First-year event to take place at renowned Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
CLIFTON, New Jersey, May 13, 2024 -- The LPGA Foundation announced today the first ever LPGA*USGA Girls Golf National Championship presented by Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour. The inaugural tournament will feature 144 world-class girl golfers competing across three age divisions at the iconic Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina, June 24-27, 2024.
This is just the latest milestone for LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, which made history in 2023 by reaching its millionth member since the program’s inception in 1989. In celebration of that mark, the LPGA Foundation launched the One Million MORE Girls campaign and set a goal to reach the next million girls by 2030.
As part of its mission to Change the Face of Golf, the LPGA Foundation is putting forward $50,000 to cover tournament entry and travel costs for 35 players who otherwise would not have had the means to compete in this prestigious championship.
"Equality on the course isn't just about skill; it's about access,” said Nancy Henderson, LPGA Foundation President and Chief Teaching Officer. “As we strive to get more girls playing this incredible game, it is also important for us to provide the opportunity for these extremely talented young women to have more competitive playing experiences as well. The LPGA*USGA Girls Golf National Championship embodies the belief that every girl, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to showcase her talent on the grandest stage."
The Girls Golf National Championship is being supported by the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour (PKBGT). Founded in 2007, the PKBGT is an all-girls tour that provides opportunities for girls to compete in local, regional and national events across the United States. In addition to its robust tournament schedule, PKBGT hosted dozens of qualifiers for this upcoming championship.
“The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour is excited to bring together girls from across the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf network to Pine Needles this June,” said Mike Parker, Co-Founder and Tour Director for PKBGT. “This event will highlight the growth of Girls Golf and the PKBGT, showcasing these competitors’ immense talent on a grand stage.”
The 144-player field will feature several future stars of the game, including recent Drive, Chip & Putt National Champions Madison Pyatt and Lily Wachter, who won the 7-9 and 10-11 Girls Divisions, respectively. Wachter also won the U.S. Kids World Championship in 2021 at just 8-years-old, joining the likes of reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz, 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson and rising star Alexa Pano.
These National Championship players aspire to join the thousands of Girls Golf and PKBGT alumnae who have gone on to play collegiate golf, with more than 100 having reached the pinnacle of the sport by competing on the Epson and LPGA Tours. This prestigious group includes major champions Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel, as well as recent college standouts Megha Ganne and Emilia Migliaccio.
“Looking back, if I was playing in a tournament that was associated with the LPGA, that’s as exciting as it gets for a young girl,” Migliaccio explained. “Everyone has a dream, and most girl golfers dream of playing on tour, so to get to be affiliated and play in a tournament with the LPGA name on it at such a young age, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Not only will these girls get the chance to show off their skills on a national stage, but they’ll be doing it at a place rich in women’s golf history. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club has already hosted four U.S. Women’s Opens, the most recent of which was in 2022, and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in 2019.
Additionally, Marie Birdie is the Presenting Sponsor for the tournament. The female-founded company prides itself on making golf wear more fun, fashionable and functional, so that girls feel seen, confident and comfortable on and off the course.
“We are honored to be a presenting sponsor for the inaugural LPGA*USGA Girls Golf National Championship," said company principal Rebekah Alfond. "Just as Peggy Kirk Bell was a changemaker in women's golf, her work inspires our mission of empowering girls to enjoy an active lifestyle while playing the game. Being here allows us to introduce more girls to our line of clothing made just for 'her,' but even more so, we love the opportunity to connect, support, and be inspired by the girl's golf community. As a golfer and mother of two daughters in the competitive golf world, I know having a community keeps kids in the game. Connecting with other moms, dads, and girl golfers keeps my team and me going.”
For more information on the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf National Championship presented by the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour, visit https://www.pkbgt.org/lpganc.html.
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