LPGA State Farm Classic facts for kids
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Springfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Established | 1976 |
| Course(s) | Panther Creek Country Club (2007-2011) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,746 yards (6,169 m) |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play - 72 holes |
| Prize fund | $1,700,000 |
| Final year | 2011 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 264 Cristie Kerr (2004) |
| To par | –24 Cristie Kerr (2004) |
| Final champion | |
 Yani Tseng |
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The LPGA State Farm Classic was a professional golf tournament for women. It was part of the LPGA Tour, which is like the major league for women's golf. This exciting event happened every year from 1976 to 2011. It was always played in the area around Springfield, Illinois, in the United States.
For many years, from 1976 to 2006, the tournament took place at The Rail Golf Course. Then, in 2007, it moved to a new home at Panther Creek Country Club.
Contents
About the Tournament
Its History
When the tournament first started in 1976, it was called the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Golf Classic. For the first two years, the owners of The Rail Golf Course paid for the entire event themselves.
In 1978, a local group of people who wanted to help the community took over running the tournament. They were a "not-for-profit" organization, meaning they didn't try to make money for themselves. Instead, they used the tournament to raise money for good causes.
In 1993, State Farm Insurance became the main sponsor, which means they provided a lot of money to help put on the event. From 1980 until it ended in 2011, the tournament helped raise over $2.5 million. This money went to medical research and charities that help children.
Why It Ended
On December 9, 2011, it was announced that the tournament would no longer happen. Earlier that year, State Farm had said they would stop being the main sponsor after 2011. The people who organized the tournament tried to find a new sponsor, but they couldn't. Because they couldn't find new funding, the tournament had to be canceled.
Different Names Over Time
The tournament had a few different names during its history:
- 1976: Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Classic
- 1977: Rail Muscular Dystrophy Classic
- 1978–1992: Rail Charity (Golf) Classic
- 1993–2000: State Farm Rail Classic
- 2001–2006: State Farm Classic
- 2007–2011: LPGA State Farm Classic
Past Champions
Many amazing golfers won the LPGA State Farm Classic over the years. Here are some of the champions:
| Year | Champion | Country | Score | Tournament Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Yani Tseng |  Taiwan |
267 (−21) | Panther Creek Country Club |
| 2010 | Cristie Kerr (2) |  United States |
266 (−22) | Panther Creek Country Club |
| 2009 | In-Kyung Kim |  South Korea |
271 (−17) | Panther Creek Country Club |
| 2008 | Ji Young Oh | South Korea |
270 (−18)* | Panther Creek Country Club |
| 2007 | Sherri Steinhauer | United States |
271 (−17) | Panther Creek Country Club |
| 2006 | Annika Sörenstam |  Sweden |
269 (−19) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2005 | Pat Hurst | United States |
271 (−17) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2004 | Cristie Kerr | United States |
264 (−24) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2003 | Candie Kung | Taiwan |
202 (−14) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2002 | Patricia Meunier-Lebouc |  France |
270 (−18) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2001 | Kate Golden | United States |
267 (−21) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1992 | Nancy Lopez (2) | United States |
199 (−17)* | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1991 | Pat Bradley (2) | United States |
197 (−19) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1988 | Betsy King (3) | United States |
207 (−9) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1986 | Betsy King | United States |
205 (−11)* | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1985 | Betsy King | United States |
205 (−11) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1980 | Nancy Lopez | United States |
275 (−13) | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1976 | Sandra Palmer | United States |
213 (−3)* | The Rail Golf Course |
* This means the championship was won in a sudden-death playoff. A sudden-death playoff happens when players are tied after the regular rounds, and they keep playing until one player scores better than the others on a hole.
The tournament length changed over the years:
- In 1976 and from 1981–2000, it was a 54-hole tournament (three rounds).
- From 1977–1980 and 2001–2011, it was a 72-hole tournament (four rounds). However, in 2003, it was shortened to 54 holes because of rain.
Amazing Scores
Golfers at the LPGA State Farm Classic set some impressive records for the lowest scores in a single round:
| Year | Player | Score | Round | Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Laura Davies | 62 (−10) | 1st | The Rail Golf Course |
| 1997 | Kathryn Marshall | 62 (−10) | 2nd | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2004 | Christina Kim | 62 (−10) | 1st | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2006 | Annika Sörenstam | 62 (−10) | 4th | The Rail Golf Course |
| 2008 | Hee-Won Han | 61 (−11) | 3rd | Panther Creek Country Club |
