SEOUL, Republic of Korea, October 20, 2014 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced today that UL (Underwriters Laboratories) will serve as the title sponsor for the UL International Crown in 2016 and 2018. Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., will host the 2016 competition from July 18-24, while the 2018 event will be held in the Republic of Korea.
“We are thrilled to announce UL as the title sponsor for the 2016 and 2018 UL International Crown,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “When we came up with the idea for the International Crown our goal was to launch a truly global event for women’s golf which we did earlier this year at Caves Valley Golf Club. We were looking for a partner to help grow it globally and I can think of no better partner than UL, whose business aligns perfectly with the LPGA.”
UL served as an Ambassador Sponsor for the inaugural International Crown, which took place earlier this year in Owings Mills, Maryland, at Caves Valley Golf Club. Team Spain was crowned the event’s first champion as they bested representatives from seven of the other top golf nations. The tight competition came down to the last day with Team Spain, comprised of LPGA players Beatriz Recari, Azahara Munoz, Belen Mozo and Carlota Ciganda, sweeping their singles matches to win by four points over Team Sweden as they were crowned the best golfing nation in the world.
“We at UL are very proud to extend our involvement with this one-of-a-kind international tournament in women’s golf,” said UL CEO Keith Williams. “UL is a safety science company protecting people, products and places for more than a century. UL’s long-established history of championing innovation and the LPGA’s rooted history in advancing leadership and competition makes us unique partners of global excellence.”
2018 will mark the first time this biennial event will leave United States soil with The Republic of Korea serving as the host nation. The location and dates for the 2018 UL International Crown will be announced at a later date.
“The Republic of Korea has clearly demonstrated their support for the LPGA by hosting 18 different tournaments over the years with tremendous fan support.” Whan said. “It made perfect sense that the first time we take the International Crown outside of the United States was to a country with so many dedicated fans and supporters of women’s golf.”
“It was a great honor to represent Korea this year in Baltimore and our team received an overwhelming amount of support and attention back home during the event,” said Rolex Rankings No. 2 Inbee Park. “I look forward to playing in front of our fans in 2018 and know our nation will help elevate the event on an international scale.”
In addition to UL becoming title sponsor of the event, Rolex and Calamos Investments have already been announced as Ambassador Partners of the biennial team match play event.
Chinese Translation: UL公司成为2016和2018LPGA国际皇冠赛冠名赞助
Japanese Translation: 2016年と2018年のインターナショナルクラウンのスポンサーにUL社（Underwriters Laboratories社）が決定した。
Korean Translation: 2018년 인터내셔널 크라운 한국 개최
Spanish Translation: UL NOMBRADO TÍTULO PATROCINADOR PARA 2016 Y 2018 UL INTERNATIONAL CORONA; 2018 EVENTO QUE SE CELEBRARÁ EN LA REPÚBLICA DE COREA
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The International Crown is the first-of-its-kind biennial, team match play competition featuring the best female golfers from the top eight countries across the globe, based on the combined Rolex World Ranking of the top four players from each country. The countries that qualified to compete in 2014 include Australia, Chinese Taipei, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United States and Thailand. Spain was crowned the event’s first champion as the team of Beatriz Recari, Azahara Munoz, Belen Mozo and Carlota Ciganda bested seven of the other top golf nations in the world en route to the title.
ABOUT UL
UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for 120 years. Its more than 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit www.UL.com.
ABOUT RICH HARVEST FARMS
Consistently ranked in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses (#58, 2011/2012), Rich Harvest Farms is an ultra-private, members-only club nestled in Sugar Grove, Illinois. Owned and co-built by Jerry Rich, the course consists of 18 perfectly manicured holes and is a 1,820-acre showcase of nature and agriculture. The Club has hosted the 2009 Solheim Cup and the 2007 & 2014 NCAA Men’s Division I Central Regional. In 2015, it will host both the Palmer Cup and the Western Amateur Championship.
ABOUT THE LPGA (LADIES PROFESSIONAL GOLF ASSOCIATION)
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950, the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 different countries. With a Vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while dedicated LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management. The Epson Tour consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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