LPGA State Farm Classic

The LPGA State Farm Classic was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour. It was played annually from 1976 to 2011 in the Springfield, Illinois metropolitan area. From 1976 through 2006, the tournament was held at The Rail Golf Course. In 2007 it moved to Panther Creek Country Club.

LPGA State Farm Classic
Tournament information
LocationSpringfield, Illinois, U.S.
Established1976
Course(s)Panther Creek Country Club
(2007-2011)
Par72
Length6,746 yards (6,169 m)
Tour(s)LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play - 72 holes
Prize fund$1,700,000
Final year2011
Tournament record score
Aggregate264 Cristie Kerr (2004)
To par–24 Cristie Kerr (2004)
Final champion
Yani Tseng

Originally known as the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Golf Classic, the tournament was underwritten solely by the owners of The Rail Golf Course for its first two years. A community-based not-for-profit organization took over the tournament in 1978. State Farm Insurance became the title sponsor in 1993. From 1980 until cancellation in 2011, over $2.5 million was contributed from tournament proceeds to medical and children's charities.

On December 9, 2011, it was announced the tournament was being cancelled due to organizers failing to find a new sponsor.[1] It had been announced earlier in the year that State Farm would be dropping its sponsorship after 2011.[2]

Tournament names through the years:

  • 1976: Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic
  • 1977: Rail Muscular Dystrophy Classic
  • 1978–1992: Rail Charity (Golf) Classic
  • 1993–2000: State Farm Rail Classic
  • 2001–2006: State Farm Classic
  • 2007–2011: LPGA State Farm Classic

Winners
YearDatesChampionCountryScoreTournament
Location		Purse ($)Winner's
share ($)
2011Jun 9–12Yani Tseng Taiwan267 (−21)Panther Creek Country Club1,700,000255,000
2010Jun 10–14Cristie Kerr (2) United States266 (−22)Panther Creek Country Club1,700,000255,000
2009Jun 4–7In-Kyung Kim South Korea271 (−17)Panther Creek Country Club1,700,000255,000
2008Jul 17–20Ji Young Oh South Korea270 (−18)*Panther Creek Country Club1,700,000255,000
2007Aug 30 – Sep 2Sherri Steinhauer United States271 (−17)Panther Creek Country Club1,300,000195,000
2006Aug 31 – Sep 3Annika Sörenstam Sweden269 (−19)The Rail Golf Course1,300,000195,000
2005Sep 1–4Pat Hurst United States271 (−17)The Rail Golf Course1,300,000195,000
2004Sep 2–5Cristie Kerr United States264 (−24)The Rail Golf Course1,200,000180,000
2003Aug 28–31Candie Kung Taiwan202 (−14)The Rail Golf Course1,200,000180,000
2002Aug 29 – Sep 1Patricia Meunier-Lebouc France270 (−18)The Rail Golf Course1,100,000165,000
2001Aug 30 – Sep 2Kate Golden United States267 (−21)The Rail Golf Course1,000,000150,000
2000Sep 1–3Laurel Kean United States198 (−19)The Rail Golf Course900,000135,000
1999Sep 4–6Mi Hyun Kim South Korea204 (−12)The Rail Golf Course775,000116,500
1998Aug 28–30Pearl Sinn United States200 (−16)The Rail Golf Course775,000116,500
1997Aug 30 – Sep 1Cindy Figg-Currier United States200 (−16)*The Rail Golf Course600,00090,000
1996Aug 31 – Sep 2Michelle McGann United States202 (−14)*The Rail Golf Course575,00086,250
1995Sep 2–4Mary Beth Zimmerman United States206 (−10)*The Rail Golf Course550,00082,500
1994Sep 3–5Barb Mucha United States203 (−13)The Rail Golf Course525,00078,750
1993Sep 4–6Helen Dobson England203 (−13)*The Rail Golf Course500,00082,500
1992Sep 5–7Nancy Lopez (2) United States199 (−17)*The Rail Golf Course450,00067,500
1991Pat Bradley (2) United States197 (−19)The Rail Golf Course400,00060,000
1990Beth Daniel (2) United States203 (−13)The Rail Golf Course300,00045,000
1989Beth Daniel United States203 (−13)The Rail Golf Course250,00041,250
1988Betsy King (3) United States207 (−9)The Rail Golf Course500,00033,750
1987Rosie Jones United States208 (−8)The Rail Golf Course200,00030,000
1986Betsy King United States205 (−11)*The Rail Golf Course200,00030,000
1985Betsy King United States205 (−11)The Rail Golf Course185,00027,750
1984Cindy Hill United States207 (−9)The Rail Golf Course175,00026,250
1983Lauri Peterson United States210 (−6)The Rail Golf Course150,00022,500
1982JoAnne Carner (2) United States202 (−14)The Rail Golf Course125,00018,750
1981JoAnne Carner United States205 (−11)The Rail Golf Course125,00018,750
1980Nancy Lopez United States275 (−13)The Rail Golf Course125,00018,750
1979Jo Ann Washam United States275 (−13)The Rail Golf Course100,00015,000
1978Sep 1–4Pat Bradley United States276 (−12)The Rail Golf Course100,00015,000
1977Hollis Stacy United States271 (−17)The Rail Golf Course100,00015,000
1976Sep 3–5[3]Sandra Palmer United States213 (−3)*The Rail Golf Course100,00015,000

* Championship won in sudden-death playoff.

  • 1976 and 1981–2000 — 54-hole tournament
  • 1977–1980 and 2001–2011 — 72-hole tournament, although the tournament in 2003 was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

Tournament records
YearPlayerScoreRoundCourse
1991Laura Davies62 (−10)1stThe Rail Golf Course
1997Kathryn Marshall62 (−10)2ndThe Rail Golf Course
2004Christina Kim62 (−10)1stThe Rail Golf Course
2006Annika Sörenstam62 (−10)4thThe Rail Golf Course
2008Hee-Won Han61 (−11)3rdPanther Creek Country Club

References
  1. No sponsor, no LPGA in Springfield
  2. State Farm dropping event sponsorship
  3. Kane, Dave (June 6, 2010). "State Farm Classic marks 35 years". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2010-06-11.

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