SANTA ANA, CA. – (July 27, 2015) – Inbee Park is in. Lydia Ko is a go. So is Stacy Lewis. The top golfers on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are scheduled to play in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, August 26-30 in Prattville, Alabama on the Senator Course at Capitol Hill along the Robert Trent Jones (RTJ) Golf Trail.
For the second consecutive year, Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) is teaming up with the RTJ and the LPGA to host the event. This year’s tournament features many top ranked golfers including No. 1 Park, No. 2 Ko, No. 3 Lewis, No. 4 Hyo-Joo Kim, No. 6 Suzann Pettersen, No. 7 Shanshan Feng and No. 8 Lexi Thompson. Defending champion Mi Jung Hur is expected to return.
Other fan favorites in the current field include Michelle Wie, Christina Kim, Ai Miyazato, Cristie Kerr, Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lincicome and rookie Cheyenne Woods, niece of Tiger Woods.
The tournament will once again benefit YTC’s cause marketing partner, KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all children get the balanced and active play they need to thrive. Proceeds from the 2014 tournament went toward building a new playground for a deserving Southern California community.
“Last year’s tournament was a rousing success on every level and with this year’s field we believe this event will be even better,” said Alan Holtschneider, YTC director of marketing. “Besides the incredible golfing competition and the funds raised for KaBOOM!, it gave us an excellent opportunity to expose more consumers to our full line of tires. We will also be offering more fun, interactive and educational elements at our booth at this year’s event.”
Yokohama’s three-year LPGA sponsorship fits in well with YTC’s growing sports marketing program. In 2015, Yokohama partnered with the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Clippers, the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens and Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees. Yokohama has also recently added soccer to its roster by signing on as the official shirt partner of Chelsea FC, the reigning English Premier League champion.
Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic Tournament Schedule
Monday, August 24, 2015
7:30 to 8:30 a.m. – Golf Clinic for Local Montgomery Women – A group of Montgomery area women (Driving Force) will have a golf clinic with a LPGA pro. The RTJ Golf Pros will help lead the clinic. The event is to encourage more local women to play golf.
Qualifier for the final two spots in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. The first tee times are at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
10:00 a.m. – Champions Challenge followed by Junior Clinic (1,200 local students). Four former champions from Prattville LPGA tournaments (MJ Hur, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson and Katherine Kirk) have been invited to participate in a unique tire/golf challenge in front of the clubhouse. The past champions will try to hit golf balls through nine tires with inserts spelling out Yokohama. The winner leaves with a custom trophy and a new set of Yokohama tires of her choice. The Junior Clinic is sponsored by Alabama Power.
Player interviews TBD after the Junior Clinic.
Practice day for players.
Wednesday, August 26, 2014
< > tournament all day.
4:00 p.m. – Girls Golf event where LPGA players will give a clinic for local girls near the Media Center. The girls participating have already been selected.
Player interviews TBD.
Gran Turismo 6 racing simulator competition (Yokohama Tire Drive to Win Challenge) between players and caddies at the Yokohama Tire booth all day.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
First round of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Live on Golf Channel 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST while the players compete.
Gran Turismo 6 racing simulator competition in the Yokohama Tire Drive to Win Challenge at the Yokohama Tire booth. Fans compete for daily prizes, including a gift certificate for new tires.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Round two of Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Live on Golf Channel 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
TV star Gearhead Diva (Rachel De Barros) will be holding free, informative and fun sessions in the morning and afternoon at the Yokohama Tire booth.
Gran Turismo 6 racing simulator competition in the Yokohama Tire Drive to Win Challenge at the Yokohama Tire booth. Fans compete for daily prizes, including a gift certificate for new tires.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Round three of Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. This includes the top 70, plus ties from the first two days of competition. Leaders tee off around 1 p.m. Live on Golf Channel from 4 to 6 p.m.
TV star Gearhead Diva (Rachel De Barros) will be holding free, informative and fun sessions in the morning and afternoon at the Yokohama Tire booth.
Gran Turismo 6 racing simulator competition in the Yokohama Tire Drive to Win Challenge at the Yokohama Tire booth. Fans compete for daily prizes, including a gift certificate for new tires.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Final round of Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Leaders tee off around 1 p.m. Live on Golf Channel from 4 to 6 p.m. Final putt should be just before 6:00 p.m.
TV star Gearhead Diva (Rachel De Barros) will be holding free, informative and fun sessions in the morning and afternoon at the Yokohama Tire booth.
Gran Turismo 6 racing simulator competition in the Yokohama Tire Drive to Win Challenge at the Yokohama Tire booth. Fans compete for daily prizes, including a gift certificate for new tires.
Tournament Information
Ticket information, Volunteer Opportunities, Media Credentials and more details are available at www.yokohamatirelpgaclassic.com
Facebook – Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic; Twitter – @YokohamaLPGA and Instagram – #YokohamaLPGA
About Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
Funded by the Retirement Systems of Alabama, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail was built to help expand tourism, recruit industry and attract retirees, thus strengthening the state’s economy while adding to the quality of life for all Alabamians. The RTJ Golf Trail opened in 1992 and has welcomed more than 11 million rounds of golf. From Mobile Bay to the Tennessee River, the RTJ Golf Trail has 26 courses on 11 sites across Alabama.
About LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association)
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950, the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 1,700 members representing 29 different countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while dedicated LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management. The Symetra Tour consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via: www.LPGA.com, www.twitter.com/lpga, and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo.
About Yokohama Tire Corporation
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing an extensive sales network throughout the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s broad product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
