Story, Video Interviews, Facts and more
By Jeff Babineau for WWW.SKYVIEWSPORTS.NET
BELMONT, Mich. – This time last year, Lilia Vu was on her way to a monster season during which she would win four times and climb to No. 1 in the world. Two of her 2023 victories were majors en route to Vu becoming the LPGA’s Rolex Player of the Year.
This year has been a completely different story for the 26-year-old Californian, a former standout at UCLA. Twice Vu has been forced to withdraw from tournaments, including the season’s first major, when she was defending at Chevron. This week’s Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in Michigan will be Vu’s first start since late March, as she has spent the season dealing with an on-again, off-again back injury.
“Yeah, definitely been a process,” Vu said of her strange start-and-stop season. “I kind of had to reevaluate my game and how my body moves. I think that was the most important thing, and it was kind of the best time to kind of work on my stability and compensation. Worked really hard over the past couple weeks getting that ready.”
Vu has tried to prepare for Meijer through a series of nine-hole rounds that have helped her slowly get back to competition mode. She watched some of the U.S. Women’s Open on television, but knew she wasn’t yet ready to be at Lancaster competing.
Instead of detailed swing thoughts this week, her mind will be occupied with other areas of returning to full health. Mainly, that includes how she is breathing.
“The way I sit, the way I lay, the way I stand, the way I walk, everything has to be more conscious,” said Vu, who tied for 12th at Blythefield Country Club two years ago.
“I know my patterns. I don’t want to get so technical with it because it’s just going to bore everybody,” Vu said. “I escape on my right hip, and so trying to ‘breathe through that hip’ more. Little stuff like that.
She says she won’t be too tied up in her results this week.
“It’s not too difficult. It’s just feels weird to me,” she said. “But I should be okay. It’s definitely an adjustment.”
Good vibes for Brooke at Blythefield
Canada’s Brooke Henderson has a great feeling that returns each time she steps on the grounds at Blythefield Country Club, and with good reason: Twice at the Meijer she has finished her tournament with the champion’s trophy in her hands.
“I’m so excited to be back here. I love Grand Rapids,” Henderson said on Tuesday. “I have lots of family and friends in the area, which makes it really fun and special to be here. Obviously winning twice, a long time ago now, but I have lots of great memories, and I’m really looking forward to teeing it up on Thursday and hopefully posting a low score and see what happens.”
Henderson is only 26, but already has piled up 13 LPGA victories, moving past the $13 million mark in career earnings this season. She has yet to win in 2024, but has five top-10 finishes; three times has finished third. She won the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in 2017, and then won the event again two years later.
“You know, those two tournament victories really made a huge impact on my career and gave me a lot of confidence and motivation moving forward,” Henderson said.
“I’m excited to be back on a course where I have so many great memories. Hopefully I can try to recreate some of them and put myself in a good position on the weekend.”
Maguire was patient, then pounced
In capturing the second LPGA title of her career last June, Leona Maguire said she did not look at her first leaderboard of the day until she stepped onto the 18th green. Really, what was the point? Blythefield is the type of golf course where players can go low, so Maguire kept her head down, went on offense, and kept making birdies, closing with a round of 64.
The scoring usually is pretty low at Meijer, but Blythefield presents one of the LPGA’s more interesting tests of the year. It’s fairly tight off the tee – Maguire points to the first and 18th holes as particularly challenging to get a tee shot in the fairway – but if the driver is dialed in, a player can find lots of scoring chances.
“You can’t be too aggressive,” said Ireland’s Maguire, a former All-America at Duke. “If you get out of position, you can rack up a number pretty quickly.”
Maguire showed great patience in her final round last year. She caught Ariya Jutanugarn with an eagle at the par-5 14th hole, and played her final six holes in 6 under to pull away.
“For me, last year in particular, I knew I was playing well, I just had to be patient and just sort of had to wait for that one putt to drop and get that momentum shift,” Maguire said.
“You know everybody is going low. You know everybody is going to make birdies. You just have to keep making birdies to even stay where you are. You can’t get too defensive, really. When you are in the lead you can’t protect it, you keep having to go on the offensive. I just keep trying to keep your foot down and keep going.”
She did exactly that, reaching 21 under for the tournament and walking away with the trophy after runner-up finishes in each of the two previous years.
Meijer Kicks Off its 10th Annual Meijer LPGA Classic Tournament Week with Local Food Pantry Visit
By Annie Watson
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – To kick off the 10th annual Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, two-time LPGA winner Brittany Lang joined the Meijer team on a visit to The Other Way Ministries, located in the west side neighborhood within downtown Grand Rapids. The tour was hosted by Scott Bloem, the executive director of The Other Way Ministries, which is one of the many Meijer Simply Give food pantry partners.
This comes just one month after Meijer and its partners donated $500,000 to the Meijer Simply Give program as part of its record-breaking $2 million goal for this year’s 10th tournament. Since the tournament’s very beginning in 2014, Meijer has raised more than $10 million, and more than $90 million overall since the inception of Simply Give in 2008.
The economic impact of the Simply Give program is not lost on the local community, and Bloem and his staff have felt the support from Meijer over the years.
