Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
News
|
||||
|
For the first time since 2005, the LPGA Tour is returning to the Los Angeles area for a full-field event. The Kia Classic will be held at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry the week of March 21-27, 2011. An announcement was made Saturday, September 18 at Pacific Palms with Michelle Wie, two-time LPGA Tour winner and Kia Motors ambassador. The 144-player, 72-hole event will feature a $1.7 million purse and be contested on an 18-hole layout that takes nine holes apiece from the 36-hole facility's Eisenhower and Zaharias courses. The par-73 track should measure around 6,700 yards. The region has a rich history of hosting women's professional golf events that dates back to 1955. Industry Hills is part of that, having hosted the Olympia Gold Classic in 1981 and 1982. The last tournament to be held regularly was The Office Depot, which was hosted by Los Angeles resident and LPGA legend Amy Alcott from 2000-2004. That event's stint ended in 2005 at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes. Here are photos of Wie from her day at Pacific Palms:  Many of Southern California's most bustling golf courses and most avid golfers reside in the area around the City of Industry, and Wie's presence in the marketing of the event could mean large galleries.  Wie, who turns 21 October 11, is still one of the most charismatic professionals in women's golf.  The Stanford University student takes time to pose with golfers at Industry Hills. It's not hard to spot her.  Kia Classic tournament director Jim Felechner (left) has known Wie for some time, having first met her while serving as an event operator in her native Hawaii. |
||||
RSS SubscribeReaders Feedback:
SUBJ1
| Comment at 10/12/2011 |
SUBJ1
| Comment at 1/23/2012 |
