Walmart NW Arkansas Championship explained

Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
Location:Rogers, Arkansas
Establishment:2007,
Course:Pinnacle Country Club
Par:71
Tour:LPGA Tour
Format:Stroke play – 54 holes
Purse:$2.3 million
Month Played:September
Aggregate:192 Nasa Hataoka (2018)
To-Par:−21 as above
Current Champion: Ryu Hae-ran

The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship is an annual women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in Rogers, Arkansas, north of Fayetteville. First played in 2007, all editions of the tournament have been played at Pinnacle Country Club.

Procter & Gamble (P&G), a manufacturer of a wide range of consumer goods, became the title sponsor in 2008. The 2008 and 2009 editions were prefaced with "P&G Beauty", with the word "Beauty" dropped starting in 2010. Walmart, based in nearby Bentonville and the world's largest public corporation, became the presenting sponsor in 2010.[1] Walmart became the title sponsor in 2011, with P&G as the presenting sponsor.

History

Due to inclement weather in 2007, only the first round on Friday was completed which classified it as an "unofficial tournament." An LPGA event must be at least 36 holes to qualify as official.[2] Stacy Lewis, then a senior at the University of Arkansas, led after 18 holes and was declared the unofficial winner. The tournament purse was cut in half and all professionals received winnings based on 50% of what they would have earned had the tournament been completed. Because Lewis was an amateur she received no earnings,[2] and all earnings by LPGA members were considered unofficial.

Tournament names through the years:

Winners

Year Dates Champion Score To par Margin
of victory
Purse ($) Winner's
share ($)
Sep 29–Oct 1 194 −19 3 strokes 2,300,000 345,000
Sep 23–25 196 −17 Playoff 2,300,000 345,000
Sep 24–26 Nasa Hataoka (2) 197 −16 1 stroke 2,300,000 345,000
Aug 28–30 193 −20 2 strokes 2,300,000 345,000
Jun 28–30 195 −18 1 stroke 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 22–24 192 −21 6 strokes 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 23–25 195 −18 2 strokes 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 24–26 196 −17 3 strokes 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 26–28 198 −15 2 strokes 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 27–29 Stacy Lewis (2) 201 −12 1 stroke 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 21–23 201 −12 Playoff 2,000,000 300,000
Jun 29 – Jul 1 201 −12 1 stroke 2,000,000 300,000
Sep 9–11 Yani Tseng (2) 201 −12 Playoff 2,000,000 300,000
Sep 10–12 Yani Tseng 200 −13 1 stroke 2,000,000 300,000
Sep 11–13 204 −9 Playoff 1,800,000 270,000
Jul 4–6 201 −15 1 stroke 1,700,000 255,000
Sep 7 65 −7 1 stroke 625,000 0*
* The 2007 tournament was reduced to 18 holes and declared unofficial because of multiple rain delays;[3] the $1.25 million purse was halved.
Lewis was an amateur (and reigning NCAA champion); three professionals at 66 tied for the top money spot.[4]
The original tournament dates in 2007 were September 7–9.

Tournament records

Year Player Score To par Round
2008 62 −10 3rd
2008 62 −10 2nd
2017 61 −10 2nd
2022 61 −10 2nd
Source:[5] [6]

External links

36.297°N -94.199°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: P&G NW Arkansas Championship . September Date, Purse Increase Announced for 2010 . November 18, 2009 . September 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100405224734/http://www.nwachampionship.com/2009/11/18/september-date-purse-increase-announced-for-2010 . April 5, 2010 .
  2. Web site: LPGA NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons: Post Round Story and Interviews . LPGA . September 9, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110525052055/http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?mid=2&pid=12461 . dead . May 25, 2011 . September 9, 2007.
  3. News: Scoreboard: LPGA Tour . Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon . September 10, 2007 . D2 .
  4. News: Golf roundup . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Associated Press . September 10, 2007 . E-5.
  5. News: So Yeon Ryu shoots course-record 61, takes NW Arkansas Championship lead . ESPN . Associated Press . June 24, 2017.
  6. News: Atthaya Thitikul Ties Tournament Record, Takes Lead At Walmart NW Arkansas Championship . LPGA . September 24, 2022.