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Sahalee CC to Host 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship
Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., has been named the site of the 2016 Women's PGA Championship. The event will be held June 9-12, and is a collaboration of the PGA of America, LPGA Tour and KPMG. It focuses on the development, advancement and empowerment of women on and off the golf course.
Sahalee, site of the 1998 PGA Championship and the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, is the second site in Washington State to host a U.S. women's major; the inaugural U.S. Women's Open was held in 1946 at Spokane Country Club.
The KPMG Women's PGA Championship is now underway at Westchester Country Club in New York. The event, the former LPGA Championship, was renamed in 2015 after KPMG became the title sponsor.
"The tremendous success of our inaugural effort at Westchester Country Club further builds on KPMG's commitment to expanding opportunities for women on and off the golf course," said KPMG global chairman John Veihmeyer. "With the PGA of America and LPGA, we are proud to take the KPMG Women's PGA Championship to Sahalee Country Club - a site that has previously hosted major championships on the men's tour and that will keep elevating the caliber of courses for the world's best women golfers.
"At the KPMG Women's Leadership Summit, which will be held on-site the day before the start of the Championship, we will continue our focus on inspiring new generations of women leaders to advance into the C-suite."
"The PGA of America is excited about partnering with KPMG and the LPGA in taking this Championship to some of the finest venues in the country and bringing new audiences into supporting women in golf," said PGA of America president Derek Sprague. "Sahalee Country Club has a proven record of excellence in hosting major championships and we anticipate that it will be a spectacular setting for spectators as well as millions of viewers worldwide."
"One of the key pieces of our collaboration with KPMG and the PGA of America was the commitment to bringing this Championship to world-class venues, and Sahalee Country Club will provide a great major championship test for our players," said LPGA commissioner Michael Whan. "The Pacific Northwest has always been a strong supporter of the LPGA and we are excited to bring the Tour back to Seattle for the first time since 1999."
Designed by Ted Robinson in 1969 and renovated by Rees Jones in 1996, Sahalee takes its name after the Chinook phrase, "High Heavenly Ground." The par-72 layout was carved out of the tall majestic cedar and Douglas fir native to the Pacific Northwest and is consistently ranked among America's greatest courses. It will play to 6,692 yards in the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
"Sahalee is thrilled with the opportunity to partner with KPMG, the PGA of America and the LPGA to host another PGA major championship," said Sahalee Country Club president Steve Oaks. "Sahalee has a longstanding relationship with the PGA of America and we are honored to be selected from among the finest golf venues to host a championship, which is consistent with our club's mission. When we learned of the PGA of America's plan to couple this major championship with the women's leadership summit, we were eager to be a part of this innovative championship."
The KPMG Women's PGA Championship 0ffers a purse of $3.5 million, and is operated by the PGA of America in collaboration with the LPGA.
The LPGA Championship began in 1955, five years after the birth of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. Past champions include legendary players Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls, Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez, Juli Inkster, Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak and Inbee Park.
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