News

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. 

Eight of the Top 10 in the World Committed to the Championship, Shaping Up to be one of the Strongest Fields in Tournament History  

Tickets on Sale at www.QueenCityLPGA.com   

Media Credential Registration Open at www.lpgamediacredentials.com  

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2025 – Tournament officials announced today that major champions Brooke Henderson, Hannah Green and LPGA Tour winner Rose Zhang headline the latest commitments for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, Cincinnati’s premier LPGA Tour event taking place Sept. 11-14 at TPC River’s Bend in Hamilton Township. 

They join a world class field of early commitments that features eight of the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, shaping up to be one of the strongest fields in the tournament’s four-year history. Recently announced early commitments include World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, No. 2 Nelly Korda and the tournament’s past two champions – World No. 3 / defending champion Lydia Ko and No. 4 / 2023 champion Minjee Lee. 

Henderson, one of the more popular players on the LPGA Tour, is a 14-time winner and two-time major champion, captured her home country’s championship last week for a second time at the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada. The Kroger Queen City Championship will be her third appearance at the event (2022 – T18, 2023 – T23). She is currently ranked 25th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. 

Green, the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner, is a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, including three victories in 2024. She also is a two-time Olympian representing Australia, having finished T5 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and T4 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This will be her second appearance at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G (2022 – T24).

Zhang, a two-time LPGA Tour winner who won her first start as a professional at the Mizuho Americas Open in 2023, will be competing in her third Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. She had one of the most successful amateur careers in history, having earned two NCAA Women’s Golf Championship Individual Championship titles (2022, 2023) with Stanford University, back-to-back ANNIKA Awards (2022, 2023) and won the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She spent 141 weeks as the number one ranked amateur in the world, the most of any player. 

They will join a 144-player field comprised of the world’s best female professional golfers vying for a share of the $2 million purse. LPGA Tour professional Maria Fassi and Women’s Western Junior Championship winner Vidhi Lakhawala have been previously announced as the tournament’s two sponsor invitations for the championship. 

Players have until Tuesday, Sept. 2 to commit to the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. 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.  

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 18 Green and includes: 

• 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. 

Volunteer Registration Open: Volunteer registration is open to support the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Each year, hundreds of volunteers donate their time to serve critical needs such as marshaling, scoring, transportation, hospitality services and many other important roles. In 2025, the tournament is seeking more than 700 volunteers to support the event. Those interested can sign up today at www.queencitylpga.com. 

The fee to volunteer is $50 and includes: 

• Official Volunteer Uniform (polo shirt and hat)  

• Admission to the tournament for the week 

• Complimentary food and beverages during scheduled shifts 

• Two (2) weekly grounds passes for family & friends 

• Invitation to the Volunteer Appreciation Party  

As part of the registration process, volunteers can select their committee and shift time preferences. Various committees, such as hospitality, marshals, on-course services and walking scorers are available for selection and not all committees require golf knowledge. More details about volunteering, committees with descriptions and responses to commonly asked questions are also available on the registration platform. 

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. 

By Amy Rogers

MASON, Ohio – Vidhi Lakhawala didn’t expect to be back in Cincinnati so soon.

It was just two months ago that the 17-year-old high school senior won the Western Women’s Junior Championship at Maketewah Country Club in the Ohio Valley to earn a spot in the field at the nearby LPGA Tour stop, the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.

But in mid-August when Lakhawala got the call to see if she’d be willing to make the short flight from her home in New Jersey to Cincinnati to take part in the tournament’s media day, she didn’t hesitate to make the trip.

“I was happily shocked and just really grateful and honored to have the opportunity to play in an LPGA event,” Lakhawala said during Monday’s media day. “I’m really excited and I can’t wait to tee it up.”

Lakhawala will make her LPGA Tour debut when she tees it up alongside 143 of the best in the women’s game for the fourth edition of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio. Seven of the top 10 in the Rolex Rankings make up the early commitments to the field, which includes top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, and defending champion Lydia Ko who will be vying for a $2 million purse.

Lakhawala participated in her first-ever media day alongside representatives from Kroger, P&G, and the LPGA Tour who met with the media during Championship Monday at the Cincinnati Open, just a 15-minute drive from nearby TPC River’s Bend. P&G’s Kristian Gatewood sat alongside Kroger’s Kate Meyer to outline the new and returning activations that will be happening outside the ropes to entertain fans who will be turning out for Cincinnati’s only professional golf tournament.

“This year we have over 25 brands that are going to be on-site to enhance overall fans’ experience,” said Gatewood about P&G’s growing tournament presence. “Charmin is going to be back, so they’re sponsoring, they’ll be the official sponsor of hole No. 2 for the event, which will be great. So, you guys get the pun. And then Pampers is going to have a ton of different activations so in the fun zone they’ll be sponsoring a family center that’s actually going to have a nursery room in it, which will be great. I’m really excited to actually experience the Olay Body Wash Public Viewing Deck that’s going to be on the 7th tee. It could be an awesome time to potentially see a hole-in-one, so I would encourage everyone to get out there.”

More than 50,000 fans turned out for the third edition of the Kroger Queen City Championship, which was held for the first time at TPC River’s Bend in 2024 following a two-year stint at nearby Kenwood Country Club.

“Just personally being able to bring my family, and I now have a six-year-old that has taken golf lessons and wants to learn to play, so I think it’s sparked something in her that’s made it super special,” Meyer said about the family friendly atmosphere of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. “I’m grateful to have this opportunity to bring everyone there and see all the kids running around too as part of it. It’s just a different event.”

