– This Thursday marks the start of the 71st edition of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The women’s major organised by the PGA of America and debuting at the Field Ranch East PGA Frisco.
– The course is designed by Gil Hanse and opened its doors in 2023. It is part of the spectacular facilities of the PGA of America in Frisco, Texas, where it has established its headquarters for the past two years. In other words, it’s a home game. It’s not the first major it has hosted. In the same year, the Senior PGA Championship was held here with Steve Stricker emerging victorious.
– It is not an especially long or narrow course. There is no water, but it is well protected by bunkers. Its main defence is the greens. They are very large and undulating. Expect to see more than a few three-putts. The course is firm and expected to be fast, although there is some forecast of rain in the hours leading up to the tournament and during it.
– The world’s top three players, Nelly Korda, Jeeno Thitikul, and Lydia Ko will play together in the first two rounds. Korda won this major in 2021. The other two have not yet. The Thai player, in fact, has not yet won any major, while Ko is looking to take another step towards her particular Grand Slam Career. She is missing this major and the US Open. The New Zealander is the player in the tournament with the most wins on the LPGA Tour (43). Amy Yang is the defending champion.
– Three Spanish players will seek the first victory for Spanish golf in a women’s major. They are Carlota Ciganda, who comes off winning her third LPGA tournament last week, Azahara Muñoz, and Julia López. The latter is one of the debutants. The oldest participant is Cristie Kerr at 47 years old.
– Frisco is Texas, and that means heat and wind at this time of year. Both will be factors this week. Temperatures are high, humidity is significant, and considerable wind is expected between Friday and Sunday, with gusts that could reach 45 kilometres per hour.
– Chinese player Ruoning Yin, who lives in Texas and sleeps in her own bed this week, comes off finishing in the top 5 in the last three majors.
– The Field Ranch East PGA Frisco is a par 72 measuring 6,604 yards. It has three par 5s in the first nine holes. The PGA of America complex will host the men’s PGA Championship in 2027. In a way, this week will serve as a kind of test run for organising that major and fine-tuning the course preparation.
– The last major winner is Swedish player Maja Stark, champion of the US Open. The last time a European won this major was in 2009. Interestingly, it was another Swede: Anna Nordqvist. No golfer has managed to repeat a victory on the LPGA Tour this year. Carlota Ciganda hopes to break that statistic.
– The prize fund has risen to 12 million dollars to be shared among those who make the cut. This means that for the first time, the women’s PGA Championship matches the US Open in terms of prize money. It has increased by more than a million compared to last year.