“Simply Give in particular is a program that has helped us, has helped our neighbors get through some tough times,” Bloem said. “Five years ago, we saw about 150 people every month. In 2023, we saw over 900 [people] a month.”
Bloem adds that the pantry’s ability to meet the demands of the local community is in large part thanks to the Simply Give program, as well as local Meijer stores in the area, which provide additional support to the pantry, such as Bridge Street Market, located about a half mile north of The Other Way.
Bloem guided guests through the pantry proper, as well as the Ministry’s market next door, which houses goods from Meijer stores that are available to the community at a subsidized cost.
“They’re family here [at The Other Way], they care here, and they listen to their community,” Lang said. “It’s really special to meet and see how people help out other people.”
Lang is one of the 144 golfers in the field for the Meijer LPGA Classic, and all proceeds from the tournament will go to the Meijer Simply Give program. The 10th Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give begins on Thursday, June 13th, at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Mich.
Georgia Oboh, Katie Lu Among Sponsor Exemptions for the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
By Annie Watson
BELMONT, Mich. – Georgia Oboh and Katie Lu (A) are set to compete this week in the 10th Annual Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give as sponsor exemptions.
Oboh won last week at the John Shippen Women’s Invitational at Blythefield Country Club, shooting 69-70 in the two-day event. The Meijer LPGA Classic will be Oboh’s third LPGA Tour event, her first since 2022.
In 2022, Oboh became the first Nigerian to ever qualify and compete in an LPGA Tour event. Her victory at the John Shippen Invitational holds a special spot, as “it further adds onto John Shippen Jr.’s legacy of bringing golf to all communities,” said Oboh.
Oboh expressed much gratitude for the opportunity to compete in this week’s tournament and is looking forward to the experience of playing with some of the best golfers in the world.
“As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron,” Oboh said. “And that’s what I’m out here to do.”
Katie Lu, a rising senior at Michigan State University, will be making her second start on the LPGA Tour following an exemption for the lowest average score on her collegiate team this season. Even though she already had experience in a professional tournament in her start at last year’s Founders Cup, Lu is looking forward to learning even more during the Meijer LPGA Classic.
“There’s so much to learn from these professional golfers, so I’m definitely never going to forget this,” said Lu.
On Wednesday, Lu played a practice round with Lexi Thompson, who won the Meijer LPGA Classic in 2015. This tournament will be Thompson’s third start after she announced her retirement prior to the U.S. Women’s Open two weeks ago.
“[Lexi] made me very comfortable out there,” Lu said. “Playing with Lexi was definitely on my bucket list, and it was so cool just to walk nine holes with her and get an impression of her inside the ropes.”
A key aspect of the game that Lu hopes to learn during the Meijer LPGA Classic is seeing how some of the world’s best golfers manage the course. And while she wants to make the cut like any other golfer on the LPGA Tour, she is aware of the value this experience holds.
“I’m just trying to treat this week like any other tournament, but it’ll be awesome to make it to the weekend and have that shot.”
Following a stellar 2023-24 collegiate season, Lu earned an Honorable Mention All-American and was selected to the Big Ten All-Conference Team. Lu and the Spartans placed third at the NCAA Regionals in East Lansing. Michigan State went on to finish T17 at the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California, in late May.
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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2024 MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC FOR SIMPLY GIVE
- This is the 10th anniversary of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
- In celebration of the tournament’s 10th playing, the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give announced they are increasing its record-breaking 2023 donation goal of $1.25 million to $2 million, marking a decade of the tournament’s unwavering commitment to helping feed hungry families through the Simply Give program
- Since 2014, the Meijer LPGA Classic has generated over $10 million and more than 94 million meals for the retailer’s food pantry partners within its Midwest communities
- Since 2021, Mejier has also donated $25,000 on behalf of the champion to a local hunger relief organization of the winner’s choosing
- Blythefield Country Club has hosted the Meijer LPGA Classic for all ten playings of the event
- The course was opened on June 14, 1929, and was designed by William B. Langford and Theodore J. Moreau
- Blythefield has been the site for three Western Golf Association major tournaments: the 1953 Western Amateur, the 1961 Western Open and the 2005 Western Junior
- The three major WGA events were won by Dale Morey, Arnold Palmer, and Rickie Fowler, respectively
- The course has also hosted United States Golf Association, Michigan PGA, and Golf Association of Michigan events and national qualifiers
There are five past champions in the Meijer LPGA Classic field this week
Leona Maguire is the defending champion
- Maguire has finished T2 or better in her last three starts at the event
- In 2021, Maguire lost to Nelly Korda by two strokes to finish solo second
- In 2022, Maguire lost in a playoff with Jennifer Kupcho and Korda to finish T2 alongside Korda
- In 2023, Maguire won by two strokes over Ariya Jutanugarn to earn her second and most recent LPGA Tour victory
- This season, Maguire has made 11 starts and eight cuts
- Maguire’s best finish is a runner-up result at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards
- Maguire lost 4&3 in the final match against Korda
