Hall-of-Famer Seri Pak Returns to the LPGA Tour as Tournament Host
World No. 1 and Los Angeles Resident Lilia Vu, No. 2 Nelly Korda and Defending Champion (No. 4) Ruoning Yin Headline 144-Player Field
Nearly 20 Professionals with Southern California Roots to Compete, Including UCLA, USC and Pepperdine Alums
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif., March 14, 2024 – World Golf Hall-of-Fame member Seri Pak will make her return to the LPGA Tour next week as tournament host for the newly renamed FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, taking place at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, March 18-24. The championship will feature an elite international field of 144 players representing 28 countries worldwide that includes current and former World No. 1 players, multiple major champions and many with Southern California roots.
Pak, one of the most decorated professional golfers in history from the Republic of Korea amassed 39 professional victories worldwide, is a pioneer in the world of golf and an inspiration for generations of LPGA Tour players from the Republic of Korea. She will be on-site at Palos Verdes Golf Club all week as tournament host.
Eighteen of the top-25 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are committed to the championship, headlined by World No. 1 and Los Angeles-area resident Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda (2), defending champion Ruoning Yin (4), Charley Hull (7), Hyo Joo Kim (9), Xiyu Lin (10), Brooke Henderson (12), Megan Khang (13), Allisen Corpuz (14), Nasa Hataoka (15), Hannah Green (17), sponsor exemption Jiyai Shin (18), Alison Lee (19), Ayaka Furue (20), Leona Maguire (21), Rose Zhang (22), Patty Tavatanakit (23) and Yuka Saso (25).
Headlining the latest commitments prior to entries closing on Tuesday is LPGA Tour winner and Azusa resident Lizette Salas, who will make her 2024 debut at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship and her first LPGA Tour event since the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open in July. Palos Verdes Golf Club is one of Salas’ practice courses and Jim Gormley, director of golf at Palos Verdes Golf Club, is Salas’ swing coach.
The FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship also will feature a number of players with Southern California ties, including:
- UCLA Alums: Alison Lee, Ryann O’Toole, Patty Tavatanakit, Lilia Vu
- USC Alums: Allisen Corpuz, Malia Nam, Sophia Popov, Gabriela Ruffels, Lizette Salas, Jennifer Song, Gabriella Then
- Pepperdine Alum: Danielle Kang
- Los Angeles residents/natives: Jenny Coleman (Rolling Hills Estates), Alison Lee (Los Angeles), Andrea Lee (Hermosa Beach, Stanford alum), Lizette Salas (Azusa), Rose Zhang (Irvine native, Stanford student) Lilia Vu (Fountain Valley), Ryann O’Toole (San Clemente native) and Lucy Li (Redwood Shores)
USC alum Gabriella Then joins Jiyai Shin and South Carolina All-American Hannah Darling as sponsor exemptions for the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship. Then, a winner on the Epson Tour who has competed on the LPGA, Epson and Ladies European Tour in recent years, will be making her 2024 LPGA Tour debut. Shin, former World No. 1 and multiple major champion, is competing as a sponsor exemption extended by Seri Pak. Darling earned her sponsor exemption via the University of South Carolina winning the 28th annual Therese Hession Regional Challenge presented by Northrop Grumman, where a tournament exemption was on the line to a player from the winning team.
The final two spots will be determined on Monday via the Monday Qualifier at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
The full tournament field will consist of 144 of the world’s best female professional golfers competing in the 72-hole event Thursday-Sunday, March 21-24, for a share of the elevated $2 million purse. GOLF Channel will televise all four rounds of play live. For a list of tournament entries, click HERE.
Tickets on Sale: Ticket packages for the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship include daily and weekly grounds passes as well as upgraded hospitality ticket packages. Returning this year is ‘Pro-Shop Patio,’ an elevated ticket option overlooking the 18th green with complimentary drink options from premier partners including Mijenta Tequila; and ‘Club 1924’ VIP hospitality pass, giving spectators access to an open air hospitality suite overlooking the 18th green with all-you-can-eat and drink options, as well as Clubhouse and Pro-Shop Patio access. Club 1924 pays homage to and celebrates Palos Verdes Golf Club’s centennial in 2024.
