The Ladies Professional Golf Association, or LPGA, is coming to Los Angeles again for the DIO Implant LA Open from April 18 to April 24, 2022.
The DIO Implant LA Open made its debut in 2018 and marked the LPGA Tour’s first return to Los Angeles in more than a decade. The event is played at Wilshire Country Club, a historic golf course in Hancock Park that opened in 1919 and also notably has hosted events not only for the LPGA Tour but also the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions along with the PGA Championship.
The pedigree is certainly there, and it’s also colored by notable winners such as Canada’s Brooke Henderson in 2021, Australia’s Minjee Lee in 2019, and Thailand’s Moriya Jutanagarn in 2018.
“Super excited to get back to the LA Open,” Henderson said in a recent press conference, later mentioning that “I’m excited to get back to a place with so many special memories and hopefully I can play well again this year and repeat what I did last year.”
The DIO Implant Open will also welcome spectators for the first time since 2019; tickets are on sale at www.la-open.com with a variety of ticket packages available starting at $25 for a one-day grounds pass.
The event will feature a field of 144 of the world’s best professional women’s golfers for a $1.5 million purse. “Seven of the top-10 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are currently committed to the championship, including World No. 2 Nelly Korda, 2019 champion Minjee Lee (4), Danielle Kang (5), Inbee Park (6), Sei Young Kim (7), Nasa Hataoka (8) and defending champion Brooke Henderson (9),” the LPGA tour says. Also joining that field are World Number 1 Jin Young Ko, U.S. Solheim Cup participant Megan Khang, and AIG Women’s Open champion Hinako Shibuno.
The event is sponsored by DIO Implant, a Korean-based premier Dental Implant manufacturer with global business in over 70 countries.
“We are excited to welcome DIO Implant to the LPGA Tour and its family of title sponsors for the 2022 LPGA Tour season,” said Ricki Lasky, Chief Tour Business and Operations Officer for the LPGA. “Our week at Wilshire Country Club is always a special experience and we are appreciative of the DIO Implant team for their support.”
The DIO Implant LA Open actually kicks off a Southern California swing for the LPGA, with the following week’s tournament being held at Palos Verdes Golf Course in nearby Palos Verdes, California.
“I think the players are all really excited about it,” Morgan Pressel, who will play in both events, said. “And I know the fans, like everybody has mentioned, are excited to come out and see their favorite players and support the LPGA.”
