LPGA unveils 2016 schedule, with 33 events and $63 million in purses

 

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – Purses on the LPGA Tour will rise by $4 million in 2016, and officials are aiming for a second event in China.

 

The tour released next year's schedule on Friday, with 18 of the 33 official events held in the United States. Prize money will rise from $59.1 million to $63.1 million, a tournament has been added in Michigan and the LPGA will take a three-week break to accommodate the return of golf to the Olympics in August.

 

"Stability with growth," LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said. "We've had some dramatic things we needed to address in the last six years ... and the numbers, I think, kind of speak for themselves."

 

In 2011, the LPGA had 23 official events and $40.5 million in purse money with 220 hours of television coverage. The TV hours will increase again to about 410 next year. The LPGA also announced Friday a partnership with the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin for a tournament that will start in 2017 and offer a $2 million purse.

 

"It's an exciting time," Whan said.

 

The 2016 schedule starts with five tournaments in five different countries, matching the layout of the past two years. The season begins in the Bahamas in late January, and the first event in the United States is the Coates Golf Championship at Ocala, Florida. It ends Saturday, Feb. 6, and won't conflict with Super Bowl 50 the next day in Santa Clara, California.

 

The five majors are the ANA Inspiration ending April 3, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship ending June 12, the U.S. Women's Open ending July 10, the Women's British Open ending July 31, and The Evian Championship ending Sept. 18. The Olympic field will be set the day after the Women's Open, meaning a chance exists that the British Open champion might not be Rio-bound.

 

"The Olympics is making 2016 a little more crowded than a typical LPGA schedule in the middle of the summer," Whan said. "But it's a great problem to have when you have to get condensed because you're about to play in the Olympics for the first time in 100 years."

 

China was expected to host two events in 2015, though one was canceled about two weeks before the start. The LPGA plans to return for an event that ends Oct. 2. Whan said he's confident the second tournament – which is still listed as TBD on the schedule – will come together as planned.

 

Other nations on the 2016 schedule: Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Mexico.

 

Next season ends again at the CME Group Tour Championship on Nov. 20 in Naples, Florida.

 

Here is the schedule:

 

Jan. 29-31

LPGA Tour: Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic

Paradise Island, Bahamas

 

Feb. 4-6

LPGA Tour: Coates Golf Championship

Ocala, Fla.

Saturday finish

 

Feb. 18-21

LPGA Tour: ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open

Adelaide, Australia

 

Feb. 26-28

LPGA Tour: Honda LPGA Thailand

Chomburi, Thailand

 

Mar. 3-6 

LPGA Tour: HSBC Women’s Champions 

Singapore

 

Mar. 18-20

LPGA Tour: JTBC Founders Cup

Phoenix, Ariz.

 

Mar. 25-27

LPGA Tour: Kia Classic 

Carlsbad, Calif.

 

Mar. 31-Apr. 3 

LPGA Tour: ANA Inspiration 

Rancho Mirage, Calif.

 

Apr. 14-16 

LPGA Tour: Lotte Championship

Oahu, Hawaii

Saturday finish

 

Apr. 21-24

LPGA Tour: Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic

San Francisco, Calif.

 

Apr. 29-May 1

LPGA Tour: Volunteers of America Texas Shootout

Irving, Texas

 

May 6-8 

LPGA Tour: Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic 

Prattville, Ala.

 

May 20-22 

LPGA Tour: Kingsmill Championship

Williamsburg, Va.

 

May 27-29

LPGA Tour: Volvik Championship

Ann Arbor, Mich.

 

June 3-5

LPGA Tour: ShopRite LPGA Classic

Galloway, N.J.

 

June 9-12 

LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 

Sammamish, Wash.

 

June 17-19 

LPGA Tour: Meijer Classic

Belmont, Mich.

 

June 24-26

LPGA Tour: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship

Rogers, Ark.

 

June 30-July 3

LPGA Tour: Cambia Portland Classic 

Portland, Ore.

 

July 7-10

LPGA Tour: U.S. Women’s Open

CordeValle, Calif.

 

July 15-17 

LPGA Tour: Marathon Classic 

Sylvania, Ohio

 

July 21-24 

LPGA Tour: International Crown 

Chicago, Ill.

 

July 28-31

LPGA Tour: Ricoh Women’s British Open

Milton Keynes, England

 

Aug. 18-21 

Olympics Women 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

 

Aug. 26-28 

LPGA Tour: Canadian Pacific Women’s Open 

Calgary, Alberta

 

Sept. 2-4 

LPGA Tour: Manulife LPGA Classic 

Cambridge, Ontario

 

Sept. 15-18

LPGA Tour: Evian Championship 

Evian Les Bains, France

 

Oct. 7-9 

LPGA Tour: Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Oct. 14-16

LPGA Tour: KEB-Hana Bank Championship

Incheon, Korea

 

Oct. 21-23 

LPGA Tour: Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship 

Taipei, Taiwan

 

Oct. 28-30 

LPGA Tour: Blue Bay LPGA 

Hainan Island, China

 

Nov. 4-6

LPGA Tour: Toto Japan Classic

Japan

 

Nov. 11-13 

LPGA Tour: Lorena Ochoa Invitational 

Mexico City, Mexico

 

Nov. 17-20 

LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship 

Naples, Fla.

 

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