Top Lady Golfers head to Shoal Creek this Month

Phillip Ellis, golftodaynews.com
Posted 5/18/18

The U.S.G.A. is pitting the best women golfers in the game to “battle in Birmingham” at legendary Shoal Creek GC. Set for May 31-June 3, the 2018 United States Women’s Open attracts a stellar field of ladies to the sunny southland, but they’re no strangers to Alabama.

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Top Lady Golfers head to Shoal Creek this Month

Posted

The U.S.G.A. is pitting the best women golfers in the game to “battle in Birmingham” at legendary Shoal Creek GC. Set for May 31-June 3, the 2018 United States Women’s Open attracts a stellar field of ladies to the sunny southland, but they’re no strangers to Alabama.

Spanning more than a decade from 1999-2014, the LPGA played fifteen consecutive events in Mobile under different title sponsors; and from 2007-2014 in Prattville near Montgomery, they played on both Alabama’s legendary Robert Trent Jones Trail courses.

On September 21-23, 2018, the Symetra Tour, the official qualifier for the LPGA, heads back to Capital Hill for the Guardian Championship.

Not to leave the guys out, the PGA Barbasol Championship just completed a three-year commitment in Auburn-Opelika before moving to Kentucky. Add in a 1990 PGA Championship and a couple more U.S.G.A tournaments at Shoal Creek, and it’s clear that Alabama has made its mark in golf.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Shoal Creek opened in 1977 and featured three past Open Champions playing in the first round: Alabamian Hubert Green, Jack Nicklaus, and Pensacola resident Jerry Pate.

The Open, oldest of the five major championships, boasts the largest purse in women’s golf: five million dollars, of which the winner receives $900,000. The championship event is open to amateur or professional lady golfers with a handicap index not to exceed 2.4.

Started in 1946, the names of past winners read like a Who’s Who List in golf and include: Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Mickey Wright, Amy Alcott, Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Juli Inkster, and two-time defending champion Inbee Park.

For a complete list of players attending and the event schedule, visit the U.S.G.A website at usga.org (See Related Link).

Large events always need loads of volunteers. If you’re interested in experiencing a week to tell your grandkids about click on the link and buckle up; you are sure to have a grand adventure.

Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports are televising the tournament.