Women’s PGA Championship

I’m excited. I’ve been watching reruns of last year’s Women’s Golf Tournament, and I’ve gotten myself into a frenzy and can’t wait for this year’s tournament. The sheer talent that has played the pristine green course of the tournaments is astounding.

This prestigious event, the third major out of five on the LPGA calendar, showcases unparalleled golfing skills and intense competition every year.

It continues the great tradition of the LPGA Championship, becoming the second-longest-running championship since the inception of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

The Championship travels across the U.S. each June on the nation’s most esteemed courses. And come this June, another competition will kick off, and a winner will emerge.

Who knows what unforgettable moments this year’s tournament will bring to our screens? My screen, especially.

Whatever moments those are, I’m in.

This article will cover an overview of the Women’s PGA Championship and new updates on the upcoming event. Let’s dive in.

Women's PGA Championship

An Overview of the Women’s PGA Championship History

The organization was renamed from the LPGA Championship (Ladies Professional Golf Association) to the Women’s PGA Championship in 2015. This was a result of the partnership with the PGA of America in 2014, making the women’s tournament a sister event to the men’s PGA Championship.

Lots of great things have happened through this partnership. The tournament moved from being hosted consistently at one venue to being held at various top golf courses around the United States.

KPMG came into play with a title sponsorship, making the event change its name once more to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Another significant benefit of this partnership was that NBC committed to providing television coverage during the weekend tournament.

It’s safe to say the Women’s PGA Championship, like the Men’s Golf Tournament, has undergone numerous changes since its inception in 1955.

But that’s understandable.

It’s hard for things to remain the same as time passes. People clamor for change, and women’s rights have advanced exceedingly since 1955.

More than one history happened during the Women’s PGA Championship in 1955. Beverly Hanson won the inaugural tournament, defeating Louise Suggs, 4 and 3, after the initial three rounds were played via stroke play, ending in a match-play finale.

Since then, the championship has not ended in a match-play finale. Another unforgettable moment in the history of the tournament was 15-year-old Michelle Wie battling her way to the second position in 2005. She lost to Annika Sorenstam after she was allowed to compete as an amateur.

The current holder for the most wins in the history of the game is:

As for the lowest scores, we have;

  • Betsy King at 267, 17 under par for 72 holes on a par 71 golf course.

Upcoming Women’s PGA Championship

I loved the nail-biting spectacle of last year’s championship game.

I clapped and cheered like a proud uncle when Gee Chun outperformed Lexi Thompson to emerge as the winner. Lexi Thompson collapsed with two bogeys in her final three holes and lost the game. It was a good game.

You just had to be there.

This year’s game is almost upon us, a moment I’m anticipating with bated breath. It starts on June 21, 2023, and ends on June 25, 2023. The tournament would be held at Baltusrol Golf Club for the first time, which says a lot about the Women’s PGA Championship partnership.

That aside, this year’s game offers a tremendous purse, slated to be among the highest seen in women’s golf. Gee Chun took home $1.350,000 last year, a major increase from what the game paid out before.

I foresee tougher competition with this increment, and I’m not mad at it.

NBC and Golf Channel would provide network coverage for the dates. Also, the event would happen alongside the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

So mark your calendar and prepare yourself for the game, even if you’re not a sports enthusiast and you’re doing research. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? You would fall in love with the game and start keeping up.

There are worse activities to like, in my opinion.

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What Tees Do the LPGA Tour Players Compete on Each Week?

PGA Player

The total length of these courses typically falls within the range of 6,200 to 6,600 yards.

A dedicated team establishes the tees at every tournament location on the LPGA Tour. This crucial aspect of golf tournament setup is performed meticulously to craft a unique challenge for the competitors each week.

The LPGA Tour’s objective in setting these tees is to provide a rigorous yet fair test of golf that demands a combination of skill, strategy, and resilience.

I should mention that the average yardage can vary depending on the course’s specific design and the nature of the tournament. But as professionals, the yardage is only a means to an end for the golfers.

They will adapt their games to the course’s configuration, ensuring they bring a dynamic element to each week’s competition. A practical move.

So, when you’re watching the players on the golf course each week, know they’re not just testing their skills against other competitors. The specially designed tees for the tournament that week present them with a unique challenge as well.

Conclusion 

The Women’s PGA Championship is one of the five major LPGA championships for women’s professional golf.

Over the years, the five majors have been known by different names. But currently, they are known respectively as the U.S. Women’s Open, the Women’s PGA Championship, the Chevron Championship, the Women’s British Open, and the Evian Championship.

This year’s event will happen around June at the Baltusrol Golf Club, like the previous Women’s PGA Championship.

So what’s it going to be for you?

Will you physically be on the ground for the event? Or watch from your TV at home like me, hoping our favorites hit a new record and make history.