This time, we won’t even have to wait 12 months.
The PGA announced in June that the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — one of five majors on the LPGA Tour — has been awarded to Sahalee Country Club. Next year’s event, which will take place June 9-12, 2016, will mark the first time that the tournament — known for decades as the LPGA Championship before being taken over by the PGA of America in 2015 — has been held anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
“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.”
Indeed, Sahalee has twice hosted majors before, including the aforementioned 1998 PGA Championship, won by Vijay Singh, and, more recently, the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, where Bernhard Langer held off hometown favorite Fred Couples for the win.
This time, it’ll be stars like Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Paula Creamer and Karrie Webb — most of whom will be playing in Western Washington for the very first time — taking on Sahalee’s famously narrow fairways and lightning-quick greens, and giving local golf fans their first up-close look at the stars of the women’s game.
In addition, as part of the new arrangement between KPMG, the LPGA, and the PGA of America, Sahalee and the Western Washington region will also host the second-annual KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit, where industry leaders discuss issues related to “the development, advancement and empowerment of women on and off the golf course.”
“I think it’s absolutely great for the region, obviously,” said Sahalee Country Club President Steve Oaks. “For our club, we couldn’t be more thrilled. To have the opportunity to host another major — and further our partnership with the PGA — is something we’re very excited about. The partnership with KPMG and the PGA is, I think, really innovative with what they’re doing with the tournament and combining that with the Women’s Leadership Summit. We’re very excited and eager.”
As the anticipation built towards the U.S. Open this spring, we reflected on the years of excitement that had brought us to this point, and wondered aloud, “What on Earth are we going to do when this is over?” Now, we know. We’re headed to Sahalee.
