The J Golf Phoenix LPGA International, in full the J Golf Phoenix LPGA International Presented by Mirassou Winery, was an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. Founded in 1980, it took place every year in the Phoenix, Arizona area through 2009, making it one of the longest lasting tournaments on the LPGA Tour before its demise after the 2009 season.
Tournament Golf Foundation managed the tournament since its start and continues to manage the Safeway Classic tournament on the LPGA Tour. Proceeds from the event were donated to local medical charities. Over $12 million was raised during the course of the tournament
The tournament had a variety of sponsors during its history, including Safeway Inc., a California-based supermarket chain.
It was at this tournament that Annika Sörenstam shot a round of 59 in 2001, which stands as the record for the lowest scoring round ever shot for 18 holes in an LPGA Tour event.
Tournament names through the years:
- 1980-1981: Sun City Classic
- 1982: American Express Sun City Classic
- 1983-1985: Samaritan Turquoise Classic
- 1986: Standard Register/Samaritan Turquoise Classic
- 1987-1990: Standard Register Turquoise Classic
- 1991-2001: Standard Register PING
- 2002: PING Banner Health
- 2003 Safeway PING Presented by Yoplait
- 2004-2008: Safeway International
- 2009: J Golf Phoenix LPGA International Presented by Mirassou Winery
Read more about J Golf Phoenix LPGA International: Winners, Course Records
Famous quotes containing the words golf and/or phoenix:
“emerald as heavy
as a golf course, ruby as dark
as an afterbirth,
diamond as white as sun
on the sea ...”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“A victorious tomcat is like a tiger; a plucked phoenix is not worth a chicken.”
—Chinese proverb.