Asahi Ryokuken International Championship facts for kids
The Asahi Ryokuken International Championship was a special golf tournament. It was for professional women golfers. This event was part of the LPGA Tour. It took place from 2001 to 2004. The tournament was held at the Mount Vintage Plantation Golf Club. This club is located in North Augusta, South Carolina.
This golf championship was unique. It was the first big professional golf tournament owned by African Americans. Brothers Larry and John Fridie owned it. They worked with Cappy Harada, who is Japanese-American. They chose the Mount Vintage Golf course as the tournament's home. They teamed up with Bettis Rainsford, the owner of the golf course. The first tournament happened shortly after September 11, 2001. A company from Japan, Asahi Ryokuken, sponsored the event. They provided a large prize for the winner. ESPN showed the tournament on TV. The last tournament was in October 2004. Tina Fischer from Germany was the very first winner.
Tournament Champions
This table shows the amazing golfers who won the Asahi Ryokuken International Championship.
| Year | Champion | Country | Score | Prize Money | Winner's Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Liselotte Neumann |  Sweden |
273 (-15) | $1,000,000 | $150,000 |
| 2003 | Rosie Jones |  United States |
273 (-15) | $1,300,000 | $195,000 |
| 2002 | Janice Moodie |  Scotland |
273 (-15) | $1,250,000 | $187,500 |
| 2001 | Tina Fischer |  Germany |
206 (-10) | $1,200,000 | $180,000 |
The 2001 tournament was shorter than usual. It was only 54 holes. This happened because of heavy rain.
Tournament Records
This section highlights a special record set during the tournament.
| Year | Player | Score | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Kim Williams | 65 (-7) | 3rd round |
