Ariya to take part in LPGA Phoenix

The Thai No 1 is one of the 144 players who will tee it up this week, including nine of the top 10 players in the Rolex Rankings (missing No. 3 Shanshan Feng), 96 of the top 100 players and all of the winners from the first four tournaments of the 2017 season. 

Ariya will be eyeing to win her first title of the season after losing to Inbee Park of South Korea by just one stroke in the LPGA Singapore three weeks ago. She has won a haul of five LPGA titles including the British OPen last year.
 
Sei Young Kim returns to the event as the defending champion. At the 2016 Bank of Hope Founders Cup, Kim finished at 27-under par, matching the LPGA’s low 72-hole scoring record in relation to par set by Annika Sorenstam in 2001. Kim also set a new tournament scoring record with the help of a final-round 10-under par, 62 to win by five-strokes over Lydia Ko.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP
1 – American has won the event: Stacy Lewis (2013)
2 – Only Karrie Webb has won multiple Bank of Hope Founders Cup titles (2011, 2014)
4 – Countries have been represented by Founders Cup winners: Republic of Korea (2016, 2015), Australia (2014, 2011),
               U.S. (2013), Chinese Taipei (2012)
7 – This is the seventh year of the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, the first year with Bank of Hope as the title sponsor
62 – Tournament-low score, most recently shot by Sei Young Kim in the final round in 2016
30 – Stacy Lewis has never finished outside of the top-30 at this event, with a win and four top-10 finishes
261 – Tournament record 27-under par 72-hole score set by Sei Young Kim in 2016
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEFENDING CHAMPION SEI YOUNG KIM
Five-time LPGA winner, five-time KLPGA winner, 2015 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year
In 2016, captured two wins and recorded seven additional top-10 finishes, including two runner-ups
Has ranked in the top-10 in driving distance every year since joining the Tour, ranks 2nd thru 4 events in 2017
Tied Karrie Webb as the second fastest player to record a win in her rookie season, winning in her second start
Represented the Republic of Korea in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing T25
Is a third-degree black belt in taekwondo, her father owned a taekwondo academy in Korea
 
WHO’S IN THE FIELD
Past Bank of Hope Founders Cup Winners (5):
Sei Young Kim (2016), Hyo Joo Kim (2015), Karrie Webb (2014, 2011), Stacy Lewis (2013), Yani Tseng (2012)
 
2017 Winners (4):
Brittany Lincicome (Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic), Ha Na Jang (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open), Amy Yang
(Honda LPGA Thailand), Inbee Park (HSBC Women's Champions)
 
2017 Rookies (13):
Karen Chung, Regan De Guzman, Dana Finkelstein, Laura Gonzalez Escallon, Jennifer Ha, Nasa Hataoka, Nelly Korda, Olafia Kristindottir, Sung Hyun Park, Maria Parra, Katherine Perry, Madelene Sagstrom, Angel Yin
 
PHOENIX IS LAP FIVE OF RACE TO CME GLOBE
This week’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup will mark the fifth event in the season-long Race to CME Globe. With her win at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open and top-5 finish at the HSBC Women’s Champions, Ha Na Jang is the early leader in the Race to CME Globe with 674 points.
 
In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:
The Top Five (5) Finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship  - - meaning if they win in Naples, they will also win the $1M CME Globe
The top twelve (12) finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe
Please note that previously, the Top 3 controlled their destiny and Top 9 had a mathematical chance
 
2016 NUMBERS TO KNOW
22.30 - The average age of winners was 22.30
24 - 24-of-33 events won by players 23 years old or younger
16 - 16-of-33 won by players 21-or-younger
18 - 18 different winners from 12 different countries
5 - 5 players finished with a scoring average under 70 for the first time in LPGA history
 
2016 LPGA LEADERS
Below are the list of the players who led the LPGA in six of the key statistical categories during the 2016 season. Jutanugarn and Henderson are each in the field this week at the Ocean Club.
 
Wins - 5 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
Top-10s - 15 (Brooke Henderson)
Money List - $2,550,947 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
Race to CME Globe - 6,800 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
Scoring Average - 69.583 (In Gee Chun)
Rolex Player of the Year - 260 (Ariya Jutanugarn)