GALLOWAY, N.J., Aug. 30, 2021 – Defending champion Mel Reid and 2020 champion Lexi Thompson headline a stacked field of early commitments for the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, tournament organizers announced today. Sixteen players competing in this week’s Solheim Cup – including Reid and Thompson – are early commitments for the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic, including two-time ShopRite LPGA Classic winner Anna Nordqvist, who captured the 2021 AIG Women’s Open title this month.
Six of the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, including Jin Young Ko (2), Inbee Park (3), Sei Young Kim (4), Hyo-Joo Kim (6), Danielle Kang (7) and Brooke Henderson (8) have committed to the championship. In addition, World Golf Hall-of-Famer and Atlantic City fan favorite Laura Davies is scheduled to make her return to the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Davies, who has 87 worldwide professional victories, finished runner-up at the 1992 ShopRite LPGA Classic via a playoff.
“We’re honored to once again attract the best players in the game to South Jersey for the ShopRite LPGA Classic,” said tournament director Bill Hansen. “We are equally as excited to welcome back fans to the tournament this year and representing South Jersey on a global scale both in person and to audiences around the world via television.”
Players have until Friday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. ET to commit to the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Tournament organizers also announced today that Rachel Drummond and Brynn Walker are joining Megha Ganne as sponsor exemptions into the field. Drummond is currently competing full-time on the Ladies European Tour and will be making her LPGA debut at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Walker, 23, a Radnor High graduate outside of Philadelphia who was a standout on the golf team at the University of North Carolina, turned professional after graduation in 2020 and is competing full-time on the Symetra Tour. Ganne, a 17-year-old high school senior at Holmdel High School in Monmouth Country, N.J. who took the world by storm at the U.S. Women’s Open, will be competing in the ShopRite LPGA Classic as an amateur for a second consecutive year.
In accordance with state government and CDC guidelines, the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic will safely welcome back fans to the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel to help cheer on the top female golfers in the world. The 132-player field will compete the 54-hole championship Friday-Sunday, Oct. 1-3, for a share of the $1.75 million purse. All three rounds will be televised on GOLF Channel.
Ticket packages for the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer include exclusive hospitality and general admissions tickets offering a wide degree of entertainment and access. All 2021 tournament tickets will be completely digital and will be emailed after purchase. Tickets can be viewed on either a mobile device or be printed out where they will be scanned at the main gate. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ShopRiteLPGAClassic.com.
Since 1986, the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer has attracted millions of fans to South Jersey. The tournament attracts hundreds of corporate partners, and the event is broadcast to 175 countries and more than 500 million households worldwide.
ShopRite has served as title sponsor of the tournament since 1992 and has donated over $37 million to regional charities through its partnership with women’s professional golf.
For more information visit www.ShopRiteLPGAClassic.com.
2021 Solheim Cup Players Committed to ShopRite LPGA Classic (as of Monday, Aug. 30)
Brittany Altomare (U.S.)
Celine Boutier (Europe)
Matilda Castren (Europe)
Ally Ewing (U.S.)
Georgia Hall (Europe)
Mina Harigae (U.S.)
Charley Hull (Europe)
Danielle Kang (U.S.)
Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Europe)
Jennifer Kupcho (U.S.)
Leona Maguire (Europe)
Anna Nordqvist (Europe)
Sophia Popov (Europe)
Mel Reid (Europe)
Madeline Sagstrom (Europe)
Lexi Thompson (U.S.)
About the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer
The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer is one of the largest and most prestigious events on the LPGA Tour. It is held annually in Atlantic City on the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, and features the world's best female golfers competing over three rounds for a $1.75 million purse.
To date, ShopRite has donated over $37 million to charities through its association with LPGA. The event is owned and operated by Outlyr, a global sports marketing and event management agency. In addition to managing professional golf tournaments, Outlyr also operates a number of other sporting and lifestyle events and manages the sponsorship portfolio for several blue-chip clients. Visit www.ShopRiteLPGAClassic.com for more information.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Symetra Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and gamechangers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.comand on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Jeremy Friedman
ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer Communications
Outlyr
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com