The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in Florida. It debuted in 2019 at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The tournament field is limited to winners on LPGA Tour events in the previous two years.[1] As is the case in the past, there is also a pro-am and celebrity tournament, like its predecessor. The top amateurs during the midweek pro-am are invited to play in the main tournament. Each professional is paired with two celebrities or amateurs in the groupings, and celebrities change per round. A Stableford-based system is used for the celebrities and amateurs.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Orlando, Florida |
| Established | 2019 |
| Course(s) | Lake Nona Golf & Country Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,617 yards (6,051 m) |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play - 72 holes |
| Prize fund | $1.5 million |
| Month played | January |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 260 Jessica Korda (2021) |
| To par | −24 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Lydia Ko | |
| Location map | |
  Lake Nona G&CC Location in the United States  Lake Nona G&CC Location in Florida | |
For 2022, under new corporate ownership of Hilton Grand Vacations and tournament director Aaron Stewart, son of World Golf Hall of Fame member Payne, the event moves to the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando. The move to Lake Nona also eliminates an issue that the 18th hole, a par 3, caused at Four Seasons where the 2020 tournament was pushed to an extra day on Monday morning as the single playoff hole (the 18th) failed to produce a winner, and it was the seventh playing of the 18th hole that finally created a winner.
The celebrity division continues to be controlled by Mardy Fish and John Smoltz; the two have won three each.
In the United States, the final round of the tournament is broadcast on NBC.
Tournament names
edit- 2019–2021: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by IOA
- 2022–present: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
Winners
editPro Division
edit| Year | Dates | Champion | Country | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Purse ($) | Winner's share ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jan 18–21 | Lydia Ko | New Zealand |
69-67-68-70=274 | −14 | 2 strokes | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2023 | Jan 19–22 | Brooke Henderson |  Canada |
67-66-69-70=272 | −16 | 4 strokes | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2022 | Jan 20–23 | Danielle Kang |  United States |
68-67-69-68=272 | −16 | 3 strokes | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2021 | Jan 21–24 | Jessica Korda | United States |
65-69-60-66=260 | −24 | Playoff | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2020 | Jan 16–20 | Gaby López |  Mexico |
65-69-71-66=271 | −13 | Playoff | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2019[2] | Jan 17–20 | Ji Eun-hee |  South Korea |
65-69-66-70=270 | −14 | 2 strokes | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
Note: 2020 tournament extended to five days because of darkness.
Celebrities and amateurs
editDuring the Pro-Am tournament that is held earlier in the week, the top amateur golfers are invited to participate in the main tournament.
For both amateurs and celebrities, the golfers play a modified Stableford system, with maximum score of two strokes over par. Scores are based on the maximum score (zero). Under Rule 21 of the Rules of Golf, the player's hole ends when he has reached maximum score even if he did not finish the hole.
| Points | Strokes taken in relation to par |
|---|---|
| 10 | Albatross (3 strokes under par) |
| 8 | Hole in One (Par 3) |
| 5 | Eagle (2 strokes under par) |
| 3 | Birdie (1 stroke under par) |
| 2 | Par |
| 1 | Bogey (1 stroke over par) |
| 0 | Maximum Score (2 strokes over par) |
| Year | Celebrity | Winning score |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jeff McNeil | 138 |
| 2023 | Mardy Fish (4) | 152 |
| 2022 | Derek Lowe | 138PO |
| 2021 | Mardy Fish (3) | 158 |
| 2020 | John Smoltz (3) | 150 |
| 2019 | John Smoltz (2) | 149 |
Note: The celebrity tournament is regarded as a continuation of the Diamond Resorts Invitational celebrity division.
Tournament records
edit| Year | Player | Score | Course | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Danielle Kang | 63 (−8) | Four Seasons | 1st |
| 2020 | M. J. Hur | 63 (−8) | Four Seasons | 4th |
| 2021 | Danielle Kang | 63 (−8) | Four Seasons | 3rd |
| 2021 | Bronte Law | 63 (−8) | Four Seasons | 4th |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Kicks Off in Orlando". LPGA. January 14, 2019.
- ^ "Eun-Hee Ji survives cold and wind to win LPGA Tour opener". ESPN. Associated Press. January 20, 2019.