The LPGA Tour is back in New Jersey this week for the 36th playing of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. The tournament will once again be contested at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course, and South African Ashleigh Buhai will be looking to successfully defend an LPGA Tour title for the first time in her career. The 35-year-old is joined by eight other past champions in the 144-player field in Galloway, N.J., a list of winners that includes players like Brooke Henderson, Anna Nordqvist, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb. Twenty-two 2024 LPGA Tour rookies will also compete, as will two-time 2024 champion Hannah Green and last week’s U.S. Women’s Open winner Yuka Saso.
Take a look at just a few of the featured groups this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, using KPMG Performance Insights:
Thursday, 8:41 a.m.* – Jin Young Ko/Atthaya Thitikul/Brooke Henderson
Jin Young Ko is making her eighth start of the 2024 LPGA Tour season at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer as she works to collect her first victory since the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup. While she has yet to find the winner’s circle this year, things have been steady for the Republic of Korea native, who has recorded four top-20 results in seven tournaments this season, including a tie for eighth in her title defense at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and a tie for fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. This is just the fourth time she has teed it up in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, and after tying for 61st in 2018, she finished in a tie for second at the event in 2021 and tied for 17th in her last appearance in 2022. According to KPMG Performance Insights, Ko’s long game has carried her through so far this year, as the major champion ranks third on the LPGA Tour in proximity to the hole (22’11) and is fourth in strokes gained approach (+1.20). She also ranks in the top 20 in scoring average (16, 70.89) and strokes gained total (17, +1.09). Ko finished T29 in her most recent start at the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally.
The ShopRite LPGA Classic is Atthaya Thitikul’s fifth event of the year, and even though she has been dealing with a thumb injury throughout the season, the Thailand native has played some solid golf in 2024. She opened her third season on the LPGA Tour with a T12 showing at The Chevron Championship, and after missing the cut at the Cognizant Founders Cup, Thitikul recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Mizuho Americas Open (T7) and the U.S. Women’s Open (T6). Those performances saw the two-time LPGA Tour winner gain 2.45 strokes total on the field as well as gain 1.14 strokes with her putting, according to KPMG Performance Insights. This is just her second time playing in this event since she joined the LPGA Tour, and Thitikul will be working to improve upon her T6 result that she recorded last year at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course. She was ranked inside the top 10 in a few statistical categories en route to that solid finish in 2023, including strokes gained approach (8th), strokes gained off the tee (9th) and strokes gained putting (9th), according to data provided by KPMG Performance Insights. Despite her limited schedule this season, Thitikul is still inside the top 15 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and currently sits at No. 12, meaning she is qualified for the Paris Olympics in August at the moment.
One of Brooke Henderson’s 13 LPGA Tour victories came at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer in 2022. She defeated Lindsey Weaver-Wright in a playoff that year at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course to collect the first of what would be two wins that season for the Canadian. The 26-year-old hasn’t found victory lane on the LPGA Tour since last year’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and will be looking to rekindle the momentum she had in 2022 as she works to earn a 14th Tour title in the Garden State this week. Despite the winless drought, Henderson has played some incredibly solid golf this season, recording five top-10 finishes in 2024, three of which were T3s or better and the most notable of which is a tie for third that came at The Chevron Championship. According to KPMG Performance Insights, the two-time major champion has the lowest score to par of any player at this tournament in the last three years, combining for 29-under over her last nine rounds in Galloway, N.J., and is statistically trending heading into this week in the Garden State. Henderson is currently ranked ninth on the LPGA Tour in strokes gained total (+1.45), 14th in strokes gained driving (+0.57) and 16th in strokes gained tee to green (+1.11). She is also third in rounds under par (26) and fifth in rounds in the 60s (15).
Thursday, 8:52 a.m.* – Yuka Saso/Hinako Shibuno/Hannah Green
Yuka Saso got to take home the Harton S. Semple trophy for a second time last week at the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally. While Lancaster Country Club kicked everyone else’s teeth in, Saso hung tough and battled through, playing her final nine holes in 3-under par to collect her second major title, second LPGA Tour victory and first win since the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in California. According to KPMG Performance Insights, Saso’s putting was the key to her victory in the Keystone State, as she led the field in strokes gained putting (+13.5), feet of putts made (420 feet) and putts made from 10 feet or further (14). The 22-year-old will look to keep that momentum rolling this week in Galloway, N.J., as she makes her second career start at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. Saso finished in a tie for 19th in her tournament debut in 2021 after carding rounds of 67, 70 and 69 at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course. In addition to her major victory, Saso has earned four other top-20 results so far this season, including a tie for ninth at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. Statistically, the Japan native is ranked fourth in strokes gained putting (+1.10), sixth in strokes gained total (+1.67) and 12th in strokes gained driving (+0.60), according to KPMG Performance Insights.
