The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in Florida. It debuted in 2019 at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The tournament field is limited to winners on LPGA Tour events in the previous two years.[1] As is the case in the past, there is also a pro-am and celebrity tournament, like its predecessor. The top amateurs during the midweek pro-am are invited to play in the main tournament. Each professional is paired with two celebrities or amateurs in the groupings, and celebrities change per round. A Stableford-based system is used for the celebrities and amateurs.

Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
Tournament information
LocationOrlando, Florida
Established2019
Course(s)Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
Par72
Length6,617 yards (6,051 m)
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play - 72 holes
Prize fund$1.5 million
Month playedJanuary
Tournament record score
Aggregate260 Jessica Korda (2021)
To par−24 as above
Current champion
New Zealand Lydia Ko
Location map
Lake Nona G&CC is located in the United States
Lake Nona G&CC
Lake Nona G&CC
Location in the United States
Lake Nona G&CC is located in Florida
Lake Nona G&CC
Lake Nona G&CC
Location in Florida

For 2022, under new corporate ownership of Hilton Grand Vacations and tournament director Aaron Stewart, son of World Golf Hall of Fame member Payne, the event moves to the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando. The move to Lake Nona also eliminates an issue that the 18th hole, a par 3, caused at Four Seasons where the 2020 tournament was pushed to an extra day on Monday morning as the single playoff hole (the 18th) failed to produce a winner, and it was the seventh playing of the 18th hole that finally created a winner.

The celebrity division continues to be controlled by Mardy Fish and John Smoltz; the two have won three each.

In the United States, the final round of the tournament is broadcast on NBC.

Tournament names

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  • 2019–2021: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by IOA
  • 2022–present: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions

Winners

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Pro Division

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Year Dates Champion Country Winning score To par Margin
of victory
Purse ($) Winner's
share ($)
2024 Jan 18–21 Lydia Ko   New Zealand 69-67-68-70=274 −14 2 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2023 Jan 19–22 Brooke Henderson   Canada 67-66-69-70=272 −16 4 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2022 Jan 20–23 Danielle Kang   United States 68-67-69-68=272 −16 3 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2021 Jan 21–24 Jessica Korda   United States 65-69-60-66=260 −24 Playoff 1,200,000 180,000
2020 Jan 16–20 Gaby López   Mexico 65-69-71-66=271 −13 Playoff 1,200,000 180,000
2019[2] Jan 17–20 Ji Eun-hee   South Korea 65-69-66-70=270 −14 2 strokes 1,200,000 180,000

Note: 2020 tournament extended to five days because of darkness.

Celebrities and amateurs

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During the Pro-Am tournament that is held earlier in the week, the top amateur golfers are invited to participate in the main tournament.

For both amateurs and celebrities, the golfers play a modified Stableford system, with maximum score of two strokes over par. Scores are based on the maximum score (zero). Under Rule 21 of the Rules of Golf, the player's hole ends when he has reached maximum score even if he did not finish the hole.

Points Strokes taken in relation to par
10 Albatross (3 strokes under par)
8 Hole in One (Par 3)
5 Eagle (2 strokes under par)
3 Birdie (1 stroke under par)
2 Par
1 Bogey (1 stroke over par)
0 Maximum Score (2 strokes over par)
Year Celebrity Winning score
2024 Jeff McNeil 138
2023 Mardy Fish (4) 152
2022 Derek Lowe 138PO
2021 Mardy Fish (3) 158
2020 John Smoltz (3) 150
2019 John Smoltz (2) 149

Note: The celebrity tournament is regarded as a continuation of the Diamond Resorts Invitational celebrity division.

Tournament records

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Year Player Score Course Round
2020 Danielle Kang 63 (−8) Four Seasons 1st
2020 M. J. Hur 63 (−8) Four Seasons 4th
2021 Danielle Kang 63 (−8) Four Seasons 3rd
2021 Bronte Law 63 (−8) Four Seasons 4th

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Kicks Off in Orlando". LPGA. January 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "Eun-Hee Ji survives cold and wind to win LPGA Tour opener". ESPN. Associated Press. January 20, 2019.
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