By Sarah Kellam
SAMMAMISH, Wash. — The third major of the 2024 LPGA Tour season gets underway this week as the world’s top talent head to Sahalee Country Club for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Nine past champions are set to compete, including 2023 winner Ruoning Yin,13-time LPGA Tour champion Brooke Henderson and Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda. Seventeen 2024 LPGA Tour rookies will also be teeing it up in Washington, most notably 2023 Epson Tour Player of the Year Gabriela Ruffels, Olympic silver medalist Mone Inami and Ladies European Tour winner Alexandra Forsterling.
A $10.4 million purse is up for grabs, as are 650 points in the Race to the CME Globe, but maybe more importantly, so is a spot in the field at the 2024 Olympics. With the qualification period ending after this event, many athletes in this week’s field are hoping to make a last-ditch effort to qualify for Paris with a solid major performance at Sahalee.
Take a look at who else is in the field this week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship:
Past Champions (9):
Ruoning Yin (2023), Nelly Korda (2021), Sei Young Kim (2020), Hannah Green (2019), Danielle Kang (2017), Brooke Henderson (2016), Yani Tseng (2011), Cristie Kerr (2010), Anna Nordqvist (2009)
2024 LPGA Tour Winners (10 of 10):
Lydia Ko (Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions), Nelly Korda (LPGA Drive on Championship, FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Ford Championship presented by KCC, T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, The Chevron Championship, Mizuho Americas Open), Patty Tavatanakit (Honda LPGA Thailand), Hannah Green (HSBC Women’s World Championship, JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro), Yuka Saso (U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally), Linnea Strom (ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer), Bailey Tardy (Blue Bay LPGA), Lilia Vu (Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give) and Rose Zhang (Cognizant Founders Cup)
2024 LPGA Tour Rookies (17 of 26):
Trichat Cheenglab, Isabella Fierro, Alexandra Forsterling, Savannah Grewal, Nataliya Guseva, Jin Hee Im, Mone Inami, Minji Kang, Auston Kim, So Mi Lee, Mary Liu, Malia Nam, Hira Naveed, Yue Ren, Gabriela Ruffels, Mao Saigo, Yu Jin Sung
Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings Top 10 (10 of 10):
Nelly Korda (No. 1), Lilia Vu (No. 2), Ruoning Yin (No. 3), Celine Boutier (No. 4), Hannah Green (No. 5), Yuka Saso (No. 6), Jin Young Ko (No. 7), Charley Hull (No. 8), Rose Zhang (No. 9), Minjee Lee (No. 10)
Washington Connections:
Resident:
Caroline Inglis
Sponsor Exemptions:
Bronte Law, Mariah Stackhouse
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Debuts (28):
Trichat Cheenglab, Robyn Choi, Olivia Cowan, Isabella Fierro, Alexandra Forsterling, Savannah Grewal, Nataliya Guseva, Jin Hee Im, Mone Inami, Chisato Iwai, Akie Iwai, Yu Jin Sung, Hyo Joon Jang, Minji Kang, Auston Kim, Roberta Liti, Mary Liu, Polly Mack, So Mi Lee, Malia Nam, Hira Naveed, Kim Paez, Yue Ren, Rio Takeda, Chanettee Wannasaen, Allie White, Miyu Yamashita, Weiwei Zhang
Corebridge Financial Team (LPGA Professionals and PGA of America Golf Professionals) (8):
Jennifer Borocz, Sandra Changkija, Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth, Allie Knight, Samantha Morrell, Kim Paez, Wendy Ward, Allie White