Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship is an annual women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in Rogers, Arkansas, north of Fayetteville. First played fourteen years ago in 2007, all editions of the tournament have been played at Pinnacle Country Club.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rogers, Arkansas |
| Established | 2007, 14 years ago |
| Course(s) | Pinnacle Country Club |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,331 yards (5,789 m) |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play – 54 holes |
| Prize fund | $2.0 million |
| Month played | June |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 192 Nasa Hataoka (2018) |
| To par | −21 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Austin Ernst | |
Procter & Gamble (P&G), a manufacturer of a wide range of consumer goods, became the title sponsor in 2008. The 2008 and 2009 editions were prefaced with "P&G Beauty", with the word "Beauty" dropped starting in 2010. Walmart, based in nearby Bentonville and the world's largest public corporation, became the presenting sponsor in 2010.[1] Walmart became the title sponsor in 2011, with P&G as the presenting sponsor.
History
Due to inclement weather in 2007, only the first round on Friday was completed which classified it as an "unofficial tournament." An LPGA event must be at least 36 holes to qualify as official.[2] Stacy Lewis, then a senior at the University of Arkansas, led after 18 holes and was declared the unofficial winner. The tournament purse was cut in half and all professionals received winnings based on 50% of what they would have earned had the tournament been completed. Because Lewis was an amateur she received no earnings,[2] and all earnings by LPGA members were considered unofficial.
Tournament names through the years:
- 2007: LPGA NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons
- 2008–2009: P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons
- 2010: P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented by Walmart
- 2011–: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G
Winners
| Year | Dates | Champion | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Purse ($) | Winner's share ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Aug 28–30 | Austin Ernst | 193 | −20 | 2 strokes | 2,300,000 | 345,000 |
| 2019 | Jun 28–30 |  Park Sung-hyun | 195 | −18 | 1 stroke | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2018 | Jun 22–24 |  Nasa Hataoka | 192 | −21 | 6 strokes | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2017 | Jun 23–25 | Ryu So-yeon | 195 | −18 | 2 strokes | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2016 | Jun 24–26 |  Lydia Ko | 196 | −17 | 3 strokes | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2015 | Jun 26–28 | Na Yeon Choi | 198 | −15 | 2 strokes | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2014 | Jun 27–29 | Stacy Lewis (2) | 201 | −12 | 1 stroke | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2013 | Jun 21–23 | Inbee Park | 201 | −12 | Playoff | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2012 | Jun 29 – Jul 1 | Ai Miyazato | 201 | −12 | 1 stroke | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2011 | Sep 9–11 |  Yani Tseng (2) | 201 | −12 | Playoff | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2010 | Sep 10–12 | Yani Tseng | 200 | −13 | 1 stroke | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2009 | Sep 11–13 | Jiyai Shin | 204 | −9 | Playoff | 1,800,000 | 270,000 |
| 2008 | Jul 4–6 | Seon Hwa Lee | 201 | −15 | 1 stroke | 1,700,000 | 255,000 |
| 2007 | Sep 7 | Stacy Lewis (a) | 65 | −7 | 1 stroke | 625,000 | 0* |
* The 2007 tournament was reduced to 18 holes and declared unofficial because of multiple rain delays;[3] the $1.25 million purse was halved.
Lewis was an amateur (and reigning NCAA champion); three professionals at 66 tied for the top money spot.[4]
The original tournament dates in 2007 were September 7–9.
Tournament records
| Year | Player | Score | To par | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jane Park | 62 | −10 | 3rd |
| 2008 | Angela Park | 62 | −10 | 2nd |
| 2017 | Ryu So-yeon | 61 | −10 | 2nd |
Source:[5]
References
- "September Date, Purse Increase Announced for 2010". P&G NW Arkansas Championship. November 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- "LPGA NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons: Post Round Story and Interviews". LPGA. September 9, 2007. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
- "Scoreboard: LPGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. September 10, 2007. p. D2.
- "Golf roundup". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. September 10, 2007. p. E-5.
- "So Yeon Ryu shoots course-record 61, takes NW Arkansas Championship lead". ESPN. Associated Press. June 24, 2017.
External links
- Official website
- LPGA.com – tournament microsite
- Pinnacle Country Club