THE COLONY, Texas, Sept. 20, 2023 – Tournament officials announced today The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America will honor its longtime tournament ambassador and golf’s winningest player – Kathy Whitworth – with several programs and initiatives leading up to and during tournament week.
The longest running LPGA event in the state of Texas, The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America will take place Oct. 2-8 at Golf Clubs at The Tribute (Old American Golf Club), featuring a field of 132 players competing for a share of a $1.8 million purse.
Whitworth, a Dallas resident, was instrumental in growing the game of golf for the younger generation with a mission of providing increased access to the game in communities that ordinarily would not be introduced to the sport. The World Golf and LPGA Hall of Famer passed away on Christmas Eve in 2022 at the age of 83. During her Hall-of-Fame career, Whitworth recorded 88 LPGA Tour victories, the most ever by a player on a professional tour, male or female. She also finished runner-up a record 93 times, giving her a staggering 181 top-two finishes on the LPGA Tour.
“The golf world lost one of its greatest champions in 2022 with the passing of Kathy Whitworth. She left her mark as a competitor in becoming golf’s winningest champion and had a lasting impact in mentoring hundreds of junior golfers and LPGA Tour players to chase after her dreams,” said Mike King, National President and CEO, Volunteers of America. “She was a dear friend, and we look forward to paying tribute and celebrating her life on and off the golf course at The 2023 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America.”
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America will honor Whitworth’s legacy throughout tournament week, including:
- Kathy Whitworth Walk of Champions: The walk of champions, located on the 18-fairway cart path, will be renamed the “Kathy Whitworth Walk of Champions,” featuring signage of past champions and Whitworth.
- Kathy Whitworth Trophy: Designed by Whitworth on a napkin in 2014, the championship trophy is named in her honor. For the past eight years, Whitworth hosted the trophy presentation and presented the trophy to the tournament champion. New for 2023, her signature is engraved on the back of the trophy.
- Kathy Whitworth Ticket Program: The Kathy Whitworth Ticket Program encourages local clubs, businesses, golf teams, organizations, and individuals to continue serving Whitworth’s mission to spread awareness about the game of golf. Accepted applicants will receive complimentary tickets to the tournament and Ascendant LPGA promotional materials to help spread tournament awareness. For more information on the Kathy Whitworth Ticket Program, click HERE.
- “Learn About her Legacy”: Throughout the course and in the hospitality venues during tournament week, fans will be able to get to know more about Whitworth via a special QR code that will direct fans to a dedicated Kathy Whitworth page at AscendantLPGA.com.
- Inside the Ropes Program: The Inside the Ropes program gives fans an opportunity to walk inside the ropes with a group for 18 holes, allowing for a unique and memorable experience. This program was important to Whitworth in continuing to help grow the game and one group during each round will be dedicated in her honor.
In 1999, Whitworth established the Kathy Whitworth Invitational in Texas to help provide amateurs and junior golfers the chance to play golf at the championship level. Over the past several years, The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America has offered a sponsor’s exemption to the winner of the Invitational to assist in Whitworth’s mission to build opportunities for junior and amateur players. At the 2023 Kathy Whitworth Invitational in March at Mira Vista Country Club in Fort Worth, Natalie Yen, a high-school junior from West Linn, Ore., won the championship by one stroke at 2-under par, earning an exemption into the 2023 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America.
Learn more about Whitworth’s legacy at www.ascendantlpga.com/kathy-whitworth.
Tickets now on sale: Tickets are on sale for The 2023 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, including daily and weekly general admission tickets offering a wide degree of entertainment and access. New for 2023, BITE by the Lake will be an upgraded culinary experience featuring complimentary food and drink samplings. BITE by the Lake will showcase a variety of local chefs, restaurants, and brands for patrons to sample. Daily tickets to BITE by the Lake start at $50 per day. Limited tickets are available for purchase exclusively at www.AscendantLPGA.com/tickets/. All tickets will be digital and will be emailed after purchase. Tickets can be viewed on either a mobile device or printed out where they will be scanned at the main gate.
2023 Ascendant LPGA Ticket Options: Early ticket offerings include two options for fans interested in attending the tournament:
BITE by the Lake
New for 2023, BITE by the Lake is an upgraded culinary experience featuring complimentary food and beverages from local chefs and restaurants.
- Daily BITE by the Lake: $50. Valid for one day, Friday-Sunday
BITE VIP is an Upgraded Hospitality ticket option that includes access to a hospitality suite with greenside views of Old American Golf Club’s signature 18th hole along with complimentary signature cocktails from Mijenta Tequila and catering from Dee Lincoln Prime Steakhouse.
- Daily BITE VIP: $150. Valid for one day, Friday-Sunday.
General Admissions
Daily Grounds:
- $20. Valid any one day, Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 5-8.
Weekly Grounds:
- $45. Valid each day Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 5-8.
All military (active, reserve, retired and veterans) and first responders will receive complimentary admission to the 2023 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America by showing proper identification at Admissions in exchange for a daily grounds pass. Children 17-and-under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult.
For more information on The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America, please visit and follow the tournament’s social handles @AscendantLPGA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America is Texas’ signature LPGA Tour event held annually at Old American Golf Club, a part of the Golf Clubs at The Tribute in The Colony, Texas, featuring the world’s best golfers competing for a $1.8 million purse. The tournament made its debut in 2013. 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.
About Cypress Ascendant
Cypress Ascendant is a highly diversified, small market, boutique investment group. We have holdings across a range of Real Estate and Finance, Hospitality and Entertainment, as well as Consumer Goods. Relationships and connectivity are the cornerstones of our firm. We make and maintain personal relationships with leadership from each and every investment we make. With meaningful financial commitments from our Management team, we strive to generate strong, risk adjusted returns for our investors over the life of their investments with us. To learn more about Cypress Ascendant, please visit www.cypress-ascendant.com.
About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered those most in need, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America helps more than 1.5 million people in over 400 communities. Learn more at www.voa.org.
About Golf Clubs at The Tribute
Each course set on this remote peninsula inside The Tribute community was specifically designed to take you back in time to experience the game of golf in its purest form. Old American Golf Club, designed by PGA TOUR winner Justin Leonard and Golf Course Architect Tripp Davis, pays homage to the “Golden Age” of golf course architecture in America, while Tribute Golf Links, also designed by Tripp Davis, allows you to immerse yourself in a true link-style course paying homage to the most famous holes in Scotland. To learn more about the Club or its courses, visit www.golfclubsatthetribute.com.
About The Colony, Texas
The City by the Lake offers unparalleled entertainment in the heart of North Texas. Known for strikingly beautiful views of Lewisville Lake, The Colony extends 23 miles along its eastern shoreline providing endless outdoor excursions. Inside Grandscape, the city’s sprawling entertainment district, refined dining, live music and the world’s largest and most unique retail experiences away. The Colony offers a tranquil getaway complemented by modern, urban luxuries. To find out more about The Colony, please visit www.visitthecolonytx.com.
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 Epson 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 game-changers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Friedman
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
407-721-9752
jfriedman@outlyr.com
Payton Walker
The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America
469-626-2199
pwalker@outlyr.com