The Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill was a women's professional golf tournament, played from 2003 through 2009 on the LPGA Tour. It took place annually in Virginia in May, with the final round traditionally played on Mother's Day since 2004. The LPGA event succeeded the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, an annual PGA Tour event last held in 2002.
Held at the Kingsmill Resort & Spa just outside Williamsburg, it had one of the highest purses on the LPGA Tour, which attracted a very competitive field. It was voted the players' favorite stop on the tour in 2007 and fans' favorite tournament in 2008.[1]
The four round, 72-hole tournament was played on the par-71 River Course at Kingsmill, set at 6306 yards (5766 m). With a purse exceeding $2 million, the winner of this LPGA tournament automatically qualified for the season-ending LPGA Playoffs at The ADT, during the years the Playoffs were held, from 2006 through 2008.
The tournament was sponsored by Michelob ULTRA beer, and its parent company Anheuser-Busch. As of 2007, Anheuser-Busch had donated over $1.3 million to 30 different charities through the event. At the 2009 tournament, there was speculation that Anheuser-Busch would not continue its sponsorship; the late-2000s recession and the company's pending acquisition by InBev were among the factors.[2] The talk led that year's winner, Cristie Kerr, and other players to lobby to keep the tournament.[2]
In September 2009, Anheuser-Busch announced the discontinuation of its sponsorship of the event, and the LPGA Tour lost one of its most prominent stops.[1] The decision came at a difficult time for the LPGA, which lost a number of events during 2008 and 2009.[1][2]
Cristie Kerr was the only multiple winner, with victories in 2005 & 2009. Annika Sörenstam set the event's 72-hole scoring record in 2008 at 265, 19 strokes under par.
Contents |
| Year | Date | Champion | Country | Score | Purse | Winner's Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | May 7-10 | Cristie Kerr (2) | United States | 268 (-16) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2008 | May 8-11 | Annika Sörenstam | Sweden | 265 (-19) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2007 * | May 10-13 | Suzann Pettersen | Norway | 274 (-10) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2006 | May 11-14 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 270 (-14) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2005 | May 5-8 | Cristie Kerr | United States | 276 (-8) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2004 | May 6-9 | Se Ri Pak | South Korea | 275 (-9) | $2,200,000 | $330,000 |
| 2003 | May 1-4 | Grace Park | South Korea | 275 (-9) | $1,600,000 | $240,000 |
* Championship won in sudden-death playoff.
| Year | Player | Score | Round | Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Kim Williams | 63 (-8) | 2nd | Kingsmill Resort & Spa River Course, par 71 |
| 2007 | Sarah Lee | 63 (-8) | 1st | |
| Jee Young Lee | 63 (-8) | 3rd | ||
| 2008 | Mhairi McKay | 63 (-8) | 1st | |
| Shi Hyun Ahn | 63 (-8) | 4th | ||
| 2009 | Song-Hee Kim | 63 (-8) | 2nd | |
| Cristie Kerr * | 63 (-8) | 2nd |
* Tournament winner