It's On! Nelly Korda, Michelle Wie, Other Stars Dazzle at LPGA Opener
The LPGA is back and better than ever with a star-studded kick-off to the 2022 season. The newly renamed Hilton Grand Tournament of Champions, held at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida, promised stratospheric star power from the start.
Hot off her Olympic gold medal win, Nellie Korda faces off against her sister, defending 2021 champ Jessica Korda, and a host of other major LPGA names, including: Michelle Wie West, Danielle Kang, Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Anna Nordqvist, and more. (Although she lives and trains just a few hours away in Coral Springs, FL, Lexi Thompson did not snag an invite since she hasn't won for two seasons.)
That's not all. Fifty celebrities will battle it out alongside the ladies for a chance at a $500,000 celeb purse. Bold-faced names expected include tennis pro Mardy Fish, baseball pitcher John Smoltz, NFL great Marcus Allen, actor Jack Wagner, and Golf Channel star Blair O'Neal.
Although Jessica Korda is the returning champ, Nelly has history of walking away victorious on this course. She won the Gainbridge LPGA tourney at Lake Nona in 2021. The purse this time around is $1.5 million.
Tune in for weekend coverage on NBC.