Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
The LPGA adjusted its match play tournament to make the world class event even more appealing to fans.
The LPGA announced some changes coming to their annual match play event. The tournament received a new sponsor, a new date on the schedule, an extended field, and a new format.
There will now be 96-players in the field as MGM Resorts International and T-Mobile are new the sponsors for the event. It will be called the T-Mobile Match Play, presented by MGM Rewards, per the press release.
Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas will host the event on April 3-7, 2024.
More exciting was the news that the purse will be increased. This year’s tournament will feature a whopping 30% purse increase, and players will have their hotel expenses covered.
The new format will include stroke and match play.
It is somewhat similar to what the NCAAs do currently. To declare the individual and team champions, the NCAA has stroke play that crowns the individual holder, and then the top eight teams advance into match play to determine the team winner.
Players will compete in a stroke play competition Wednesday through Friday. There will be a cut to 65 players plus ties after 36 holes.
Once the third round is complete, the top eight players advance into the weekend’s match play portion. Sunday will conclude the event with a championship match.
Nelly Korda, who is a T-Mobile athlete and one of the top stars on the LPGA, has already committed to the event. She is excited about the changes coming to one of the most enjoyable tournaments of the season.
“I’m thrilled that T-Mobile has committed to further supporting women’s golf through this event and as a partner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship,” she said excitedly. “The new format will test all the players, and I look forward to competing at Shadow Creek later this spring.”
So far, the field looks stacked as MGM Resort ambassadors Danielle Kang, Anna Nordqvist, and Alison Lee will play. Jennifer Kupcho, Leona Maguire and Brooke Henderson are also committed to the event.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
