April 18, 2024

LPGA, Mediheal Championship Return to SoCal

The LPGA Tour is in Southern California this week for the fifth time this calendar year for the Mediheal Championship at The Saticoy Club in Solis.

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Last May, Matilda Castren fired a final round 65 to finish at 14-under and become the first player from Finland to collect a win on the LPGA Tour. Castren will have to defend her title in a new month and on a new course. The prior three times this event was held, it was hosted outside San Francisco at Lake Merced Golf Club. This year’s SoCal field includes 2018 champion Sei Young Kim. Lydia Ko, who won the inaugural event here in 2018 will not participate.

World #2 Atthaya Thitikul is the only player in the Rolex Rankings Top 10 to make the trip to Solis. World #1 Jin Young Ko remains sidelined with a wrist injury. Several of those skipping this week’s LPGA event are expected to be among the field at the Aramco Team Series New York next week. Those names include high-wattage stars Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson, and Ireland’s Leona Maguire.

After the Mediheal, the LPGA heads to Asia, with its next event the BMW Ladies Championship to be held in South Korea from October 20-23, followed by the Toto Japan Classic in Shiga, Japan from November 3-6. The final LPGA event before the Tour Championship will be the Pelican Women’s Championship in Belleair, Florida from November 10-13.

The Mediheal Championship can be viewed Thursday through Sunday from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m Eastern on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App. Tape delayed coverage can be seen from 9 p.m. – 12 a.m each day on the Golf Channel.

Be sure to check back with The Golf Spectator for more LPGA Tour news.