South Carolina Crowned Champions of the Therese Hession Regional Challenge Monday at Palos Verdes Golf Club; Darling Went 3-0 in Matches and Will Make LPGA Debut
Tickets On Sale and Volunteer Registration Now Open at www.SeriPakChampionship.com
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif., – South Carolina Junior All-American Hannah Darling will make her LPGA Tour debut against the world’s best professional golfers when she returns to Palos Verdes Golf Club in March to compete as a sponsor exemption at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, taking place March 18-24.
At the 28th annual Therese Hession Regional Challenge presented by Northrop Grumman that concluded Monday at Palos Verdes Golf Club, an LPGA Tour tournament sponsor exemption was on the line to a player from this year’s winning team. South Carolina earned their victory by way of a tiebreaker over Texas after final round matches on Monday were cancelled due to inclement weather.
South Carolina head coach Kalen Anderson selected Darling as the recipient of the exemption following the conclusion of the championship. Darling went 3-0 in her matches in leading the Gamecocks to victory. The win is South Carolina’s second win of the season after winning the season-opening ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M back in September.
Darling, a native of Scotland, is a two-time First Team All-American and currently the 18th ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). She also is scheduled to compete at the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur the week following the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship.
South Carolina Junior All-American Hannah Darling Earns Sponsor Exemption to the LPGA Tour’s FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play in my first LPGA Tour event back here at Palos Verdes Golf Club,” said Darling following her team’s victory. “I loved the course this week. I’m excited to come back and have the opportunity to compete in my first LPGA Tour event with the best players in the world. It is something that I’ve been looking forward to for a very long time, so this is going to be very special.”
“Palos Verdes Golf Club is excited to once again extend a tournament sponsor exemption from the Therese Hession Regional Challenge, providing an opportunity to compete against the world’s best female professional golfers at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship,” said George Francisco, President at Palos Verdes Golf Club. “We look forward to welcoming back Hannah Darling to Palos Verdes Golf Club next month as we continue our relationship between the Therese Hession Regional Challenge and the LPGA Tour in providing organic opportunities that highlights our club’s support of women’s golf at the highest level.”
“I’m really excited for the opportunity that the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship and the LPGA Tour are presenting with this tournament sponsor exemption,” said Hession, former Ohio State’s women’s golf coach for 30 years and an 11-year LPGA Tour veteran. “I think it will be a fantastic experience and she is a proven champion. It will be a chance of a lifetime for her.”
Palos Verdes Golf Club, often referred to as the “hidden gem” in Southern California, has a rich history hosting women’s golf events, including hosting the Therese Hession Regional Challenge women’s collegiate championship for the past 27 years. Past individual winners include Rose Zhang, Carlota Ciganda, Natalie Gulbis, Brittany Lang, Bronte Law, Andrea Lee, Leona Maguire, Lorena Ochoa and Annie Park. For the third consecutive year, the winner of the Therese Hession Regional Challenge has received an LPGA Tour tournament exemption.
Darling will join a 144-player field competing in the newly named FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, taking place March 18-24 at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates. 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.
Media Credential Registration Now Open: Media credential registration is now open for the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship at www.lpgamediacredentials.com. Once on the website, click on the month of March and the “Apply for Media Credentials” link under the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship. Media credentialing will be open until Monday, March 15.
Tickets on Sale and Volunteer Registration: General admission tickets are on sale at www.SeriPakChampionship.com/tickets for the 2024 FIR HILLS Seri Pak Championship, including daily and weekly grounds admission. Upgraded hospitality ticket options will be announced at a later date.
Volunteer registration also is open, offering a unique, behind-the-scenes experience of a professional golf event, with positions on 20+ different committees. For more information on volunteering, visit www.SeriPakChampionship.com/volunteer.
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 Outlyr
Outlyr is a global event management, sponsorship consulting and activation agency that specializes in the development and execution of engaging events and experiences. Outlyr believes in the power of relationships – driving connectivity through sports and culture – to create strategic marketing platforms and high-quality activations, enhancing affinity for its clients and brands. Outlyr manages a number of professional golf tournaments, sporting, hospitality and lifestyle events, as well as the sponsorship portfolio for several blue-chip clients. For additional information on Outlyr, visit www.Outlyr.com
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.
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
