The Cognizant Founders Cup is a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in Clifton, New Jersey. It debuted in 2011 at the Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The tournament is designed as a tribute to the founders of the LPGA.

Cognizant Founders Cup
Tournament information
LocationClifton, New Jersey
Established2011
Course(s)Upper Montclair Country Club
Par72[1]
Length6,536 yd (5,977 m)[1]
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play - 72 holes
(54 holes in 2011)
Prize fund$3 million
Month playedMay
Tournament record score
Aggregate261 Kim Sei-young (2016)
To par−27 as above
Current champion
United States Rose Zhang

The current title sponsor of the tournament is Cognizant, an American multinational technology company that provides business consulting, information technology, and outsourcing services.[2]

In 2011, using a unique format conducted for the first time in LPGA history, the players did not receive a cash payout. Instead, the tournament donated half of the $1 million tournament purse to charity and the other half to individual charities chosen by the top-10 finishers. All players who made the cut received a portion of the purse in the form of virtual earnings that were attributed to them for purposes of the LPGA official money list.[3]

In 2012, the tournament expanded from three days to four days, and an actual cash purse was instituted.[4]

Volvik took over sponsorships rights for the tournament in 2020, but the tournament was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Tournament names

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Winners

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Year Dates Champion Country Winning score To par Margin
of victory
Purse ($)1 Winner's
share ($)
Results
2024 May 9–12 Rose Zhang   United States 63-68-67-66=264 −24 2 strokes 3,000,000 450,000
2023 May 11–14 Ko Jin-young (3)   South Korea 68-68-72-67=275 −13 Playoff 3,000,000 450,000
2022 May 12–15 Minjee Lee   Australia 67-63-69-70=269 −19 2 strokes 3,000,000 450,000
2021 Oct 7–10 Ko Jin-young (2)   South Korea 63-68-69-66=266 −18 4 strokes 3,000,000 450,000
2020: Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[5]
2019 Mar 21–24 Ko Jin-young   South Korea 65-72-64-65=266 −22 1 stroke 1,500,000 225,000
2018 Mar 15–18 Inbee Park   South Korea 68-71-63-67=269 −19 5 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2017 Mar 16–19 Anna Nordqvist   Sweden 67-67-61-68=263 −25 2 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2016 Mar 17–20 Kim Sei-young   South Korea 63-66-70-62=261 −27 5 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2015 Mar 19–22 Kim Hyo-joo   South Korea 65-69-66-67=267 −21 3 strokes 1,500,000 225,000 [1]
2014 Mar 20–23 Karrie Webb (2)   Australia 66-71-69-63=269 −19 1 stroke 1,500,000 225,000 [2]
2013 Mar 14–17 Stacy Lewis   United States 68-65-68-64=265 −23 3 strokes 1,500,000 225,000 [3]
2012 Mar 15–18 Yani Tseng   Taiwan 65-70-67-68=270 −18 1 stroke 1,500,000 225,000 [4]
2011 Mar 18–20 Karrie Webb   Australia 71-67-66=204 −12 1 stroke 1,000,000 200,000 [5]

1 In 2011, $500,000 of the purse went LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and $500,000 went to the top-10 finishers’ designated charities.
All winnings were attributed to the players for purposes of the 2011 LPGA Official money list.

Tournament records

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Year Player Score Round
2017 Anna Nordqvist 61 (−11) 3rd

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cognizant Founders Cup: Tournament Course Setup Notes and Daily Yardages" (PDF). LPGA. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  2. ^ "Cognizant Tees Up Global Men's and Women's Golf Partnerships with PGA Tour and LPGA Tour". LPGA. February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  3. ^ "Player Charity Donations Increased for RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup". LPGA. February 11, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  4. ^ "LPGA Leaps Forward in 2012". LPGA. January 11, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "For just second time since 1980, LPGA won't have event in Arizona". Golfweek. December 18, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
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33°41′06″N 111°57′50″W / 33.685°N 111.964°W / 33.685; -111.964