Month: September 2025

By Amy Rogers

Tuesday afternoon, Alison Lee hopped out of a golf cart and stepped on to the driving range at TPC River’s Bend to begin preparing for her afternoon tee time at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. It’s the first tournament that Lee will compete in on the LPGA Tour since October. “Weird,” was the word the 11th year member used to describe her return. It all felt so familiar, and yet so strange, too. 

Within minutes of arriving at the practice facility Lee was hugged by defending champion Lydia Ko, who asked about when she’ll get to see the new mother’s four-month old son, Levi. Lee underwent an emergency C-section in April to deliver her first child. Lee thanked the Hall of Famer for the baby clothes she sent and they promised to catch up more later. 

“I feel like I still have so much to prove and I want to give golf one last push,” Lee said about her return to competitive golf. “Ten years from now when I look back at 30-year old me, I can say I did everything I could. I have absolutely no regret. I accomplished everything I wanted to and I did the best I could.” 

Lee made a return to competition last week on the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Houston Championship where she was tied for 53rd in the 54-hole event. The back-to-back weeks on the road are a learning opportunity and adjustment period for Lee to figure out how to make sense of life on the road with a child in tow. She says she learned last week that something as simple as trying to put her suitcase in the overhead bin on the airplane was a challenge when she has a four-month old she can’t simply put down because he can’t sit on his own yet.  

Inside the ropes, Lee was overall optimistic about her game. And while she saw areas in need of improvement, like trying to get back her feel with a wedge, which she believes will simply come back with time, she was happy to see the work pay off that she put in regaining her strength and improving her ball speed. Lee says her ball speed was 150 mph before her pregnancy and had dropped to 135 mph post-delivery, but she was happy to get her speed back up to 146 mph ahead of her competitive return. Lee also put a broomstick putter in her bag for the first time last week after struggling with her putting last season. 

“My goal last week was just to make the cut and that’s how it is this week, too,” Lee said about what she’s hoping to achieve. “Even though I made the cut last week I didn’t have a great Sunday, but I accomplished my goal. Obviously, I want to do better and this will be the ultimate test this week and next.” 

Lee plans to compete next week at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii before enjoying an extended off-season. She intends to return to full-time competition in April or May, around Levi’s first birthday. At that time, Lee says she will give herself a year to try and achieve her long-awaited dream of becoming a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour. If Lee doesn’t win, or she doesn’t feel like she’s able to contend week to week to a level in which she would be proud, she will walk away from professional golf. 

“The last thing I want to do is come out here and not make cuts or not see my name high on the leaderboard, it’s just not worth it,” Lee said about the sacrifices she’s making. “I’m spending so much time and energy into this game to try and be the best player I can and if I’m spending that time away from my son and away from my family just to be an average professional golfer, that’s not worth it to me.” 

The decision to walk away wouldn’t just be an emotional one, but a financial one, too. This week at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, Lee has her mother traveling with her to help care for Levi. That’s an added expense. Lee can no longer share a room with another player. That’s an additional expense. She also has to rent a larger rental car to accommodate all of Levi’s items as well as her mother’s. That’s an extra cost, too. Without a steady string of top-finishes on the LPGA Tour in the year ahead, Lee isn’t sure life on Tour would be sustainable. 

Lee’s speedy return is rare on the LPGA Tour, as many new moms in recent years have taken advantage of the Tour’s extended maternity leave, in which players can take up to two years away from competition and retain their playing status upon their return. So, why come back so soon?  

Lee feels like she’s in a race against father time. The 30-year-old, who has competed for more than a decade on the LPGA Tour without a win, feels like she’s running out of time to do so with the growing number of increasingly younger players contending week in and week out. That, combined with Lee feeling torn between putting in the time she needs to practice while also trying to take care of her son, has her feeling rushed to get back out on Tour. 

“I have mom guilt for leaving him and telling myself that I should be spending more time with him,” Lee said about balancing her career with also becoming a mother. “That’s why it’s hard for moms to come back and perform well because you just can’t have something else in your life that’s so important and you can’t spend the hours grinding the number of hours you know the other girls are putting in.” 

