Amateurs Bailey Shoemaker, Michelle Zhang and Avery Zweig to Compete as Sponsor Exemptions
Tickets on Sale at www.AscendantLPGA.com
THE COLONY, Texas, – World No. 1 and defending champion Jin Young Ko, fellow Texas residents and past champions Cheyenne Knight and Angela Stanford and major champions Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson headline a stacked field of early commitments for the 2022 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, tournament officials announced today.
Texas’ annual signature LPGA Tour event, the Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America will feature a field of 132 players competing for a share of the newly expanded $1.7 million purse, taking place at Golf Clubs at The Tribute and playing at Old American Golf Club.
Seven of the top-10 players in the world are early entries into the tournament, including Ko (1), Nelly Korda (3), Lydia Ko (4), Henderson (5), Atthaya Thitikul (6), Nasa Hataoka (9), and In Gee Chun (10). A number of local Texans also are entered into the tournament, headlined by its past three champions: Ko (2021), Stanford (2020) and Knight (2019).
“We are honored to attract the best players in the game to Golf Clubs at The Tribute and Old American Golf Club for the 2022 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America,” said Tournament Director Emily Podzielinski. “The field this year will be one of the strongest in our tournament’s 10-year history, and we are excited to continue the momentum following the recent announcements of our new co-title sponsor and our increased tournament purse.”
Players have until Wednesday, Sept. 21 to commit to the 2022 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America. For a complete list of tournament entries, click HERE.
Three sponsor exemptions previously announced by tournament officials include:
- Bailey Shoemaker. High school senior from Dade City, Fla., University of Southern California commit and back-to-back champion at the Kathy Whitworth Invitational Junior Girls Golf Championship.
- Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang. Freshman at Southern Methodist University hailing from Plano, Texas. Wire-to-wire winner at the 2022 Volunteers of America Classic Girls Championship in July. Three-time Rolex Junior All-American.
- Avery Zweig. High school sophomore from McKinney, Texas. 2021 Volunteers of America Classic Girls Championship winner. Finished T2 in 2022.
Earlier today, the LPGA Tour and Outlyr announced Ascendant National Title, a Cypress Ascendant Company, is teaming up with Volunteers of America in a new multi-year partnership to serve as co-title sponsors beginning in 2022. The announcement also included an overall purse increase for the 2022 event to $1.7 million, a $200,000 increase from the previous $1.5 million.
Tickets are now on sale for The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America exclusively at www.AscendantLPGA.com. Ticket packages include exclusive hospitality and general admissions tickets offering a wide degree of entertainment and access. New for 2022 is the Casamigos Club exclusive hospitality viewing patio near the 17th green at Old American Golf Club, where fans will be able to enjoy complimentary snacks and specialty cocktails featuring Casamigos, the Official Tequila of The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America. All tickets will be digital and will be emailed after purchase. Tickets can be viewed on either a mobile device or printed out where they will be scanned at the main gate.
2022 Ticket Options: There are three ticket options for fans interested in attending The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America:
- Good-Any-One-Day Grounds:
- $20. General admission daily grounds. Valid any one day, Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 29-Oct. 2.
- Weekly Grounds:
- $45. General admission weekly grounds. Valid all days Thursday-Sunday.
- Casamigos Club:
- New for 2022, Casamigos Club offers VIP access to complimentary, upgraded snacks and specialty cocktails featuring Casamigos Tequila at an exclusive hospitality viewing deck located near the 17th green.
- Daily Casamigos Club: $125. Valid for one day, Thursday-Sunday.
- Weekly Casamigos Club: $400. Valid all four days, Thursday-Sunday.
All military (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and first responders will receive complimentary admission by showing proper identification at Admissions in exchange for a daily grounds pass. Children 17-and-under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult.
For more information on The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, please visit www.AscendantLPGA.com and follow the tournament’s social handles @AscendantLPGA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America is Texas’ signature LPGA Tour event held annually at Old American Golf Club, a part of the Golf Clubs at The Tribute in The Colony, Texas, featuring the world’s best golfers competing for a $1.7 million purse. The tournament made its debut in 2013. The event is owned and operated by Outlyr, a global sports marketing and event management agency. In addition to managing professional golf tournaments, Outlyr also operates a number of other sporting and lifestyle events and manages the sponsorship portfolio for several blue-chip clients.
About Ascendant National Title
Ascendant National Title, a Cypress Ascendant company, and the Official Title Insurer of the PGA TOUR, is a national title and escrow company providing a full suite of title and closing services for residential and commercial customers in the real estate industry. Employing innovative technology and top tier teams with vast experience, the company manages commercial, lender, default and residential transactions. Ascendant is committed to exceeding expectations for all clients whether local or national. Presently licensed in 42 States, ANT continues to expand their footprint through key partnerships and strategic acquisitions. Ascendant is proud to be the namesake co-title sponsor of The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, a premier tournament event.
About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered those most in need, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America helps more than 1.5 million people in over 400 communities. Learn more at www.voa.org.
About Golf Clubs at The Tribute
Each course set on this remote peninsula inside The Tribute community was specifically designed to take you back in time to experience the game of golf in its purest form. Old American Golf Club, designed by PGA TOUR winner Justin Leonard and Golf Course Architect Tripp Davis, pays homage to the “Golden Age” of golf course architecture in America, while Tribute Golf Links, also designed by Tripp Davis, allows you to immerse yourself in a true link-style course paying homage to the most famous holes in Scotland. To learn more about the Club or its courses, visit www.golfclubsatthetribute.com.
About The Colony, Texas
The City by the Lake offers unparalleled entertainment in the heart of North Texas. Known for strikingly beautiful views of Lewisville Lake, The Colony extends 23 miles along its eastern shoreline providing endless outdoor excursions. Inside Grandscape, the city’s sprawling entertainment district, refined dining, live music and the world’s largest and most unique retail experiences away. The Colony offers a tranquil getaway complemented by modern, urban luxuries. To find out more about The Colony, please visit www.visitthecolonytx.com.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Epson Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and gamechangers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Friedman
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com
Payton Walker
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
Outlyr
469-626-2199
pwalker@outlyr.com
