Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Seven of the World’s Top 10, Hall-of-Famers and Major Champions Headline Field of 132 for the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer

GOLF Channel to Make U.S. Television History With All-Female Broadcast Team at the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer

(GALLOWAY, N.J.) – The final tournament field for the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer will be one of the strongest fields in tournament history, boasting major champions, Hall-of-Famers and eight of the past 10 winners dating back to 2011.

Taking place Sept. 27-Oct. 3 at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel near Atlantic City, 132 of the game’s top women’s professional golfers will converge upon South Jersey to compete in the 54-hole championship for a share of the $1.75 million purse. GOLF Channel will televise live coverage Friday-Sunday, Oct. 1-3

The 132-player field includes 16 players who competed in the recent Solheim Cup in early September, including defending champion Mel Reid, 2020 champion Lexi Thompson and two-time winner Anna Nordqvist.

The field also features seven 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 (5), Yuka Saso (7), Danielle Kang (8) and Brooke Henderson (10). Multiple major champions also are in the field this week, including Brittany Lang, Brittany Lincicome, Stacy Lewis, Jin Young Ko, Sei Young Kim and So Yeon Ryu, and 2021 major champions Patty Tavatanakit (ANA Inspiration), Saso (U.S. Women’s Open) and Nordqvist (AIG Women’s Open).

Fan favorite and New Jersey native Marina Alex is also set to make her return to Seaview, where she has played since her junior golf days. In addition, World Golf Hall-of-Famer and Atlantic City fan favorite Laura Davies will make her return to the ShopRite LPGA Classic

“We’re excited to once again host the world’s best players the best players to South Jersey for the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer,” said tournament director Bill Hansen. “We are equally as excited to welcome back our passionate 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.”

NBC Sports will utilize an all-women broadcast team to call the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer at the Bay Course at Seaview in Galloway, N.J., on October 1-3 on GOLF Channel, marking the first-ever all-women golf broadcast team in U.S. television history.

The commentary team will feature Cara Banks handling play-by-play duties, alongside analysts Judy Rankin and Paige Mackenzie and on-course reporters Karen Stupples and Kay Cockerill.

Tournament coverage will be produced by long-time NBC Sports and GOLF Channel producer Beth Hutter. Hutter has produced LPGA coverage for more than 15 years and recently made history as the first woman to produce the U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic Club and women’s golf coverage at the Tokyo Olympics.

2021 sponsor exemptions include Rachel Drummond, Megha Ganne and Brynn Walker. 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.

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 on the 2021 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, follow the tournament’s social media handles including @ShopRiteLPGA on Twitter, @ShopRiteLPGA on Instagram and @ShopRiteLPGA on Facebook.

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