UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN WEEK IS FINALLY HERE
The second edition of the UL International Crown, the first-of-its-kind biennial, team match play competition featuring the best female golfers from the top-eight countries across the globe, will kick off this week at Merit Club just outside of Chicago.
The first three rounds will feature eight countries split into two pools competing in four-ball matches. Following play on Saturday, the top-2 teams in each pool will automatically advance to Sunday’s singles competition. Additionally on Saturday, the third place team from each pool send two players out to compete in a winner-take-all four-ball playoff match to determine who will be the fifth, and final, team to compete on Sunday.
Sunday will feature 10 singles matches and the team with the most combined points at the end of the day will take home the UL International Crown and be crowned the best golfing nation in the world.
WHO’S BACK?
Six of the original eight teams and 13 of the 36 total players in the field at this year’s UL International Crown will be competing in the event for a second time. The United States, Thailand and Chinese Taipei will be the most experienced teams as each return three members of their 2014 squads. Australia returns a pair of golfers, while Japan and Korea return just a single player.
Below are the results of players who competed in 2014 sorted by most points scored for their respective teams.
| Player | Country | Year | Four-Ball | Singles | Total | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pornanong Phatlum | Thailand | 2014 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 6 |
| So Yeon Ryu | Korea | 2014 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 6 |
| Mika Miyazato | Japan | 2014 | 1-1-1 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-1 | 5 |
| Lexi Thompson | USA | 2014 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 4 |
| Cristie Kerr | USA | 2014 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 4 |
| Ariya Jutanugarn | Thailand | 2014 | 1-1-1 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-1 | 3 |
| Moriya Jutanugarn | Thailand | 2014 | 1-1-1 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-1 | 3 |
| Stacy Lewis | USA | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
| Karrie Webb | Australia | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
| Minjee Lee | Australia | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
| Yani Tseng | Chinese Taipei | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
| Teresa Lu | Chinese Taipei | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
| Candie Kung | Chinese Taipei | 2014 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 |
WHO’S NOT BACK?
Defending champion Team Spain and runner-up Team Sweden both failed to qualify for the 2016 edition of the UL International Crown. Team Australia was the last team to qualify for the competition with 390 points when the field was set following the ANA Inspiration on April 3, edging out ninth place Sweden by a mere eight points. Spain, who used a final day surge to win the 2014 edition at Caves Valley in Maryland by four points, finished in 11th place 96 points out of the final spot.
NON-MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR STUFF
There are six players in the UL International Crown field - Ayaka Watanabe, Ai Suzuki, Rebecca Artis, Teresa Lu, Porani Chutichai, Mel Reid - who are not currently members of the LPGA Tour.
WHO’S NEW?
The two teams that qualified over Spain and Sweden are England and China who will each be making their debuts in the UL International Crown.
While this is the first time China will compete in a team event on the LPGA, members of Team England are no strangers to match play as three of their four team members - Charley Hull, Mel Reid and Jodi Ewart Shadoff - have competed on Solheim Cup teams going a combined 12-6-1.
WHO’S COMING IN HOT?
The UL International Crown will feature some of the most successful golfers on the LPGA Tour including 2016 three-time winner Ariya Jutanugarn, two-time winners Haru Nomura and Sei Young Kim and additional winners Minjee Lee and Lexi Thompson.
In total, the field has combined for 140 wins on the LPGA Tour.
ROAD TO RIO RUNS TROUGH MERIT CLUB
16 players who will represent their countries in the 2016 Rio Olympics will be representing their countries at the UL International Crown.
Korea (3) - Sei Young Kim, Amy Yang, In Gee Chun
USA (3) - Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, Gerina Piller
Japan (1) - Haru Nomura
Australia (2) - Minjee Lee, Su Oh
Chinese Taipei (2) - Teresa Lu, Candie Kung
Thailand (2) - Ariya Jutanugarn, Pornanong Phatlum
United Kingdom (1) - Charley Hull
China (2) - Shanshan Feng, Xi Yu Lin
UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN STARTS AN LPGA RUN IN CHICAGO AREA
The UL International Crown will start a run of big time LPGA events taking place in the Chicagoland area. Below are the list of LPGA events coming to the Windy City in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
| Year | Tournament | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | UL International Crown | Merit Club |
| 2017 | KPMG Women's PGA Championship | Olympia Fields Country Club |
| 2018 | KPMG Women's PGA Championship | Kemper Lakes Golf Club |
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