Top Storylines from the Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers

January 28-31
Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers
Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club
Ocala, Fla.

TOP STORYLINES

LPGA IS BACK
Golf Channel described the 2014 LPGA season like this: “Perhaps not even Mike Whan could have envisioned a season like this.”

That’s what the 2015 season has to live up when it kicks off on Wednesday at the Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers. But with all the stories 2014 created, 2015 could be even more enthralling.

How will Michelle Wie answer a career year in which she won twice, including her first major at the U.S. Women’s Open? What’s act two for an American contingent that won 13 times in 2014 and can the European team hold off a strong American team for the third consecutive time at the Solheim Cup in September?

And of course, there’s Stacy Lewis versus Inbee Park, the two players who have passed back and forth the No. 1 ranking and the season’s biggest end-of-year awards for the last three consecutive years.


RACE TO THE CME GLOBE RETURNS FOR YEAR TWO
The inaugural Race to the CME Globe was one to remember as three diff erent players had a shot at the $1 million first prize on Sunday afternoon at the CME Group Tour Championship. In the end, Lydia Ko held off late charges from Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie to win the tournament, take home the $1 million bonus, and capture the inaugural Race to the CME Globe Title.

2015 will mark the second year of The Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points competition in which LPGA Members accumulate points in every Official LPGA Tournament. At the end of the season, the winning player will be named the “Race to the CME Globe Champion” and take home a cool $1 million bonus. The competition begins with the Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers and concludes with the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.


COATES GOLF LAUNCHES AND WELCOMES LPGA
Five years ago Mollie Coates took up golf but when she advanced to the point where she was past her beginner’s set of clubs, she was at a loss of where to fi nd an upgrade specifically for women. So her and her husband Randall Coates started a company to solve the problem, launching their new Coates Golf brand at the PGA Show Wednesday.

The sleek black and gold colored clubs again take center stage this week with quite the encore as they sponsor the Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers to kick off the LPGA season this week in the city of Coates Golf’s headquarters – Ocala, Fla. The brand includes a full line of clubs, golf bags, towels, gloves and hats and are set to launch a full apparel line this fall.


16 MEMBERS OF IMPRESSIVE ROOKIE CLASS TO MAKE DEBUTS IN OCALA
If prior success is any indication, the 2015 LPGA rookie class has the chance to be something special as the 32 member class has combined for a total of 67 professional victories across eight international Tours. Below is a breakdown of victories by rookies on the respective Tours.

PARKS AND WOODS BECOME FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN DUO ON TOUR SINCE 1971
For the first time since 1971, the LPGA Tour will have two African American players on Tour at the same time. Sadena Parks and Cheyenne Woods will become only the fifth and sixth African Americans in LPGA history when both tee it up on Wednesday to start the season. The last African American player to play on the LPGA Tour was Shasta Averyhardt in 2011.

Parks earned Tour status via a fourth place finish on the Epson Tour – Road to the LPGA money list in a season that included two wins. Woods earned her card via a spectacular comeback at the LPGA Qualifying School. After opening with a 4-under 68, Woods shot an uncharacteristic 7-over 79 in the second round and fell into a tie for 80th. But she responded with three straight rounds under par – 67, 71, and 70 – to finish in a tie for 11th and earn her Tour card.

African Americans on the LPGA Tour

NUMBERS TO KNOW
4 - Four different winners under the age of 20 in 2014 – Lexi Thompson, Lydia, Hyo Joo Kim and Kyu Jung Baek
5 - In five years, the Tour’s gone from 23 events to 33 events. From $41.4 million in purses to $62 million in purses
5 and 6 - Sadena Parks and Cheyenne Woods will become only the fifth and sixth African American players on the LPGA Tour in history
7 - Players from seven diff erent countries have won on the LPGA Tour in 2014: USA (13 wins), South Korea (7), New Zealand (3), Australia (2), South Africa (1), China (1)
15 - The LPGA will play in 15 diff erent countries in 2015
48/50 - 48 of the top-50 players on last season’s money list are in the field this week

QUICK FACTS

Coates Golf Championship Presented by R&L Carriers
Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club
Ocala, Fla.

Field: 120 professionals
Par: 72
Yardage: 6,541
Purse: $1,500,000
Winner: $225,000

TV Times
Golf Channel
Jan. 28 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Jan. 29 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Jan. 30 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (TD)
Jan. 31 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
All times listed are Eastern
TD - Tape Delayed

Sponsor Invitations (2)
Alexandria Jacobsen
Cheyenne Woods

Qualifiers (2)
Jing Yan, 69 (-3)
Ha Na Jang, 70 (-2)

Rolex Rankings
Top 10: 8/10
Top 20: 16/20

2014 LPGA Official Money List
Top 10: 9/10
Top 20: 19/20


PRESS CONFERENCE AND MEDIA EVENT SCHEDULE

Monday, January 26

2:00 p.m. Cheyenne Woods: Pre-Tournament Press Conference -Media Center
2:30 p.m. Michelle Wie: Pre-Tournament Press Conference - Media Center
2:45 p.m. Stacy Lewis: Pre-Tournament Press Conference - Media Center
3:00 p.m. Inbee Park: Pre-Tournament Press Conference - Media Center

Tuesday, January 27

2:00 p.m. Solheim Cup Announcement - Juli Inkster - Media Center
TBD Lydia Ko: Pre-Tournament Press Conference - Media Center
TBD Coates Golf Ownership Media Availability TBD
* Times are local and subject to change