June 21, 2017: For the 11th consecutive year, the LPGA is visiting the state of Arkansas for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. A field of 143 professionals and one amateur, including 12 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, eight 2017 LPGA winners and six past Walmart NW Arkansas champions, will take to Pinnacle Country Club on Friday through Sunday.
India’s Aditi Ashok to tee up in the high profile field along with12 of the world’s top-20 ranked players at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. She has already started her season in LPGA and finished in tied 32nd place last week at Meijer LPGA Classic.
Defending champion Lydia Ko will tee it up in hopes of capturing her first 2017 victory. Last year, Ko shot a tournament-record, 17-under 196 en route to a three-stroke victory over Candie Kung and Morgan Pressel.
This week also marks the first LPGA event for Ai Miyazato since announcing that she will retire at the end of the 2017 season. Miyazato spent 11 weeks atop the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in 2010, and her last LPGA victory came at the 2012 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Know about Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
- 5 – Players from five countries have won at Pinnacle C.C. (Chinese Taipei, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, USA)
- 11 – This is the 11th playing of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G
- The inaugural tournament in 2007, won by then-amateur and University of Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis, is not official, as it was reduced to 18 holes due to rain delays; a tournament must be at least 36 holes to be official
- 15 – 15 players have won titles in 2017, which ties 1991 for the longest stretch to begin a season in LPGA history
- 62 – 18-hole tournament record, held by Angela Park (second round, 2008) and Jane Park (third round, 2008)
- 196 – 72-hole tournament record, held by Lydia Ko (2016)
LPGA Tour Release
