Airbus LPGA Classic explained

Airbus LPGA Classic
Location:Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Establishment:2008
Course:Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
at Magnolia Grove,
Crossings Course
Par:72
Tour:LPGA Tour
Format:Stroke play - 72 holes
Purse:$1.3 million
Month Played:May
Final Year:2014
Aggregate:271 Stacy Lewis (2012)
To-Par:−17 Stacy Lewis (2012)
Final Champion: Jessica Korda

The Airbus LPGA Classic was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour, played in Mobile, Alabama from 2008 to 2014.

The event debuted in September 2008 at the Magnolia Grove location on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, with total prize money of $1.4 million. Angela Stanford won the inaugural edition by one stroke over Shanshan Feng, which was televised on Golf Channel in the U.S., as well as internationally.

The tournament was not played in 2009, but was revived in 2010 and moved to mid-May.[1] Heavy rains and lightning delayed and ultimately canceled the final round, resulting in a sudden-death playoff between the three 54-hole leaders: Se Ri Pak, Brittany Lincicome, and Suzann Pettersen. Pak birdied the third playoff hole in the drizzle to win.[2] In 2011, Maria Hjorth shot consecutive rounds of 67 (−5) on the weekend to finish at 278 (−10) and win by two strokes.[3] The tournament was dropped for the 2015 season.

In 2008 and 2010, Bell Microproducts was the title sponsor; Avnet purchased Bell Micro in 2010 and was the title sponsor in 2011.[4] Without a title sponsor in 2012, the tournament purse dropped slightly, from $1.30 million to $1.25 million. In January 2014, the LPGA introduced Airbus, the European multinational aerospace and defense corporation, as the event's new title sponsor.[5] The company's new final assembly facility for its A320 aircraft is under construction in Mobile, scheduled to come online in 2015.[6] [7] [8]

Mobile previously hosted The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions on the Magnolia Grove courses from 1999 to 2007.

Tournament names

Avnet LPGA Classic

Airbus LPGA Classic Presented by JTBC

2013 course layout

Crossings Course

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal[9]
Yards3951803875283924883851593703,2843803983765221493904661654023,2486,532
Par434545434364445345343672

Winners

YearDatesChampionCountryWinning scoreTo parMargin
of victory
Purse ($)Winner's
share ($)
May 22–25 67-67-69-65=268 −20 1 stroke 1,300,000 195,000
May 16–19 67-70-65-65=267 −21 1 stroke 1,200,000 180,000
Apr 26–29 68-67-67-68=271 −17 1 stroke 1,250,000 187,500
Apr 28 – May 1 70-74-67-67=278 −10 2 strokes 1,300,000 195,000
May 13–16 69-66-68=203 −13 Playoff 1 1,300,000 195,000
2009No tournament
Sep 11–14 70-67-67-73=277 −11 1 stroke 1,400,000 210,000
1 Final round was canceled because of rain and weather delays. Third round co-leaders Pak, Brittany Lincicome, and Suzann Pettersen played a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner; Pak won on the third playoff hole.[2]

Tournament records

YearPlayerScoreRound
2013 61 (−11) 3rd

External links

30.741°N -88.206°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bell Micro LPGA Classic Shifts to Spring Date . March 18, 2009 . LPGA . https://web.archive.org/web/20110525061507/http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=19200&mid=1 . May 25, 2011.
  2. News: Birdie lifts Pak to first win since '07 . May 16, 2010 . ESPN . Associated Press . April 26, 2012.
  3. News: Maria Hjorth surges to win Avnet crown . May 2, 2011 . ESPN . Associated Press . April 26, 2012.
  4. Web site: Techcrunch.com . Avnet To Acquire Bell Microproducts In Deal Valued At $594 Million . March 29, 2010 . April 22, 2012.
  5. News: Airbus Named Title Sponsor of LPGA Tournament in Mobile . January 21, 2014 . LPGA . January 21, 2014.
  6. News: EADS to build U.S. assembly line for Airbus A320 . New York Times . Clark . Nicola . July 2, 2012 . May 22, 2014.
  7. News: Airbus celebrates 'topping out' of A320 final assembly line hangar in Mobile (updated) . AL.com . Dugan . Kelli . March 12, 2014 . May 22, 2014.
  8. Web site: Airbus’ US A320 Final Assembly Line takes shape . Airbus . (press release) . April 10, 2014 . May 22, 2014.
  9. Web site: Mobile Bay LPGA Classic - Course Info, 2013 . mobilebaylpgaclassic.com . May 14, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102031757/http://mobilebaylpgaclassic.com/course/ . 2014-01-02 . dead .