LPGA players to enjoy first-class experience at Black Desert Championship;
Tournament to Provide Complimentary Private Charter Flights and Luxury Accommodations for Full Championship Field at Black Desert Resort
IVINS, Utah – The LPGA Tour will make its long-awaited return to Utah with the inaugural Black Desert Championship, set to take place May 1-4, 2025, the LPGA officially announced today.
In a commitment to elevate the tournament experience, Black Desert Resort has partnered with Utah-based SkyWest Airlines to provide complimentary private charter flights for all players and one guest traveling from the previous week’s tournament site. Additionally, all players will receive complimentary luxury accommodations at the all-new Black Desert Resort throughout tournament week. The Black Desert Championship will notably stand out as the only domestic LPGA event in 2025 to offer private charter flights, underscoring the resort’s commitment to supporting athletes both on and off the course. This initiative reflects Black Desert’s ongoing dedication to elevating the experience for female athletes while ensuring equitable support for all competitors, regardless of gender.
The Black Desert Championship, one of two new additions to the 2025 LPGA schedule, marks the historic return of the LPGA Tour to Utah after a 60-year hiatus, following the 1964 Riverside Ladies Open at Riverside Country Club in Provo. Boasting a $3 million purse, the tournament ranks among the higher-tier payouts on the LPGA Tour, further emphasizing the resort’s dedication to celebrating women’s golf and delivering a world-class tournament experience.
“We are incredibly honored to welcome the LPGA Tour to Black Desert Resort this May,” said Patrick Manning, Managing Partner of Black Desert Resort. “This tournament is more than just a celebration of the immense talent of LPGA players; it’s an opportunity to invest in the growth of women’s golf and foster greater equity in the sport. By showcasing the world’s best female athletes on our premier course and delivering unforgettable experiences for players, fans, and the community, we aim to set a new standard of excellence that drives positive change in the game.
Added Casey Ceman, LPGA Vice President of Business Affairs, “We are thrilled to kick off the inception of the Black Desert Championship in 2025, as the LPGA Tour returns to Utah for the first time in 60 years. With picturesque views and the challenge of a new course, we hope this will be a highlight on players’ schedules next season. The LPGA is grateful for the commitment by Black Desert Resort’s team to elevating the women’s game and appreciate the event’s dedication to an enhanced player experience for the world’s best professional golfers come May.”
The world’s top female golfers will take on the Tom Weiskopf-designed signature course at Black Desert Resort, just seven months after the PGA TOUR competed on the same course in October 2024. The prestigious venue will become only the second course in the nation to annually host both a PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour event, joining Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. The Black Desert Championship promises to deliver an exciting showcase of talent as it highlights the resort’s commitment to hosting premier golf events.
The Epson Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA Tour, has hosted several events in Utah since 2021 and recently announced that the LPGA Legends Championship and the Copper Rock Championship will take place in Utah in 2025.
Ticket and hospitality information will be available in the coming weeks. More tournament information is available at www.BlackDesertEvents.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 download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. 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 $125 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel.
About Black Desert Resort
Set amidst the vermillion sandstone cliffs and striking black lava beds of Greater Zion, Black Desert Resort is poised to become a premier destination for luxury hospitality, golf, and Southern Utah adventure. Black Desert Resort is anchored by a Tom Weiskopf-designed championship golf course, which will host annual events on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. Set to grand open in Spring 2025, the resort’s first phase will include nearly 800 rooms and suites, seven dining venues, a 15,000-square-foot spa, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, and 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space. Future phases will include a water park, more rooms and suites, and many more dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Spanning over 600 acres of scenic landscape, Black Desert Resort will offer easy access to 200+ acres of preserved land and six miles of hiking trails. Reef Capital Partners is developing Black Desert Resort. To learn more, visit www.blackdesertresort.com.
Press kit: Access here
Media contacts:
Greg Ball, 760-271-9183/ Dana Gordon, 856-397-2917/ Liz McCollum, 352-514-0550
blackdesert@bzapr.com