 Becoming a mother is a life-altering experience of which its power and influence cannot be understated. It’s brought even the toughest of competitors to their knees, who have opted to walk away from competition, finding their ultimate fulfillment in raising their offspring rather than continuing to pursue what had once been a lifelong ambition. For others, there’s still a drive and desire to find fulfillment outside of being a mother. Lee is very much straddling the two worlds, balancing pervasive mom guilt with a deep desire to achieve what she’s wanted most – to become a winner on the LPGA Tour. That remains the driving catalyst for Lee’s return, and something that she hopes, someday, little Levi will understand. 

“No matter how much has changed, I’m back to who I was. I’m competitive. I want to win so badly out here, which is probably my biggest downfall, too, is just wanting it too bad,” Lee said about her desire to win on Tour. “Hopefully in the future, when [Levi’s] older, I can say I came back right after giving birth and I was able to achieve what I wanted and be a winner on the LPGA Tour. Hopefully, I can say that. That would be the biggest achievement for me.” 

Major Champions, Past Champions and World’s Top-Ranked Players Headline Field; Strongest Field in Tournament’s Four-Year History 

Eight of the Top-10 in the World Entered into the Championship, Headlined by World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, No. 2 Nelly Korda, No. 3 / Defending Champion Lydia Ko and No. 4 / 2023 Champion Minjee Lee  

Tickets on Sale at www.QueenCityLPGA.com  

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2025 – The tournament field for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G was finalized today following an 18-hole qualifier at TPC River’s Bend in Hamilton Township. LPGA Tour professionals Heather Lin and Polly Mack (3-under 69) captured the final two spots to gain entry into the championship, taking place Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 11-14. 

They will join a 144-player field that is the strongest field in the tournament’s four-year history. The field features: 

• The top-four players in the world in Jeeno Thitikul (1), Nelly Korda (2), defending champion Lydia Ko (3) and 2023 champion Minjee Lee (4). 

• Eight of the top-10 and 15 of the top-20 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. 

• 30 major champions, including all five major champions of the 2025 season. 

• 21 of 24 champions of the 2025 season. 

• Six players who have been No. 1 in the World: Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Stacy Lewis, Jeeno Thitikul and Lilia Vu. 

• LPGA Tour winners and fan favorites Lexi Thompson, Charley Hull, Hannah Green and Rose Zhang. 

Previously announced sponsor exemptions competing in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G are LPGA Tour professional Maria Fassi and Women’s Western Junior Championship winner Vidhi Lakhawala. 

For a complete list of tournament entries, click HERE. 

Tickets On Sale: Tickets and hospitality packages are available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. General admission tickets start at $29.58 a day (all fees included), and children 17 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. Military personnel (active, retired, reserve, veteran) will also be granted free general admission with proper identification. Spectators can save $5 per ticket when purchasing from participating Cincinnati-area Kroger locations. 

Upgraded hospitality ticket packages are available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. These opportunities include: The Champions Club: $201.14 daily and $757.25 weekly (Thursday-Sunday), all fees included. 

The Champions Club offers a fun, vibrant atmosphere with covered, open and outdoor seating on the 18th Green and includes (**Thursday-Saturday only, sold out for Sunday**). 

• Inclusive bar (beer, wine, soft drinks, water), a daily featured lunch item and snacks 

• Private restroom facilities 

Tickets are now available for purchase at www.queencitylpga.com. 

For more information on the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, visit www.QueenCityLPGA.com, and on social media @QueenCityLPGA on X,  @QueenCityLPGA on Instagram,  Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on LinkedIn and   

Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on Facebook.  

 About Kroger 

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly 420,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.  

About Procter & Gamble 

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at https://www.pg.com/news. 

About Outlyr 

Outlyr is a global event management, sponsorship consulting and activation agency that specializes in the development and execution of engaging events and experiences. Outlyr believes in the power of relationships – driving connectivity through sports and culture – to create strategic marketing platforms and high-quality activations, enhancing affinity for its clients and brands. Outlyr manages a number of professional golf tournaments, sporting, hospitality and lifestyle events, as well as the sponsorship portfolio for several blue-chip clients. For additional information on Outlyr, visit www.Outlyr.com. 

 About the LPGA 

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course. 

Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube. 

 About the LPGA Tour 

The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 32 annual events across 12 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $129 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel. 

