Karrie Webb honoured with new WPGA event
One of Australia’s greatest ever golfers is getting the recognition she deserves following the unveiling of the Karrie Webb Cup.
24 players will compete for the all-new silverware at the inaugural WPGA Championship, which is set to be staged at Royal Queensland Golf Club in the same week as the Australian PGA Championship from January 13-16, 2022.
Karrie Webb (Credit: PGA Australia)
“I’m honoured that my name can feature on the Australian WPGA Championship trophy but I am even more excited by Australia’s leading female players having another marquee event to play in,” said Webb, who won 13 times on the ALPG Tour.
“Playing in the Women’s Australian Open and the Australian Ladies Masters was critical to my development as a tournament professional so I know what having another 72-hole Championship event will mean to the future of women’s professional golf in Australia.”
Hannah Green, a winner of the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship in the US, jumped at the chance to headline the new event.
“I was fortunate to have Karrie there with me to help celebrate when I won the Women’s PGA in 2019 and to now have the opportunity to win the Karrie Webb Cup gives me extra motivation.”
“Her wins provided inspiration to countless young girls such as myself to get into golf so now it’s our turn to continue on that legacy. It’s wonderful to see a new tournament for the girls to play in and winning the trophy in honour of Karrie Webb is definitely a new goal I want to achieve at least once in my career.”
On the men’s front, Min Woo Lee and Geoff Ogilvy, have been named in the field for the Australian PGA event, which is returning to Royal Queensland for the first time in 20 years.
Lee is enjoying a breakthrough year on the European Tour where he won the Scottish Open in July and the co-sanctioned Vic Open in February. The Western Australian lies is 6th place on the Race To Dubai with just two tournaments left to play this season.
In another sign of the increasing parity between the men’s and women’s games, the first prize money on offer will be $180,000 for both winners of the WPGA and PGA tournaments.
“Any time you can add a new event to your schedule it is something to celebrate,” said WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn.
“Karrie’s playing record as Australia’s greatest ever golfer is of course unparalleled and…I have absolutely no doubt that every Aussie girl who picks up a golf club will want to one day win the Karrie Webb Cup.”
