Meijer LPGA Classic Presented by Kraft
Bylthfield Country Club
Grad Rapids, Mich.
July 21, 2015

Meijer LPGA Classic Presented by Kraft defending champion Mirim Lee looks for another successful tournament in Grand Rapids this week when play starts Thursday at Blythefield Country Club.

Lee chalked up her first career win last year as she captured the 2014 Meijer LPGA Classic and continued her strong rookie season with another win at the Reignwood LPGA Classic last October.

“Putting was really good,” Lee said of the key to her strong play last season at Meijer. “Played very easy so I think my score was good.”

Lee hasn’t found as much success in the first half of the 2015 season, but has found herself towards the top of the leaderboard with four top-10s, including a pair of runner-up fi nishes. With another year of experience under her belt, Lee is beginning to feel more relaxed on the course.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes, more comfortable,” Lee said when asked if she felt more comfortable on Tour and not a rookie anymore.

Returning to the Meijer LPGA Classic with more experience and good memories from her win last year, Lee knows that Blythefield is a course fit to her game and is excited to kick off the week of competition.

“Yes, I like this course,” Lee said. “So I think this course is my favorite course.”

Lee is coming off a few mediocre weeks, finishing tied for forty-seventh at the U.S. Women’s Open and tied for forty-eighth at the Marathon Classic last week. Lee isn’t dwelling on her play this year, but looking forward to making a charge at defending her title this week.

“I think now I very tired, so I need just rest,” Lee said. “No, not pressure…now I feel enjoying just the play.”

CELEBRITY PRO-AM A SUCCESS
More than 25 celebrities including Stan Van Gundy, Helio Castroneves, Mike McCarthy, Dan Jansen, John Salley, Herm Edwards and Mark Schlereth, participated in the Meijer LPGA Classic presented by Kraft Celebrity Pro-Am on Tuesday at Egypt Valley Country Club. The Pro-Am featured 39 groups, which also included nine LPGA pros, and the proceeds benefit the Meijer Simply Give program.

MEIER MONDAY QUALIFIES FOR MEIJER
Michigan State grad Christine Meier will make her fi rst LPGA start as a professional this week at the Meijer LPGA Classic Presented by Kraft thanks to shooting a 73 (+2) in the Monday qualifier.

“I’m excited it’s my home state, only an hour away from Michigan State my junior tour that I first started playing golf on –was the Meijer Powerbilt Tour- so to have this be my fi rst LPGA event it kind of fitting.”

Meier, who’s only other LPGA event was the 2012 U.S. Open, was a four-year starter at MSU who finished her career with the 10th-lowest scoring average in school history (76.59) and helped lead the Green and White to three Big Ten titles.

CAT PETERS REPRESENTS THE MAIZE AND BLUE
In the first annual College Invitational for the Meijer LPGA Classic, University of Michigan rising senior Cat Peters shot a shot a 1-under 70 to take home medalist honors and earn one of two qualifier spot for the Meijer LPGA Classic Presented by Kraft.

“It was nice to see all my work pay off from my summer and to get the opportunity to play at the Meijer LPGA Classic,” Peters said. “It’s a nice opportunity to be a part of something that isn’t just an LPGA event because you guys do so much for the community.”

The qualifier was also held at Blythfield so Peters will have some familiarity with the course come Thursday.

“It’s nice, it’s nice. It’s a really good layout,” Peters said. “I like traditional courses and I like bent greens, so it really fits my eye well growing up in the north.”

The New York native will have her father on the bag for her first LPGA event.

“I’m pretty excited,” Peters said with a smile. “He keeps me grounded really well, not distracted.”

Peters won’t be the first Wolverine to compete in the event as her fellow teammate Grace Choi was a sponsor invite into the event last season.

“She told me that I was going to be busy,” Peters said of advice that she has received from Choi. “She told me that there would be a lot of people I’d meet from Michigan and that there would be a lot of Michigan fans. She just told me to take it all in stride and that it would be a lot of fun.”

Meijer LPGA Classic Pre-tournament News & Notes

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