LPGA Drive On Championship

The LPGA Drive On Championship is a series of women's professional golf tournaments on the LPGA Tour created after several tournaments were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each tournament uses the tour's "Drive On" slogan to support the resilience of the tour.

LPGA Drive On Championship
Tournament information
LocationBradenton, Florida, U.S.
Established2020
Course(s)Bradenton Country Club
Par71
Length6,557 yards (5,996 m)
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play – 72 holes
Prize fund$1.75 million
Month playedJanuary
Tournament record score
Aggregate268 Céline Boutier (2023)
To par−20 as above
Current champion
United States Nelly Korda
Location map
Bradenton Country Club is located in the United States
Bradenton Country Club
Bradenton Country Club
Location in the United States
Bradenton Country Club is located in Florida
Bradenton Country Club
Bradenton Country Club
Location in Florida

Ohio

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The Ohio tournament was held in July 2020 as the LPGA Tour's first tournament since the tour was halted in February 2020.

The Ohio tournament was hosted at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.[1] The tournament did not have spectators nor a pro-am, and it featured a field of 144 players. Although lacking a title sponsor, the players competed for a $1 million purse, primarily funded by sponsors of cancelled tournaments. Danielle Kang won the inaugural event by one stoke over Céline Boutier.[2]

Georgia

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The Georgia tournament was announced on September 15, 2020, as the LPGA replaced all three stops (Korea, Taiwan, Japan) on the Asian Swing that were called off by further pandemic restrictions.

The Georgia tournament was hosted at the Reynolds Lake Oconee Great Waters Course in Greensboro, Georgia, located halfway between Augusta and Atlanta, on a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that opened in 1992 and was refurbished in 2019.[3] The tournament used a full field of 144 players, competing for a $1.3 million purse. Ally McDonald won her first career tournament by one stroke over Danielle Kang, who was going for the "Drive On Championship" double.

Florida

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The first Florida tournament was held in March 2021 at the Golden Ocala Golf Club in Ocala, Florida. Austin Ernst won by five strokes over Jennifer Kupcho. In February 2022 at Crown Colony Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida, Leona Maguire became the first Irish winner on the LPGA tour, finishing 3 strokes clear of Lexi Thompson. The second Florida tournament was held in January 2024 at the Bradenton Country Club in Bradenton, Florida.

Arizona

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The first Arizona tournament was held in March 2023 at the Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club in Gold Canyon, Arizona. The 132-player field competed for a higher purse, $1.75 million, with $262,500 going to the winner.

Winners

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Year Date Venue Champion Country Winning score To par Margin
of victory
Purse ($) Winner's
share ($)
2024 Jan 28 Bradenton Country Club Nelly Korda   United States 65-67-68-73=273 −11 Playoff 1,750,000 262,500
2023 Mar 26 Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club Céline Boutier   France 69-66-65-68=268 −20 Playoff 1,750,000 262,500
2022 Feb 5 Crown Colony GC Leona Maguire   Ireland 66-65-67=198 −18 3 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2021 Mar 7 Golden Ocala GC Austin Ernst   United States 67-67-69-70=273 −15 5 strokes 1,500,000 225,000
2020 Oct 25 Lake Oconee Ally McDonald   United States 66-68-69-69=272 −16 1 stroke 1,300,000 195,000
2020 Aug 2 Inverness Danielle Kang   United States 66-73-70=209 −7 1 stroke 1,000,000 150,000

References

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  1. ^ Mell, Randall (June 16, 2020). "LPGA to restart at newly created Drive On Championship as part of Ohio double". Golf Channel.
  2. ^ "Danielle Kang closes with 70 to win LPGA's return". ESPN. Associated Press. August 2, 2020.
  3. ^ LPGA Communications. "LPGA Announces New Drive On Championship Amid Asia Cancellations". LPGA. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
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