 Saturday in Midland, Michigan, three shots worse than their alternate-shot 6-under 64 they posted on Thursday (they shot 6 under in the best ball format on Friday).

The American duo made a birdie and eight pars on the front nine before making the turn and pouring in birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 18 (they made bogey on the par-4 16th).

Team Haeji Kang-In Kyung Kim and Team Atthaya Thitikul-Ruoing Yin are tied for second at 14 under, one back, while Team Amanda Doherty-Caroline Inglis and Team Grace Kim-Auston Kim share fourth at 13 under, two back.

The final round broadcast can be seen on CBS from 1-3 p.m. ET.

Ally Ewing, Grace Kim tied for lead while Nelly Korda missed the cut at 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic

Ewing shot 63 on Friday, while Kim posted a 65.

The third women’s major of the year is next week at Sahalee Country Club, but before the ladies make their way to the Seattle area for the KPMG Women’s PGA, this week brings the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic.

As the Meijer heads to the weekend, Ally Ewing and Grace Kim share the lead at 11 under at Blythfield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan.

Ewing shot 63 on Friday, her bogey-free round marked by seven birdies and an eagle. Ewing had a 66 on Sunday at the U.S. Women’s Open two weeks ago to forge a tie for third.

Kim has opened 68-65 and has 10 birdies and two eagles with just three bogeys so far. She’ll try to avoid a repeat of the JM Eagle LA Championship six weeks ago where she led after 36 holes but shot 76-77 over the weekend.

“You know you’re in a good position when you’re in contention and playing in the last few groups on the weekend so making sure that take that in, don’t get too nervous,” she said. “I know the nerves will be there, but I guess that’s normal. Like that’s what you get for being good at golf. Everyone will be nervous, and I think the leaderboard is quite stacked, so, yeah, just got to play your own game.”

2024 Meijer LPGA Classic
Grace Kim acknowledges the crowd after a putt on the eighth green during the second round of the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club. (Photo: Raj Mehta/Getty Images)

Lilia Vu, who is making her first start since the Ford Championship 10 weeks ago, followed up her first-round 69 with a 70 and is 2 under.

Nelly Korda misses second straight cut

There was a field of 144 to start the week but among the notables who won’t play the weekend are Nelly Korda, whose Friday 67 wasn’t enough to overcome her Thursday 76. She finished 1 under and missed the cut by two shots.

In a season where she has won six times – including four in a row – Korda has now missed two straight cuts. She failed to make the weekend at the U.S. Women’s Open two weeks ago. Korda won the 2021 KPMG, the first of her two major titles.

How each American, European player fared at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

Three players went unbeaten over the three days but only one earned 4 points over the five sessions.

CASARES, Spain — The 2023 Solheim Cup couldn’t have been closer.

The 18th edition of the biennial bash between the United States and Europe was all square at 8-8 entering Sunday singles, and after the final 12 matches – five won by the both teams and two ties – the competition ended in a 14-14 tie, and the Europeans retained the Cup.

In the event’s 23-year history, the Americans have taken home the trophy on 10 occasions, with the Europeans earning the other eight. Team Europe hasn’t lost since 2017 in Iowa.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was the only player to score four points this week (4-0-0) and was one of four players who went unbeaten, joining Gemma Dryburgh (0-0-2), Megan Khang (3-0-1) and Cheyenne Knight (2-0-1). Two players went winless for each team, but only one failed to earn a point.

Here’s a breakdown of how each player fared this week by event at the 2023 Solheim Cup.

MORE: Sunday singles results | Best shots | Crazy fans

European records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Celine Boutier 0-3-0 0-1-0 0-2-0 0-0-0
Charley Hull 1-2-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0
Linn Grant 3-2-0 0-1-0 1-1-0 2-0-0
Georgia Hall 1-2-1 0-0-1 0-2-0 1-0-0
Leona Maguire 3-2-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 2-0-0
Carlota Ciganda 4-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 2-0-0
Anna Nordqvist 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 0-1-0
Maja Stark 2-1-1 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-1
Madelene Sagstrom 1-1-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 1-0-1
Gemma Dryburgh 0-0-2 0-0-1 0-0-0 0-0-1
Emily Pedersen 2-2-1 0-1-0 1-1-0 1-0-1
Caroline Hedwall 1-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

