Wake Forest All-American and NCAA Team National Champion Rachel Kuehn, John Shippen Invitational Women’s Champion Paige Crawford and Michigan State’s Brooke Biermann to Compete as Sponsor Exemptions
18 Major Champions and Four Past Champions Headline Field, Including Defending Champion Jennifer Kupcho and Past Champions Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson and So Yeon Ryu
Tickets on Sale at www.MeijerLPGAClassic.com
BELMONT, Mich., – Entries are now closed for the 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, with the tournament boasting one of its strongest fields in tournament history that features multiple major champions, past champions and several former World No. 1 players.
Tournament officials also announced today the tournament’s three sponsor exemptions:
- Rachel Kuehn, a senior at Wake Forest and member of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships Team National Champions. Kuehn was the first Wake Forest women’s golfer in program history to be named ACC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. She is currently ranked fifth in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings.
- Paige Crawford, winner of the women’s division of THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational at Blythefield Country Club on June 7, earning an exemption to the both the Meijer LPGA Classic next week and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in July. Crawford won THE JOHN SHIPPEN LPGA Tour event of the year at the Meijer LPGA Classic, earning an exemption to compete in the Cognizant Founders Cup in May.
- Brooke Biermann, a rising junior at Michigan State University, who will be making her LPGA Tour debut. Biermann won her first collegiate event during her sophomore year at MSU, finishing co-medalist at the NCAA Palm Beach Regional and helping to secure the team’s first NCAA Regional win and advancing to the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships in May.
Kuehn, Crawford and Biermann will join an elite 144-player field that will be headlined by several of the world’s top-ranked players, including Lydia Ko (3), Minjee Lee (5), 2015 Champion Lexi Thompson (7), Hyo Joo Kim (8) and two-time Champion Brooke Henderson.
The field includes four past champions of the Meijer LPGA Classic, including Defending Champion Jennifer Kupcho (2022), So Yeon Ryu (2018), Lexi Thompson (2015) and Brooke Henderson (2017, 2019). The current field also includes 20 major champions, 19 of the Top 30 players in the world, six former World No. 1’s and many of the greatest players in the game today.
The final two spots will be determined on Monday via the Monday Qualifier at Blythefield Country Club. For a complete list of tournament entries, click HERE.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
The 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic will host a full field of 144 of the best female golfers for 72 holes of stroke play over four days of competition. Proceeds from the tournament – and each of the week’s festivities – will once again benefit the Meijer Simply Give program that restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. The 2022 tournament raised $1.25 million for local food pantries through Simply Give. In total, the eight tournaments combined have generated more than $8.65 million for the Meijer Simply Give hunger relief program. Additionally, in 2022, Meijer also donated $25,000 to a hunger relief organization of tournament Champion Jennifer Kupcho’s choice. She selected Grand Rapids-based Kids’ Food Basket as a thank you to her host family, who had ties to the organization.
For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, please visit meijerLPGAclassic.com. Follow the action and stay up-to-date on the latest tournament news by following #ForeHunger and #MeijerCommunity on social media.
About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 501 supercenters, neighborhood markets, Meijer Grocery and Express locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer has a fundamental philosophy aimed at strengthening the communities it serves and proudly donates more than 6 percent of its net profit each year to charities throughout the Midwest. With hunger as a corporate philanthropic focus, Meijer partners with hundreds of food banks and pantries through its Simply Give and food rescue programs. The retailer’s other primary pillars of giving include Diversity & Inclusion, local giving, sustainability, and health and wellness. For additional information on Meijer community engagement efforts, please visit www.meijercommunity.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
About Blythefield Country Club:
Located just north of Grand Rapids, Blythefield has been providing families the best golf and social experience in West Michigan since 1928. With the Rogue River flowing through, Blythefield boasts one of the most beautiful championship layouts in Michigan. Previously, Blythefield has hosted the 1953 Western Amateur, the 1961 Western Open, won by Arnold Palmer, and the 2005 Western Junior won by Rickie Fowler. Beginning in 2014, Blythefield is honored to host the Meijer LPGA Classic. Learn more about Blythefield Country Club at www.blythefieldcc.org.
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 game-changers 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:
Christina Fecher
Meijer
616-735-7968
Christina.Fecher@meijer.com
Jeremy Friedman
Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com
