Winning A Round
Minjee Lee picked up her ninth career victory on the LPGA Tour with a playoff victory over Charley Hull at the 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on Sunday, September 10 at Cincinnati’s Kenwood Country Club. Lee won with a birdie on the second playoff hole to earn her first tournament victory this year.
Lee put herself in contention on Saturday with a 7-under 65 that included three straight birdies to make up a six-shot deficit and hold a two-shot lead at the end of the third round. Hull, who started Sunday two shots back, was as many as five shots behind through 13 holes before three straight birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th to tie Lee. Both players had pars on the final two holes to finish in a tie at -16. Both parred the 18th on the first playoff hole, then, playing 18 again, Lee drained a three-footer for the birdie and the win.
This is the fourth time this season Hull has finished in second place, the most recent at the AIG Women’s Open last month. Third was Ruoning Yin with a 14 under par 274. With her win, Lee earns $300,000; she has earned $1,189,936 this season and $13,403,104 in her career.
“I started really well on the front nine,” said Lee. “I was pretty solid all week and the playoff was a lot of fun playing with Charley. I had a great time playing the course, for tournament play it was set up really well and I had a lot of fun playing it. The fans were really great, with the good weather I think everyone came out and enjoyed the walk.”
According to tournament officials, more than 50,000 fans attended the tournament from September 4-10 with an economic impact of $14 million to the area. The tournament was broadcast globally on GOLF Channel with more than three billion media impressions from coverage earned over the four days.
“We are so thrilled with how the community has embraced the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G in its second year,” said Emily Norell, tournament director. “We could not put on this world-class event without the support of our corporate partners, our fans and our volunteers. We also want to congratulate Minjee Lee on her championship, and thank the staff at Kenwood Country Club for their hospitality.”
It was also the second year of the Game Changers program established in conjunction the LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G to uplift women in sports, business and education through innovative programming and professional networking opportunities.
“In just the second year of the Game Changers program, we are honored to have supported over 150 women in pursuit of their academic and professional aspirations, including awarding over $70,000 to students since the scholarship program began,” said Kate Meyer, Kroger Health & Beauty Care Vice President. “Together with P&G, we are so proud to welcome more participants into the into the leadership program and empower even more scholars to pursue their dreams.”
Game Changers includes the world-class leadership program, the Queen City Game Changers, to accelerate female advancement into executive leadership roles. It also features the Game Changers Scholarship program to support a diverse group of women seeking advanced degrees in business and liberal arts.
In year one, the Queen City Game Changers leadership program graduated more than130 women from corporate and entrepreneurial backgrounds, with 20% of corporate participants earning promotions and numerous entrepreneurs growing their businesses while gaining access to corporate collaborations.
The 2023 Game Changers scholarship program presented by The Kroger Foundation and Always® Brand this year awarded 23 female students from each Kroger division with a $2,000 scholarship. All honorees were recognized at ceremonies held during the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.
“We couldn’t be prouder to showcase how the Queen City is a great place to work, live, raise a family, and enjoy world-class events like the Kroger Queen City Championship Presented by P&G,” said Pat Cady, P&G Sales Senior Vice President. “In year two, it’s incredible to see how the impact of the Game Changers program has grown to empower women not only here in Cincinnati, but also across the country.”
Cincinnati Corporate Community Capitalizes on Sponsorships
Alongside Kroger and P&G, five Founding Partners continued their support of the Queen City Game Changers Women’s Leadership Program, including Cintas, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, TriHealth, Great American Insurance Group and GE Aviation. Additional corporate sponsors who supported the LPGA in Cincinnati included: Lexus, Performance Automotive, Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Chosen Foods, Visit Cincy, Truepoint Wealth Counsel, Constellation Wealth Management, Fortinet, Danone, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Próspero Tequila and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Kroger and P&G this year added a number of new and enhanced fan activation stations and player/caddie amenities, which included:
Pampers Family Center returned with its parents room, changing stations, and an area where parents could take a break from the day with their kids and enjoy fun activities. This year, additional changing stations were added throughout the tournament grounds.
Dawn, Swiffer, and Febreze activated their “Close the Chore Gap” campaign by taking over the on-site Volunteer HQ, with branding in any areas where Volunteers were present, including the Marshal Quiet Paddles and the Standard Header.
Tide was featured on the full back of the Caddie Bibs. Throughout the tournament grounds fabric care brands were visible, including Gain, Downy, and Unstoppables.
Secret Deodorant sponsored the Driving Range and was represented on all the Tee Markers. This year, the Secret Driving Range added DJ Etrayn and a beverage stand from Wednesday-Sunday. An LPGA Selfie Station also was available for fans and families to take pictures and capture memories from the tournament.
Gillette Venus and Head & Shoulders sponsored “Patriot’s Pavilion” – an area celebrating current & prior military members, situated on the 14th Green.
Bounty was the official concessions partner of the tournament, sponsoring the “Bounty Meal Deal” to help keep food affordable and mess-free for the entire family.
Pantene, Herbal Essences, and Mielle had a special Braid Bar and Selfie Station at the Fan Zone with product giveaways and fun activities for the whole family.
The Kroger “Our Brands” distributed samples from Kroger Simple Truth and Private Selection brands from Thursday thru Sunday.
Kroger Kroji Mascots were present on select days to engage with fans through photo ops and unique one-on-one experiences. Kroger held a longest putt experience for all fans where they could test their skills and win exclusive prizes. Kroger also set up a “Re-Fresh Zone” at this year’s tournament where fans could get a break from the heat and relax.