The LPGA’s Casey Ceman, the Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs at the LPGA, made the trip from the Tour’s headquarters in Florida to Ohio to take part in the media day. Ceman shared details of the changes coming to the tournament for the year under the new management team at Outlyr.

“From a golf perspective, it’s a very similar event, but I think it’s going to be that fan-friendly experience that you’ll see that is really elevated this year,” Ceman said about the tournament. “This is exactly what we look for is this kind of community engagement, and the way Kroger and P&G have leaned in with their brands, getting out here and activating throughout the week.”

Lakhawala will get her first taste of what it’s like to compete in a world-class event when she makes her LPGA Tour debut in a few short weeks. Lakhawala is one of two players to receive a sponsor invitation in addition to Maria Fassi, a P&G ambassador. For Lakhawala, the week will give her a glimpse of what life might be like for her someday as she has committed to playing on the women’s golf team at Wake Forest University beginning next season and hopes that will serve as a springboard to one day returning to compete in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G as one of the professionals in the field.

“I’m looking forward to a lot of things,” Lakhawala said of her debut. “Just the experience of playing an LPGA event and playing alongside professionals who play on the LPGA tour for a living and just having a really great time and soaking up the experience from this event.”

Wake Forest Commit Vidhi Lakhawala Receives Tournament Exemption into the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G as a result of winning the 2025 Women’s Western Junior Championship at Maketewah Country Club

Tickets and Volunteer Registration Now Open at www.queencitylpga.com

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, OHIO, June 30, 2025 – Tournament officials announced today that tickets and hospitality packages are now available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, taking place Sept. 11-14 at TPC River’s Bend in Hamilton Township, Ohio. General admission tickets start at $25 a day, 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. Tickets are now available for purchase at www.queencitylpga.com.

Upgraded hospitality ticket packages are also now available for the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. These opportunities include: The Champions Club: $170/daily and $640/weekly (Thursday-Sunday)

• A fun, vibrant atmosphere with covered open-aired and outdoor seating on 18 Green
• 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.

Tournament officials also announced today that 17-year-old Vidhi Lakhawala will join the field for the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G as a tournament sponsor exemption after winning the Women’s Western Junior Championship, which took place earlier this month at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati. Lakhawala, an incoming high school senior who has committed to Wake Forest University for 2026, captured her third junior win in 2025 after defeating Kara An of Valencia, Calif., 1-up in the championship match. During the course of the championship, she only trailed by four holes over four matches.

Lakhawala will join a 144-player tournament field featuring the world’s top female professional golfers competing at TPC’s River’s Bend, Sept. 11-14, headlined by defending champion and recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Lydia Ko.

Volunteer Registration Now Open: Volunteer registration is now open to support the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Each year, hundreds of volunteers donate their time to serve critical needs such as marshaling, scoring, transportation, hospitality services and many other important roles. In 2025, the tournament is seeking more than 700 volunteers to support the event. Those interested can sign up today at www.queencitylpga.com.

The fee to volunteer is $50 and includes:

• Official Volunteer Uniform (polo shirt and hat)
• Admission to the tournament for the week
• Complimentary food and beverages during scheduled shifts
• Two (2) weekly grounds passes for family & friends
• Invitation to the Volunteer Appreciation Party

As part of the registration process, volunteers can select their committee and shift time preferences. Various committees, such as hospitality, marshals, on-course services and walking scorers are available for selection and not all committees require golf knowledge. More details about volunteering, committees with descriptions and responses to commonly asked questions are also available on the registration platform.

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.

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Media Contact:

Jeremy Friedman

Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G

Outlyr

407-721-9752

jfriedman@outlyr.com

Defending Champion Lydia Ko Headlines Field of 144 of the World’s Best Female Professional Golfers Competing in Cincinnati’s Premier Professional Golf Event

Winner of the Women’s Western Junior Championship, June 9-13 at Maketewah CC, to Compete in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G

Volunteer Registration and Tickets Available Monday, June 16

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 5, 2025 – The Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G is set to return to Greater Cincinnati and TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, Sept. 8-14, 2025. Recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Lydia Ko will look to defend her 2024 title against a world-class field, competing for a share of the $2 million purse.

Tournament officials also announced today a new collaboration with Western Golf Association and the upcoming Women’s Western Junior Championship, one of the oldest junior golf tournaments in the United States, taking place June 9-13 at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati. The winner of the Women’s Western Junior will join the field and compete in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G as a tournament sponsor exemption, where she will tee it up with the stars of the LPGA Tour.

The Women’s Western Junior Championship has long been seen as a testing ground for the stars of the future. Notable past Women’s Western Junior winners include Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lopez and LPGA Tour winners Cristie Kerr, Grace Park and Candie Kung.

“The Women’s Western Junior will feature many of the game’s future stars that fans will be following on the LPGA Tour for years to come,” said Michael Taft, executive director of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. “We are excited to partner with the Western Golf Association in rewarding the Women’s Western Junior Championship winner a return trip to Cincinnati to compete on the LPGA Tour in September.”

Volunteer registration for the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G will open Monday, June 16. Each year, hundreds of volunteers donate their time to serve critical needs such as marshaling, scoring, transportation, hospitality services and many other important roles. To be notified when volunteer registration opens in June, sign up at https://queencitylpga.com/volunteers/.

Tickets will also go on sale for the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G Monday, June 16. Tickets will include daily and weekly grounds, as well as hospitality tickets offering a wide degree of entertainment and access. For more information and to be notified when tickets go on sale, sign up at https://queencitylpga.com/tickets-form/.

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 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.

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Media Contact:

Jeremy Friedman

Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G

Outlyr

407-721-9752

jfriedman@outlyr.com