Major Champions, Past Champions and World’s Top-Ranked Players Headline Field; Strongest Field in Tournament’s Four-Year History 

Eight of the Top-10 in the World Entered into the Championship, Headlined by World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, No. 2 Nelly Korda, No. 3 / Defending Champion Lydia Ko and No. 4 / 2023 Champion Minjee Lee 

Tickets on Sale at www.QueenCityLPGA.com  

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 4, 2025 – Entries are now closed for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, Cincinnati’s premier LPGA Tour event that will boast one of the strongest fields of the 2025 LPGA Tour season when 144 of the world’s best professional golfers converge upon TPC River’s Bend, Sept. 11-14. 

LPGA Tour winners and fan favorites Lexi Thompson and Charley Hull headline the latest commitments to the championship prior to entries closing on Tuesday. Major champions, past champions and many of the world’s top-ranked players are entered into the championship, competing for a share of the $2 million purse. 

Thompson, an 11-time LPGA Tour winner and major champion, stepped away from full-time competitive golf in 2024 and is playing a part-time schedule. In 2025, she has five top-15 finishes in 10 starts, highlighted by a T2 finish at the Dow Championship and a T4 finish at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. She finished T19 at the 2024 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. 

Hull, runner-up at the 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, is a two-time LPGA Tour winner and multiple Ladies European Tour (LET) winner. She finished runner-up in 2023 via a playoff against eventual champion Minjee Lee. In 2025, she has two top-10 finishes in 10 starts, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the AIG Women’s Open. 

Eight of the top-10 and 16 of the top-20 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are entered into the championship, headlined by World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, No. 2 Nelly Korda, No. 3 and defending champion Lydia Ko, No. 4 and 2023 champion Minjee Lee, No. 6 Miyu Yamashita, No. 7 Hyo Joo Kim, No. 9 Mao Saigo, No. 10 Charley Hull, No. 11 Haeran Ryu, No. 12 Rio Takeda, No.13 and U.S. Women’s Open Champion Maja Stark, No. 15 Lottie Woad, No. 16 Hannah Green, No. 17 Jim Young Ko, No 19 Ayaka Furue and No. 20 Celine Boutier. 

In total, the 144-player field currently features: 

• Six players who have been ranked No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings 

• Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, Jin Young Ko, Stacy Lewis and Lilia Vu 

• 30 major champions 

• 21 of 24 champions from the 2025 LPGA season 

• Sponsor invitations: LPGA Tour professional Maria Fassi and Women’s Western Junior Championship winner Vidhi Lakhawala. 

The final two spots will be determined on Monday via the Monday Qualifier at TPC River’s Bend. For a compete list of tournament entries, click HERE. 

Tickets On Sale: Tickets and hospitality packages are available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. General admission tickets start at $29.58 a day (all fees included), and children 17 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. Military personnel (active, retired, reserve, veteran) will also be granted free general admission with proper identification. Spectators can save $5 per ticket when purchasing from participating Cincinnati-area Kroger locations. 

Upgraded hospitality ticket packages are available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. These opportunities include: The Champions Club: $201.14 daily and $757.25 weekly (Thursday-Sunday), all fees included. 

The Champions Club offers a fun, vibrant atmosphere with covered, open and outdoor seating on the 18th Green and includes (**Thursday-Saturday only, sold out for Sunday**). 

• Inclusive bar (beer, wine, soft drinks, water), a daily featured lunch item and snacks 

• Private restroom facilities 

Tickets are now available for purchase at www.queencitylpga.com. 

For more information on the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, visit www.QueenCityLPGA.com, and on social media @QueenCityLPGA on X,  @QueenCityLPGA on Instagram,  Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on LinkedIn and   

Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on Facebook.  

About Kroger 

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly 420,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.  

About Procter & Gamble 

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at https://www.pg.com/news. 

About Outlyr 

Outlyr is a global event management, sponsorship consulting and activation agency that specializes in the development and execution of engaging events and experiences. Outlyr believes in the power of relationships – driving connectivity through sports and culture – to create strategic marketing platforms and high-quality activations, enhancing affinity for its clients and brands. Outlyr manages a number of professional golf tournaments, sporting, hospitality and lifestyle events, as well as the sponsorship portfolio for several blue-chip clients. For additional information on Outlyr, visit www.Outlyr.com. 

About the LPGA 

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course. 

Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube. 

About the LPGA Tour 

The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 32 annual events across 12 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $129 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel.