The Hanwha LifePlus International Crown is a biennial women's professional team golf tournament on the LPGA Tour. Eight national teams of four players each (32 players in total) participate in the match play event.[1] Beginning in 2025, the field will consist of seven national teams of four players each, and one team of players representing other countries not qualified (one player each from the Americas, Europe/Middle East, Asia, and Africa/Oceania regional).[2]
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Varies 2023 – San Francisco, California |
| Established | 2014 |
| Course(s) | TPC Harding Park – (2023) |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Match play, team event 32 players (4 each on 8 teams) |
| Prize fund | $2.0 million |
| Month played | May |
| Current champion | |
 Thailand | |
History
editIt debuted in 2014 at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, a suburb northwest of Baltimore.[3] With selection based on the world rankings of individuals, the eight nations were announced the previous November: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Teams were divided into two pools and played round robin fourball for three days. The top five teams (20 players) advanced to the ten singles matches on Sunday, with each nation facing the other four. Spain won all four singles matches to win the title with a total of fifteen points; Sweden split its matches to finish in second with eleven points.
The second edition in 2016 took place at the Merit Club in Gurnee, Illinois, north of Chicago.[4] The top two finishers from 2014, champion Spain and runner-up Sweden, did not qualify for 2016 and were replaced by China and England. The United States won the 2016 International Crown with 13 points, winning three out of four singles matches on Sunday with South Korea finishing second with 12 points.
The third, 2018, edition was played 4–7 Oct at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, South Korea.[5] The eight countries participating were South Korea, United States, Japan, England, Australia, Thailand, Sweden, and Chinese Taipei.[6] This field was the same as 2016, with the exception of Sweden replacing China. The team members were finalized on 2 July 2018.[7]
The 2020 event, scheduled for 27–30 August at the Centurion Club in St Albans, England, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
In October 2022, the LPGA announced the return of the event for the 2023 season with a new name and title sponsor, the Hanwha LifePlus International Crown. It will be held at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California from 4–7 May 2023.[9]
On January 16, 2025, the LPGA announced for the 2025 edition that a World team will be featured, marking the inclusion of players who would not otherwise qualify for the competition via country selection. The World team will include the top-ranked player from each of the following four regions, not from a country already qualified: Americas (North America and South America); Europe; Asia; and Africa and Oceania. The World Team will compete alongside teams representing seven countries. The 2025 edition will be held October 23–26 at New Korea Country Club in Goyang, South Korea.[10]
Sponsorship and future sites
editUL, an American safety organization historically known as Underwriters Laboratories, was announced as the title sponsor for 2016 and 2018.[11]
Hanwha Group, a large South Korean business conglomerate, was announced as the title sponsor for the 2023 event.[9]
Winners
edit| Year | Dates | Champion | Points | Runner-up | Points | Venue | Host country | Purse ($) | Winner's share ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4–7 May | Thailand |
11 (11–1–0) |  Australia |
6.5 (6–5–1) | TPC Harding Park | United States | 2,000,000 | 500,000 (team) |
| 2020 | 27–30 Aug | Canceled[8] | Centurion Club | England | 1,600,000 | 400,000 (team) | |||
| 2018 | 4–7 Oct |  South Korea |
15 (7–2–1) |  United States England |
11 (5–4–1) 11 (5–4–1) |
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea | South Korea | 1,600,000 | 400,000 (team) |
| 2016 | 21–24 Jul | United States |
13 (6–3–1) | South Korea |
12 (6–4–0) | Merit Club | United States | 1,600,000 | 400,000 (team) |
| 2014 | 24–27 Jul |  Spain |
15 (7–2–1) |  Sweden |
11 (5–4–1) | Caves Valley Golf Club | United States | 1,600,000 | 400,000 (team)[12] |
Results table
edit| Country | Times played |
Best finish |
Players | 2014 | 2016 | 2018 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia |
4 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
 China |
2 | T5 | 7 | – | 6 | – | T5 |
 Chinese Taipei |
3 | T3 | 6 | 7 | T3 | 8 | – |
| England |
3 | T2 | 8 | – | T3 | T2 | 7 |
 Japan |
4 | T3 | 14 | T3 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| South Korea |
4 | 1 | 11 | T3 | 2 | 1 | T5 |
| Spain |
1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Sweden |
3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | – | 5 | 4 |
| Thailand |
4 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| United States |
4 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 1 | T2 | 3 |
References
edit- ^ 2014 LPGA International Crown Participant Countries
- ^ "2025 Hanwha LifePlus International Crown to Feature Seven Country Teams, One World Team". LPGA. 26 January 2025.
- ^ The LPGA International Crown Page
- ^ "Chicago's Merit Club to Host 2016 UL International Crown". LPGA. 24 November 2015.
- ^ "2018 UL International Crown Set for South Korea". The New York Times. Associated Press. 20 July 2016.
- ^ "Republic of Korea and United States Lead Eight Qualifying Teams for the 2018 UL International Crown". LPGA. 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Hosts Republic of Korea and Reigning Champions Team USA are Seeded as Top Two Countries for the 2018 UL International Crown". LPGA. 2 July 2018.
- ^ a b "LPGA Targets Date to Restart 2020 Season". LPGA. 29 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Hanwha LifePlus International Crown Returns to LPGA Tour Schedule in 2023". LPGA. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ "2025 Hanwha LifePlus International Crown to Feature Seven Country Teams, One World Team". LPGA. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "UL Named Title Sponsor For 2016 and 2018 UL International Crown; 2018 Event to be Held in the Republic of Korea". LPGA. 20 October 2014.
- ^ 2014 International Crown News Page