Hinako Shibuno had an impressive week at the U.S. Women’s Open, ultimately finishing runner-up to Saso at Lancaster Country Club to record her best LPGA Tour result since she also came second at the 2022 LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei. The top-five showing in Pennsylvania was a breath of fresh air for the 25-year-old who before last week had missed six cuts and earned a best finish of T50 so far this season. Despite the struggles, Shibuno ranks in the top 10 in strokes gained putting (9, +0.97), according to KPMG Performance Insights, and ranks 13th in putting average (29.11) this year. This week marks her third start in the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, and in her two previous appearances, Shibuno tied for 27th in 2020 and tied for 17th in 2022 as an LPGA Tour rookie.
Hannah Green is the only player besides Nelly Korda to have multiple wins on the LPGA Tour this season, capturing the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March in Singapore and then successfully defending her title at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro in April at Wilshire Country Club. The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 5 has recorded three additional T21 or better results in 2024 at the Ford Championship presented by KCC (T21), the Cognizant Founders Cup (T18) and last week’s U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally, where Green ultimately carded a final-round, 4-under 66 to claim a share of 16th. Statistically, the Australian is at the top of her game, ranking second in scoring average (70.06), fifth in strokes gained total (+1.67), sixth in birdies or better and 12th in strokes gained approach (+0.92), according to KPMG Performance Insights. Her stellar play this year also has Green ranked second in the Race to the CME Globe and third on the Official Money List. This is her fourth time competing in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, and in her three previous starts, she has earned a best finish of T57 in 2021.
Thursday, 1:30 p.m.* – Ashleigh Buhai/Megan Khang/Stacy Lewis
Ashleigh Buhai collected her second career LPGA Tour victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer last season. The South African won by just a single shot over Hyo Joo Kim after carding back-to-back 65s on the weekend at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course, claiming her second Tour title in as many seasons in Galloway, N.J. Statistically, Buhai was on fire this week last season, gaining 2.02 strokes on the field per round with her putting and finishing the tournament ranked fourth in greens in regulation, fifth in strokes gained approach and sixth in strokes gained putting, according to KPMG Performance Insights. This year has seen some solid play from the 35-year-old who has only missed two cuts and recorded three top-25 results in nine total starts, the best of which was a tie for 13th at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. While she doesn’t lead any notable statistical categories so far this season, Buhai could still be a threat to contend this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, particularly as she knows how to go low at this venue.
Megan Khang is making her fourth start in the ShopRite LPGA Classic this week, and in her three prior appearances, this event hasn’t been too kind to the Massachusetts native. She missed the cut in her tournament debut in 2017 and then withdrew from the tournament in 2018, finally righting the ship with a T13 finish at Seaview Resort’s Bay Course in 2020. This is her 11th start of the 2024 season, and so far, Khang has played solidly, recording four top-15 results, the best of which is a solo third that came at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Country Club. Her success can be attributed to her ball-striking this season, as Khang leads the LPGA Tour in both proximity to the hole from 125 to 150 yards (17 feet) and strokes gained tee to green (+1.92), according to data provided by KPMG Performance Insights. She also ranks third in strokes gained approach (+1.30), 13th in strokes gained around the green (+0.39) and 13th in greens in regulation (70.88%). Khang became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the CPKC Women’s Open last season and is looking to qualify for her first Olympics this year in Paris, something Khang is going to need to make a late push to accomplish as she is currently one Rolex Rankings spot outside of automatic qualification.
U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Stacy Lewis might have a lot on her plate at the moment as she readies for the 19th playing of the biennial team competition at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club this September, but that isn’t stopping her from playing on the LPGA Tour as much as she can. This week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic marks her ninth start of the year, and Lewis will be looking to improve upon a season-best result of T28 that she most recently posted at the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club. She is more than familiar with what it takes to have success at this venue, having won the 2012 and 2014 editions of the event and earned three additional top-20 finishes. Lewis is making her 15th ShopRite LPGA Classic start this week, first competing in Galloway, N.J., back in 2010.
*Off No. 10
For a full list of tee times, please click here.
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