After a long break, the second major of the year is finally here and with it comes the promise of guaranteed made history. For the first time, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will make the trip to Baltusrol Golf Club’s Lower Course, which promises to test this year’s stacked field which includes veteran super stars and highly touted rookies.
Somewhere Old But Somewhere New
Though Baltusrol has a storied history in women’s golf, it has been a long time since the LPGA has graced the greens of one of the best courses in America. The last time the Tour played at Baltusrol was in 1985, when Kathy Guadagnino (nee Baker) found her first LPGA victory at the U.S. Women’s Open on the Upper Course. Luckily, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is here to change that, with its first visit to the club and the recently renovated Lower Course which will serve as the backdrop for this week’s major drama. The course was revamped by Gil Hanse in 2021 to more closely match the championship vision of the original designer, A.W. Tillinghast. Several fairway bunkers have been added, greenside bunkers have been repositioned to create more challenging approach shots and the greens have been expanded to allow for a variety of hole locations.
Top-Notch Newcomer
This week, Rose Zhang will make her debut as a full-fledged member of the LPGA Tour and is one of 28 players to make their first appearance at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Just over two weeks ago, the 20-year-old made history by becoming the first player to win in their professional debut since Beverly Hanson did so in 1951 with her dramatic playoff win at the Mizuho Americas Open. Zhang, who is also the only player to win back-to-back NCAA national titles (2022, 2023), had an unassuming start at Liberty National Golf Club, carding a 2-under opening round, but the 12-time winner at Stanford blossomed in her third round, carding a bogey-free, 6-under 66 to command a two-shot lead with 18 holes to play. But another slow day plagued Zhang on Sunday and a bogey on the final hole of regulation sent Zhang into a playoff with major champion Jennifer Kupcho. Luckily, the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Champion was entirely unfazed and birdied the second playoff hole to hoist her first LPGA trophy. Though Baltusrol’s Lower Course will certainly be a tough test, Zhang is certainly up to the task. At the very least, this week will be another milestone for Zhang as she plays her first major as a pro, but – if we’re lucky – she may have a hand in making history this week as well.
Unfamiliar Faces
After qualifying for the event through the 2022 LPGA Professionals National Championship and the 2023 PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship, eight LPGA and PGA of America professionals will also join the throng of novel faces that will litter the Lower Course of Baltusrol Golf Club. Though they may be unfamiliar to fans, most of the professionals joining the field are no strangers to the major. Sandra Changkija, representing Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate, is a veritable veteran of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The 34-year-old has three PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship titles (2021-2023) on her resume and is making her seventh appearance at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Joanna Coe of Merion Golf Club and Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth of San Jose Country Club will both be making their fifth starts at the major. Amy Ruengmateekhun of Ursuline Academy of Dallas is the only member of the elite eight to make their first appearance in the event.
Return from the Injured List
Despite the onslaught of newbies, there will be more than enough veterans teeing off Thursday to delight avid fans. There are two faces that should be particularly exciting to see roaming around Baltusrol Golf Club: Nelly Korda and In Gee Chun. Both have been out since May with injuries and are making highly anticipated returns to LPGA Tour competition this week. The 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Champion, Korda has not been seen competing since the Cognizant Founder’s Cup. The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 2 had a fiery start to the 2023 season, carding seven top-10 finishes in eight starts. Her best result was a runner up at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and she came close to a major victory with a solo third-place finish at The Chevron Championship. Having not played since the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, defending champion Chun just returned to the Tour last week where she missed the cut at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Though 2023 hasn’t been particularly successful for Chun, she will certainly put up a staunch defense of her title as she is a player that knows how to win majors. Three of her four wins on Tour are major titles and her best result so far this season was a T18 at The Chevron Championship.
The Top 20
Chun and Korda will be joined 17 fellow members of the top 20 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. The only member of the top 20 not in the field is JLPGA star Miyu Yamashita, who is ranked 17th. The group is highlighted by a record-setting Jin Young Ko. Throughout her entire career, the 27-year-old has now spent 158 weeks as the world No. 1, tying the record set by Lorena Ochoa from 2007 to 2010. Currently No. 3, Lydia Ko ranks second in weeks at No. 1 with 125. Jin Young, with wins at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and the Cognizant Founders Cup, and No. 4 Lilia Vu are the only players to add multiple titles to their resume this season. And while everyone in the top 20 is sure to put on a show, No. 7 Hyo Joo Kim, who has finished in the top 10 for two consecutive weeks, and No. 12 Leona Maguire, last week’s winner at the Meijer LPGA Classic, are also names to look out for in the at the top of the leaderboard.
)
)
)
)
