Wake up to the ‘Big Five’!

Time flies when you’re having fun, but time can drag on when you’re waiting for the US Masters at Augusta National (7-10 April) to come along and wake you from your winter slumber. Yet never fear, dear golf fans, there is another Major Championship to be enjoyed, a week earlier: ‘The ANA Inspiration’.  It is the first Major on the women’s professional golf calendar (31 March-3 April) and, just like the Masters at Augusta, takes place each year at the same course: Mission Hills Country Club in California.

 

Although the ladies’ first Major doesn’t have the Green Jacket tradition of the US Masters, there is a winner’s tradition of jumping into Poppie’s Pond at the 18th hole!  The soggy stunt first began in 1991 when three-times champion Amy Alcott jumped for joy into the pond to celebrate her victory.

 

Clever scheduling of the tournament by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) a week before the Masters means the golf world can slowly wake up and warm to the stunning golf season ahead: 4 Majors on the men’s calendar; 5 Majors on the women’s;  the Ryder Cup (29 September-2 October);  and, golf back in the Olympic Games in Rio (17-20 August).

 

Golf can’t get more thrilling than this, so make a note in your diary now!

 

 

Women’s Major Championships 2016

 

ANA Inspiration, 31 March-3 April  

Defending Champion: Brittany Lincicome (USA)

Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California, USA

 

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 9-12 June

Defending Champion: Inbee Park (South Korea)

Sahalee Country Club, Sammamish, Washington, USA

 

U.S. Women’s Open, 7-10 July  

Defending Champion: In Gee Chun (South Korea)

CordeValle Golf Club, San Martin, California, USA

 

Ricoh Women’s British Open, 28-31 July

Defending Champion: Inbee Park (South Korea)

Woburn Golf & CC, Milton Keynes, England

 

The Evian Championship, 15-18 September

Defending Champion: Lydia Ko (New Zealand)

Evian Resort Golf Club, Evian-les-Bains, France

 

 

DID YOU KNOW? Inbee Park won two Majors in 2015 which means the 27-year old player from South Korea now has a tally of 7 Major titles to her name.  The Evian Championship was added to the women’s golf calendar as a 5th Major in 2013.    These are the dates and venues of the five Major Championships on the women’s professional calendar in 2016. See separate post for the Majors on the men’s professional calendar under: “Blog/Majors”.     Photography by Golfing Inspirations.