Jennifer Kupcho won the event in 2022 after a two-hole playoff with Korda and Maguire
- Korda was eliminated after the first playoff hole, and Kupcho eventually won over Maguire with a birdie on the second
- Kupcho’s win at the Meijer LPGA Classic was the second of her LPGA Tour career and of the 2022 season
- She would eventually earn one more win in 2022, at the Dow Championship alongside playing partner Lizette Salas
- This season, Kupcho has made 11 cuts in 12 starts
- Her best finish is a T3 result at the Mizuho Americas Open, where she finished runner-up in 2023
- She has one additional top-10 finish, a T8 result at the Ford Championship presented by KCC
Nelly Korda earned her fifth LPGA Tour career victory at the 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic
- Korda shot the lowest round of her LPGA Tour career (62) on Saturday at the 2021 tournament and eventually defeated Maguire by two strokes
- Korda also shot a 62 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she won the gold medal
- Korda has had a historic 2024 season, with six wins in her eights starts including five in consecutive starts
- Korda has already clinched her spot on the 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup Team, with nine events left to qualify
- Korda most recently won the Mizuho Americas Open to earn her sixth win this year and 14th of her career
- She is the first player since Inbee Park (2013) to record six wins in a single season
- Since 1980, seven players have earned six or more wins in a single season including Betsy King (1989), Annika Sorenstam (1997, 2003), Karrie Webb (1999, 2000), Lorena Ochoa (2006, 2008), Inbee Park (2013), Beth Daniel (1990), Yani Tseng (2011)
- She is the first American player to win at least six times in an LPGA Tour season since Daniel in 1990, who won seven times
- She tied Sorenstam as the fastest player to win six times in an LPGA Tour season since 1980
- Sorenstam earned her sixth win of the 2005 Tour season in her eighth start that year
- She surpassed Stacy Lewis, Betty Jameson and Rosie Jones in all-time LPGA Tour wins by an American (13) since 1980
- She earned her 17th LPGA Hall of Fame point, and seventh this season
- She earned one point for 11 of her LPGA Tour titles and two for each of her major championship victories
- She also earned one point for her 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal
- Additionally, Korda was on a historic win streak earlier this season, tying the record for most wins in consecutive starts
- She won the LPGA Drive On Championship, FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Ford Championship presented by KCC, T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards and The Chevron Championship
Brooke Henderson is the only player to win the Meijer LPGA Classic twice
- Henderson won the event in 2017 by two strokes over Michelle Wie West and Lexi Thompson
- It was her fourth LPGA Tour victory
- She earned her ninth LPGA Tour victory at the 2019 playing of the event, defeating Nasa Hataoka, Su Oh, Thompson and Brittany Altomare by one stroke
- Henderson set the 36-hole and 72-hole tournament scoring records at Blythefield CC
- Henderson’s 72-hole tournament scoring record was later tied by Korda in 2021
- This season, Henderson has only missed one cut in 12 starts this season
- She has five top-10 finishes this season, including three top-3 results at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (3), HSBC Women’s World Championship (T3) and The Chevron Championship (T3)
- Her only missed cut was at the U.S. Women’s Open
Lexi Thompson won the event in 2015, earning her fifth LPGA Tour victory
- She won by one stroke over Lizette Salas and Gerina Mendoza in the second playing of the event
- She has made nine appearances in the Meijer LPGA Classic and has earned sixth top-10 finishes including her win
- She finished 41st in the inaugural playing of the event in 2014 and earned a T20 result in 2021
- She has only missed the cut once, in 2023
- She set the 54-hole tournament scoring record in 2017 which was later tied by Korda in 2021
- Thompson announced at the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally that she would be retiring from the LPGA Tour following the 2024 season
- So far, she has made seven starts in her final season and two cuts
- She earned a T16 result at the LPGA Drive On Championship and a T3 result at the Ford Championship presented by KCC
Brittany Lang, Georgia Oboh, and Katie Lu are the sponsors invites this week
- Lang is an LPGA Tour veteran, a two-time Tour winner and a major champion
- Lang won the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2012 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic
- She has only made one start on Tour in 2024, at the U.S. Women’s Open where she missed the cut
- Oboh won the 2024 John Shippen Invitational held at Blythefield CC on June 4-5
- In the two-day event, Oboh shot a 5-under 139
- Oboh is a Nigerian golfer based in the UK
- She has played on both the Epson Tour and LET
- This will be her third start on the LPGA Tour
- Lu is a collegiate golfer at Michigan State University and earned a sponsor invite by recording the lowest scoring average on the team during the 2024 season
- Lu was named first team all-Big Ten Conference in 2024 and was named a WGCA Honorable Mention All-American
- This is her second LPGA Tour start
- She is a rising senior at MSU
Keera Foocharoen and Christina Kim Monday qualified for the event
- Foocharoen is a Thai player who has been playing on the Epson Tour for the past two seasons
- She formerly played collegiate golf at Virgina Tech
- Last week, she finished T8 at the Epson Tour’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, which was also played in Michigan
- It is her best finish on the Epson Tour so far
- Kim won a three-way playoff on Monday to qualify for the event, defeating Soo Bin Joo and Samantha Vodry
- This will be Kim’s first start of the 2024 season
- In 2023, Kim made 13 starts on Tour and seven cuts with a season-best result of T31