Five things to know about the Meijer LPGA Classic to simply give | LPGA

The second major event of the year, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, is just over a week away, which means one last chance for anyone and everyone to test their game against some stiff competition – the Meijer LPGA Classic for for. Simply Give. With just a few days of fine-tuning left, everyone will be on their game face at Blythefield Country Club, which is usually a particularly exciting competition.

Rare Company

It is incredibly difficult to successfully defend a title on the increasingly competitive LPGA Tour. In 2023, Jin Young Ko has been the only player to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship. This week, Jennifer Kupcho tries to join Koo in this exclusive club. Kupcho took three wins in 2022, becoming Rolex’s first winner and winning his first major at the Chevron Championship. This means that Kupcho has several opportunities to become a successful title defender – a rare and exciting opportunity. The 26-year-old was unable to repeat his fairytale success at The Chevron Championship, but he has another chance this week. Despite his stellar performance last season, Kupcho has had a slow start to 2023, having just cracked the top 10 for the first time this year at the Mizuho Americas Open. She finished second in the playoffs to amateur sensation Rose Zhang, who was making her professional debut. With a little momentum, Kupcho can use this week to steer her season in the right direction, and she might even be able to make a matching set of her Meijer LPGA Classic trophy.

Defensive runner-up

Leona Maguire has come so close to winning the Meijer LPGA Classic. The Irishman has finished second in two consecutive seasons and the trophy is just out of reach. In 2021, Maguire was unable to overtake Nelly Korda – despite a final-round 6-under 66 – and eventually finished alone in second. The following year, Maguire earned a spot in a three-set playoff with Korda and Kupcho, but a missed putt on the second playoff hole gave Kupcho the win. This year, Maguire may finally be able to get his hands on the trophy. The 28-year-old has had a strong season, missing just one cut in nine starts, and is riding a hot streak of two consecutive top-10 finishes, taking his 2023 top-10 tally to four. Her best finish this season came at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards, where Maguire finished third after falling to Ayaka Furue in the semifinals. He followed that up with a T7 in his last start at the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club. With so many positive experiences at Michigan and some speed, Maguire is sure to compete. If he finds luck as well, he might be the winner this weekend.

Tenth winner on tour

Ashleigh Buhai scored a big goal on her bucket list last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer: winning the LPGA title in the United States. On Sunday morning, Buhai sat three shots back of 36-hole leader Dani Holmqvist, and in the afternoon she proudly lifted her second LPGA trophy. Buhai shot a second consecutive 6-under 65 in the final round, including five birdies on the front nine, to win by one shot over Hyo Joo Kim. With the win, Buhai became the 10th different winner on Tour this season and the oldest at 34 years and 11 months. The South African’s first LPGA Tour victory and first major victory came at the 2022 AIG Women’s Open after a 15-tour season. With last week’s win, it’s clear that Buhai is just getting started and the 34-year-old has a lot more to offer on the LPGA Tour this season. So fans should be happy to hear that even though she’s already playing her best golf – Buhai will still travel to Belmont, Michigan ahead of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Spartan connections

Best known for snow and ice, Michigan is certainly not the first state that comes to mind when you think of golf. Still, the Meijer LPGA Classic has a few players with Michigan connections. Just an hour away from East Lansing, this year’s field features two Michigan State University Spartans. This year’s incoming freshman, Valery Plata, graduated from Michigan State in 2022. He was a three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and the 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year. She finished T-3 in the 2022 LPGA Q Series to earn membership in 2023. So far this season, the Colombian has struggled, making just one cut at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakale, where she finished T48. Michigan State rising junior Brooke Biermann is one of three sponsor invites attending Blythefield this week. Just over a month ago, Biermann led the Spartans to their first NCAA regional title and earned another medalist.

Field summary

The countdown to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship has begun, leaving the Meijer LPGA Classic as the venue for last-minute preparations, an event that has attracted an eclectic field. A whopping 29 of the Tour’s 32 newcomers will gather at Blythefield Country Club this week to play alongside longtime veterans like Buhai. Gee Chun, the defending champion of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, will participate along with fellow major champions Brooke Henderson and Hyo Joo Kim. Many names missing from last week’s pairings, notably Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 3 Lydia Ko and No. 5 Minjee Lee, have also made the trek to Michigan this week. With so many different faces in the 144-player field, the Meijer LPGA Classic is sure to be intriguing, the perfect taste test for the big drama to come.