The stars of the LPGA will return to iconic Wilshire Country Club in downtown Los Angeles April 22-28, 2019, tournament organizers announced today. The event will once again feature 144 of the world’s best female professionals competing over four rounds for a share of the $1.5 million purse.
The tournament will undergo a name change in 2019 to the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open to reflect its association with Air Premia, a new air carrier based in South Korea.
“HUGEL and Air Premia are very excited to sponsor the second edition of the tournament in downtown L.A. and bring it again to historic Wilshire Country Club,” said Tournament Chairman Sung Bum Hong who is also Founder of HUGEL and Air Premia. “I hope this tournament will provide a valuable opportunity for
female professional players to show their best talents and abilities. I will do my best continuously to make it into one of the prominent tournaments on the LPGA tour.”
Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand won the 2018 tournament by two strokes with a score of 12 under par. With the victory, Moriya and her sister Ariya join Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam, and Jessica and Nelly Korda, as the only sets of sisters to win LPGA events.
“We are thrilled to return to Los Angeles and are excited to host the top players in the LPGA as they compete in front of the best fans in professional golf,” said David Tucker, Tournament Manager of the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open. “Our inaugural year was a great success and we look forward to building on that momentum in year two.”
This year marks the centennial celebration at Wilshire Country Club, which opened in 1919. Throughout the years, the course has hosted events on the LPGA, PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, as well as the PGA Championship.
“Wilshire Country Club is once again thrilled to host the annual LA Open tournament and we are honored it will add to our extensive golfing legacy,” said Patrick O’Grady, President of Wilshire Country Club. “We will be celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2019 and the LPGA tournament simply reaffirms the tremendous and sustained relevance of our classic golf course within the heart of Los Angeles.”
Following a successful first year in Los Angeles, the tournament has reached new sponsorship deals with two major local companies. CBB Bank will become the tournament’s Official Korean-American Bank, and UCLA Health will become Official Healthcare Services Provider.
“We are proud to be the Official Korean-American bank of the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open,” said Joanne Kim, President and CEO of CBB Bank. “As a community bank that has grown together with Angelenos, we are excited to be a big part of such a monumental event in our city. CBB Bank looks forward to continuing our partnership with the tournament.”
“We are excited to support the outstanding women athletes of the LPGA and partner in this event for the Los Angeles community,” said Johnese Spisso, President of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System, and Associate Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences. “We look forward to providing them with the highest-quality of care during the tournament, the same excellent care that we offer to our Los Angeles community each day.”
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