10th Anniversary of the Meijer LPGA Classic
Players committed include past champions Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson, Jennifer Kupcho and Leona McGuire
By Tom Lang
Where did the time go?
June 13-16 will be the 10th annual Meijer LPGA Classic near Grand Rapids – a great Father’s Day weekend tradition.
Early commitments not only include World No. 1 Korda, but also World No. 2 Lilia Vu and No. 3 Celine Boutier – in addition to former Meijer champions Leona Maguire (defending), Jennifer Kupcho, Brooke Henderson (twice) and Lexi Thompson.
Fans may or may not recall that when Meijer took a leap of faith to start what has turned into a master class in how to run a professional golf tournament, there was no pro Tour golf in Michigan. The Buick Open had shut down, and the Ford Sr. Players Championship moved on before that.
Since Meijer made that commitment a decade ago, the Great Lakes State has added the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, the LPGA’s Dow Championship, the every-other-year Sr. PGA Championship, two Epson Tour events, and the PGA Champions Tour Ally Challenge. Thank you, Meijer.
The 2016 U.S. Women’s Open champion Brittany Lang was in Grand Rapids in early May at Blythefield Country Club, the host site for the Meijer LPGA Classic – where Lang has played eight times.
“This is just such a special event because you can feel the love and support in this community,” she said. “Golf just seems kind of secondary, which I like as a professional golfer coming here… It’s nice to be part of something bigger than golf because we’re part of helping other people in need, and it’s a special thing if you can do it, and you should in life. Meijer is doing that.
“And look at the field they get here. They don’t pay the girls to show up, they are coming here because of the community … I think the LPGA Tour flourishes here,” Lang added. “The crowds we get here, they’re amazing. We don’t get those at regular tournaments. This is not a major, but the crowds here are extraordinary.”
The tournament will be held June 13-16 at Blythefield Country Club. For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, visit meijerlpgaclassic.com.
$2 Million Goal
Lang’s reference to helping others in need is directly targeted at Meijer’s charitable program called Simply Give – which is a donation opportunity that supplies nearly 400 food pantries across the Midwest with Meijer gift cards they can use to stock the pantries with fresh foods like meat, cheeses, fruits and vegetables.
Meijer kicked off the lofty $2 million tournament proceeds goal by donating $500,000 on May 7 at the Media Day event.
Rick Keyes, Meijer President and CEO, noted that the nine previous golf tournaments have generated more than $10 million for Simply Give, an equivalent of 94 million meals by stocking the shelves of food pantries.
“Feeding people is at the heart of what we do at Meijer and the Simply Give program is the focus of our hunger relief efforts,” Keyes said. “Simply Give began in 2008 and it has generated $85 million thanks to the generosity and support of our Meijer customers, team members and food pantry partners who are committed to help feed hungry families. It’s how we know the Meijer LPGA Classic and it’s longstanding, incredible support is making a difference.”
Cathy Cooper, Executive Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic added: “The Meijer Simply Give program creates a promising outlook for our communities in need, and we are proud to host an event where families can not only create memories but also help stock the shelves of our local food pantries.”
In addition to the tournament’s primary contribution, the tournament champion will also take part in Simply Give’s mission, selecting a hunger relief organization of their choosing to receive $25,000. The last three consecutive champions Maguire, Kupcho, and Korda have all selected West Michigan-based Kids’ Food Basket as their organization for the surprise donation.
Food, Fun, Food and more:
The Meijer LPGA Classic has won numerous awards over the years for having the best food options for the fans, and that’s expanding this year.
J. Brewer’s and Frederik’s, which were introduced at the course in 2022 and 2023 respectively, offer foodie fans a premium all-you-can-eat culinary experience curated by Meijer chefs and local restaurants right along the fourth fairway. The elevated experience is named in honor of Blythefield Country Club’s founder, J. Brewer – and Frederik Meijer, co-founder of the Grand Rapids-based retailer. The Frederik’s menu will change daily and feature products exclusive to the retailer’s premium Frederik’s product line.
The J. Brewer’s and Frederik’s hospitality tickets will offer access to:
Frederik’s by Meijer food experience
All-you-can-eat access to well-crafted food and beverage items, featuring local restaurants and breweries
A terrace for live, front-row views of the on-course action
A vibrant, fun atmosphere with upscale seating areas and televisions playing live updates from the course
The pavilion is open Friday, June 14 through Sunday, June 16. Daily tickets cost $85 each for adults and $10 each for children, ages 5 and under – and includes golf grounds access. It’s the best golf tournament food and all-you-can eat atmosphere I have ever experienced.
Grand Taste Concessions will offer high-quality food for families, with all items costing $4 or less. The menu includes cheeseburgers ($4), hotdogs ($2) and Meijer Purple Cow ice cream ($1) among other items. There will be four locations throughout the course - at the 10th tee, 16th fairway, 18th tee, and 18th green.
Daily grounds access remains as low as $10 a day.
The free, popular open-air kids’ destination, Discovery Land, will be expanded, allowing for additional kid-friendly activities, including art stations provided by ACT (Artists Creating Together) and outdoor lawn games like mini golf, cornhole and fowling. It will feature character visits from Universal Studios and Wimee of Wimee’s Words, a Grand Rapids-based TV show on PBS, as well as card making with American Greetings. Complimentary food and beverage samples will also be provided by various tournament partners, and it will showcase live tournament coverage on digital boards.
The Family Care Areas will continue to offer an air-conditioned tent featuring lactation and diaper changing stations. One air-conditioned tent will be located next to Discovery Land and a second air-conditioned location, offering two additional lactation and changing stations, will be available off the 16th fairway.
“There are so many reasons why I love the Meijer tournament,” Lang added. “I would start with Meijer itself. And Simply Give is such a great charity, that’s close to the community’s heart. Blythefield is an amazingly beautiful golf course. It’s always in great shape. It’s gettable so it’s fun; you can make a lot of birdies.
“The community comes together in a really big way and supports the women (on Tour) whether it’s private housing, or coming out to watch.
“I enjoy Grand Rapids. I like the community and the area. I always enjoy coming back.”
For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, visit meijerlpgaclassic.com.