American records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Lilia Vu 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 0-2-0
Nelly Korda 2-2-0 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Allisen Corpuz 2-1-1 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Megan Khang 3-0-1 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Lexi Thompson 3-1-0 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Jennifer Kupcho 0-2-1 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-0-1
Ally Ewing 1-3-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-2-0
Rose Zhang 0-3-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-1
Danielle Kang 2-2-0 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-1-0
Angel Yin 2-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-1-0
Andrea Lee 1-2-1 0-0-1 1-1-0 0-1-0
Cheyenne Knight 2-0-1 0-0-1 1-0-0 1-0-0

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See which Solheim Cup captain’s picks have come up big in Spain and which have been on the bench

Cheyenne Knight (2-0-0) is undefeated so far in Spain.

Solheim Cup captains are always judged in part by their captain’s picks. The composition of the two 12-person teams are different in that Suzann Pettersen selects four players for Europe compared to Stacy Lewis’ three picks for Team USA.

So far, the European captain’s picks have combined for 4½ points to Team USA’s four points. While Pettersen has practically hidden two of her picks with Caroline Hedwall and Gemma Dryburgh only playing in one match apiece, she has leaned heavily on one pick: Emily Pedersen. The Dane is one of three European players to tee it up in all four matches. No American, however, will play every session.

Solheim Cup: 5 things we learned from Saturday

Here’s a look at how all seven captain’s picks have fared so far this week:

2023 Solheim Cup Friday morning foursomes pairings feature struggling Lexi Thompson out first

World No. 2 Lilia Vu is on the bench for the opening matches, as is rising star Rose Zhang.

CASARES, Spain — The opening tee shots of the 2023 Solheim Cup are just hours away and the first group of pairings have officially been announced.

Friday morning’s foursomes pairings and matches at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast were released during the opening ceremony Thursday night at nearby Marbella Arena, with none other than U.S. star Lexi Thompson, who has struggled this year, set to take the first swing alongside Megan Khang against European and Swedish rookies, Linn Grant and Maja Stark.

Notably on the bench for the American side are world No. 2 Lilia Vu, who won two major championships this season, as well as rising star Rose Zhang, who has a penchant for match play.

“I wanted to get off to a good start. I wanted to get out four really good pairings and that’s kind of been my focus this whole time,” said U.S. captain Stacy Lewis. “So it was more about who matched up together versus even — I didn’t even look at who was sitting, to be honest. I wasn’t even worried about who was sitting. It was more just what are my best four options.”

“For my sake, I feel like I’ve had these four pairings down on paper for quite a few months now,” added European captain Suzann Pettersen. “It was more like in what order do you play ’em.”

Check out the four matches and pairings, as well as the eight players who will ride the pine pony for the first session of matches at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Note: Spain is six hours ahead of Eastern Time in the U.S.)

MEET THE TEAMS: Europe | USA

Solheim Cup players, captains explain the test provided by the hilly host, Finca Cortesin

A drivable par-4 1st hole sets a unique tone for what fans should expect to see this week in Spain.

CASARES, Spain — When’s the last time you saw a drivable par 4 on the first hole of a golf course?

Fans who tune in to the 2023 Solheim Cup this week at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast will be treated to the rarity as the opening hole will provide a risk-reward option for players right from the jump.

A lot of the pre-match discussion this week from both players and captains has been about the unique test that this year’s host course will provide. The course at Finca Cortesin offers wide fairways and will bless the good shots and penalize the poor ones. Not only that, the heat and hills will make the 18th matches between the United States and Europe an equal parts physical and mental test for players and their caddies.

Here’s what the stars of the week had to say about this year’s host course as the Solheim Cup is held in Spain for the first time in its nearly two-decade history.

What to watch for as LPGA returns to Cincinnati for the Queen City Championship

There are just eight events left on the LPGA’s 2023 schedule.

After consecutive events on the West Coast in Vancouver and Portland, the LPGA is back in the midwest for the Kroger Queen City Championship.

Kenwood Country Club in Madiera, Ohio, is officially the host venue for the second playing of this event. Ally Ewing won the inaugural tournament a year ago.

Thirteen of the top 25 LPGA golfers in the CME points race are in the field, as is No. 28-ranked Rose Zhang. There will be 144 players in the field competing for a purse of $2 million, with $300,000 going to the winner.

