Big Get

In North Texas, a ClubCorp club scores an LPGA tournament

BY CLAIRE JURKIEWICZ | PHOTO BY CLAY HAYNER

After a nearly 22-year absence in North Texas, the LPGA Tour gallops back into the region April 25-28 with its new $1.3 million-purse North Texas LPGA Shootout at Las Colinas Country Club near Dallas. A full field of 144 players will tackle 72 holes over four days of competition. For the first time in Tour history, amateur high school and collegiate players will earn spots in the field through qualifying events, enabling them to play alongside the sport’s female phenoms.

Though the Tour visited the Lone Star State for the 2009 LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex in Houston, the Shootout represents the organization’s first North Texas showing since the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open Championship in Fort Worth, won by 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup team captain Meg Mallon.

A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf of Dallas program, which teaches girls ages 7-17 life lessons through golf.