All military (active, retired, reserve and veteran) and service personnel (police, fire, EMS) and a plus one will receive complimentary admission to the championship. Tickets will be available at Will Call tournament week by showing proper identification. Children under 18 will also be admitted free into the tournament with a paid adult.
Tickets are on sale exclusively at www.seripakchampionship.com/tickets.
FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship Ticket Options: There are currently four ticket options available for spectators interested in attending the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship:
- Club 1924 VIP Hospitality:
- Daily (Thursday-Sunday): $350 per day
- Weekly (Thursday-Sunday): $1000
- Premium hospitality ticket that offers access to an open-air, semi-private luxury suite overlooking the 18th green. The suite features an open bar with unlimited drinks from premier alcohol partners including Mijenta Tequila. Ticket holders also have access to the hospitality buffet inside the Palos Verdes Golf Club Clubhouse, as well as access to the Pro-Shop Patio.
- Pro-Shop Patio
- Daily (Thursday-Sunday): $100 per day
- Weekly (Thursday-Sunday): $300
- Upgraded hospitality ticket offering access to the Pro-Shop Patio, an elevated and revamped hospitality space with unmatched views of the 18th green. The Pro-Shop Patio features an open bar from premier alcohol partners including Mijenta Tequila. Light bites will be available for purchase inside the Pro-Shop Patio.
- NCAA March Madness Specials: Televisions and seating will be available in and around the Pro-Shop Patio for attendees eager to watch their favorite basketball teams, in addition to watching the best female professional golfers compete throughout the weekend.
- Daily Grounds:
- $25 (Valid any one day)
- General admission daily grounds, valid any one day: Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23 or Sunday, March 24.
- Weekly Grounds:
- General admission daily grounds, valid Thursday, March 21 – Sunday, March 24.
- $45 (Valid all days Thursday-Sunday)
- General admission daily grounds, valid Thursday, March 21 – Sunday, March 24.
All tournament tickets for 2024 will be digital and emailed after purchase. Tickets can be viewed on either a mobile device or printed out where they will be scanned at the main gate.
Palos Verdes Golf Club, often referred to as the “hidden gem” in Southern California, has a rich history hosting women’s golf events. The 2024 playing of the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship will mark the LPGA Tour’s third consecutive year at Palos Verdes Golf Club. In 2023, 20-year-old Ruoning Yin earned her first LPGA Tour victory at 15-under par, her first of two wins in 2023 that ultimately elevated her to Rolex Rankings No. 1. Marina Alex captured her first LPGA Tour win since 2018 at the 2022 edition of the championship.
For more information on the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, visit www.SeriPakChampionship.com and on social media @SeriPakChamp on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
About Fir Hills
Fir Hills is a Silicon Valley-based investment firm that is pioneering a novel investment paradigm. Fir Hills is unwaveringly dedicated to fulfilling the unique needs of long-term strategic investors and industry leaders amidst the dynamically shifting economic environment. What truly distinguishes Fir Hills from other investment firms is its ability to transform ambitious and intricate investment opportunities into tangible real-world achievements. Fir Hills achieves this by leveraging an extensive network, resources, and a cohesive investing culture, all while diligently engaging from the very inception of its investment initiatives. The company’s strategic collaborations span esteemed global merchant banks and family offices, consolidating its leadership in the ongoing evolution of the industry.
About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose members now represent more than 60 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course.
Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.
About the LPGA Tour
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 30 annual events across 10 countries for over 200 Active Players, awarding total prize funds exceeding $118 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel.
-30-
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Friedman
FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com
Payton Enzbrenner
FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship
Outlyr
785-554-2348
penzbrenner@outlyr.com