Check out some of the top storylines to follow this week, courtesy of Golfweek’s USA TODAY partner, the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Strong field

There have been 18 different winners on the LPGA in 2023 and 12 of them have made their way to the Queen City. The highest-ranked golfer in the field is No. 2 Ruoning Yin (KPMG Women’s PGA champ). She’s joined by No. 6 Allisen Corpuz (U.S. Open champ) and No. 15 Linn Grant, who won her first LPGA tournament earlier this year in Toledo. Last week’s winner on the LPGA, 19-year-old Chanettee Wannasaen, who won the Portland Classic as a Monday qualifier, will also be there.

In the homestretch

The Queen City Championship is one of the final eight events of the 2023 LPGA season. Since the U.S. Women’s Open in early July, the tour has held 10 events that took golfers to six different countries. Many golfers haven’t had a free weekend since June.

However, after this week, there is a break of about a month, with the LPGA returning Sep. 29.

Grant on a hot streak

Grant, a 24-year-old from Sweden, enters her first Kroger Queen City Championship playing the best golf of her career. She is currently No. 15 in the Rolex Rankings and No. 17 in the CME Rankings. Since her win in the Dana Open, she’s logged six consecutive top-20 finishes and had a top 10 in the CPKC Women’s Open and the Portland Classic

“I feel like it hasn’t changed at all. Obviously, I feel a bit more confident playing the regular weeks now, but kind of just kind of shake off that win and still be able to perform after that without being too excited about it,” Grant said. “I think I’m pretty good at every week kind of reset and figure out how I’m feeling, how my game is feeling, and kind of adjust to that.”

Ohio native Hammond has promising future

Earlier this summer, just five months after her 15th birthday, Mia Hammond made her LPGA debut, winning her qualifier to become the youngest player in the field at the Dana Open.

Hammond, a New Albany, Ohio, native and a sophomore at New Albany High School, tied for 26th as the only amateur in the field. Hammond’s father, Tom, is her coach and caddie and will be on the bag this week at the Kenwood Country Club. Hammond was given a sponsor invite.

“My goal remains the same: Just make the cut after the first two rounds and go from there. I’m just trying to take this experience all in and just enjoy it as much as possible,” Hammond said. “I don’t really have very high expectations for myself going into this week. Just to go out and have fun and just soak it all up.”

Xiyu Lin hopes to breakthrough

Last year, a 21-under 267 was not enough for Xiyu Lin of China to hoist the hardware as she fell by one stroke to Ewing. Lin, 27, is a top 15 golfer in the world, but has yet to win an LPGA event. In addition to Cincinnati last year, Lin’s been a runner-up four times over the last two years.

Charley Hull, Lilia Vu tied for lead, Ally Ewing stumbles at AIG Women’s Open

Catch up on the action here.

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Ally Ewing was in complete control after her Friday 6-under 66 at the AIG Women’s Open, leading by five shots. But after stumbling to a 3-over 75 at Walton Heath in England, Ewing will tee off two shots out of the lead Sunday.

Charley Hull made one of the moves of the day, firing a 4-under 68 to grab a share of the 54-hole lead with Lilia Vu. Vu, who won the Chevron Championship earlier this season, was one better than Hull on Day 3, shooting a 5-under 67.

“I think today was really about for me just in terms of confidence,” Vu said after her round. “It’s been a while since I played — I say awhile. It’s been since Chevron that I actually felt pretty decent about my game and where it’s at.

“So I’m just going to do the same thing I did today, just focusing on tee shots and giving myself a good opportunity for birdies, and just do that tomorrow, not think too much about the wind. Because every time that happens, it just slips away from me.”

The pair, at 9 under, is one shot clear of their closest chasers, Hyo Joo Kim and Angel Yin. Kim shot a third-round 68 while Yin signed for a 67.

There are several big names lurking a few shots back, including Linn Grant (6 under), Nasa Hataoka (4 under) and Nelly Korda (4 under).

“Tee-to-green really well. Putting, I’d probably give myself a D,” Korda said. “It was — I started off pretty well and then on the back nine, I just kind of started making more mistakes with the short stick.

“But overall, I would say I moved up on moving day, and conditions were tough and I’ll take that.”

Jin Young Ko is 1 under and eight back, while Rose Zhang slid down the board thanks to a 3-over 75 and will tee off Sunday 11 back of the leaders.

Final round coverage will be broadcasted on USA Network 7 a.m.-12 p.m. ET Sunday before switching to Golf Channel from 12-2 p.m. ET.