At long last, a mixed-team event will return to the LPGA and PGA Tour schedules, with the QBE Shootout adopting the format beginning in 2023, the Associated Press has reported. The AP ‘s Doug Ferguson notes that players were informed of the change at a meeting last week in the Bahamas during the Hero World Challenge.
John Daly and Laura Davies won the final staging of the JCPenney Classic at Innisbrook in 1999, the most recent mixed-team event that was sponsored by the LPGA and PGA Tour. Brittany Lincicome remembers it well. She grew up not far from Palm Harbor, Florida, and worked as a standard-bearer at the event from ages 12 to 16.
This year, both Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson are participating in the QBE at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, site of the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. The purse this week is $3.8 million, with each team splitting the $950,000 winner’s check. There are 24 players in the field.
This marks the first year two LPGA players are in the field. Korda will make her first appearance at the event and will be paired with Denny McCarthy. Thompson will team up with Maverick McNealy.
MORE: Everything you need to know for the 2022 QBE Shootout
Laura Davies (right) and John Daly (left) in action during the JCPenney Classic at Westin Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida in 1998. (Photo: Vincent Laforet /Allsport)
The history of the mixed-team event dates back to 1960 with the Haig & Haig Scotch Foursome. The great Mickey Wright won it with Dave Ragan in both ’61 and ’63. Notable winners of the JCPenney include Curtis Strange/Nancy Lopez (1980), Tom Kite/Beth Daniel (1981) and Fred Couples/Jan Stephenson (1983). Daniel also won it twice with Davis Love III (1990 and 1995).
Kelli Kuehne made a memorable pro debut at the 1996 version at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course when she paired with Tiger Woods (in matching red and black Nike outfits).
A $425,000 winner’s check is strong money for the women’s game, with so many LPGA purses falling below $2 million. It will be interesting to see if more A-list PGA Tour players sign on to team up with the women at the unofficial event. As it currently stands, Max Homa, No. 16, is the highest-ranked player in the field this year.
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