USA back in the elite biennial team competition for a third successive time
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 1, 2018 – Team USA will make a third straight appearance in the UL International Crown when the biennial team competition is held in the Republic of Korea this week from Oct. 4-7 and fans will be able to keep up with all the action through television network Golf Channel.
A total of 25 live hours will be broadcast via the world television feed from Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea and Golf Channel will air live from 8 p.m.-3 a.m. ET on Oct. 3, and then from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. ET on Oct. 4, Oct. 5 and Oct. 6. An additional two hours will be streamed online on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 from 8-9 p.m. ET.
The United States, who won the second edition of the UL International Crown in 2016 after finishing sixth in the inaugural edition in 2014, will be represented in Korea by veteran UL Crown players Lexi Thompson and Cristie Kerr along with first-time team members Jessica Korda and Michelle Wie.
"I think it's a great format and a great event and it's certainly grown over the two times that we've had it," said Kerr. "Being in Korea is going to take the UL International Crown to a whole new level with all those fans. It's a great event, and it's great to see that different kinds of formats succeed on our tour. This third edition is going to be huge, huge, huge."
The final country seedings and the eight four-player teams were confirmed on July 2 via the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, after the conclusion of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes on the outskirts of Chicago. Countries required a minimum of four ranked players to be eligible.
Based on those seedings (in parentheses), the eight countries have been divided into two pools:
Pool A Pool B
Korea (1) United States (2)
England (4) Japan (3)
Australia (5) Thailand (6)
Chinese Taipei (8) Sweden (7)
If a player ranked in the top four of a pre-qualified country is unable to compete in Korea for any reason that spot will be filled by the next highest-ranked available player from the Rolex Rankings as of July 2, 2018. Player substitutions will not be allowed once pairings are published for the first round of matches at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Se Ri Pak, who inspired generations of players in her native Korea, has been appointed as the Honorary Director for this year’s UL International Crown, adding to the prestige and symbolism of this high-profile event.
The UL International Crown was first held in 2014 at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., where Spain, represented by Azahara Munoz, Beatriz Recari, Carlota Ciganda and Belen Mozo, won all four singles matches on the final day to become the inaugural champions.
Two years later, a powerful United States lineup of Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson and Gerina Piller came from behind to win the prestigious title at Merit Club in Chicago where Spain failed to qualify for the event.
)
)
)
)
