Sports
Kia Classic Brings the LPGA's Best to Aviara
The March 21-24 tournament will feature 99 of the top 100 money winners from 2012.
The world's best women golfers return to Carlsbad later this month when the LPGA's Kia Classic tees off at its new venue, Aviara Golf Club at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort.
The golf media gathered on Wednesday at the clubhouse on Batiquitos Lagoon to hear tournament officials and LPGA members So Yeon Ryu, Jennifer Johnson and I.K. Kim talk about the March 21-24 event, which last year was held at the neighboring La Costa Resort after two years in the L.A. area. With this fourth edition, the Kia Classic hopes to make the Arnold Palmer-designed course its permanent home.
"I'm just so happy that we're going to be playing at this world-class resort and that it's in Carlsbad, my back yard," said Johnson, a county native and current Carlsbad resident. "I love this place, it's home, and hopefully I can have a good week and play well in front of my friends and family."
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The 144-player field will have 99 of the top 100 money winners from the 2012 season, many who want to tune up their game for the season's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage in early April. The winner will claim $255,000 of the event's $1.7 million purse, plus a new 2014 Kia Cadenza.
Women's professional golf has made inroads with its television and online coverage in recent years. Five years ago, only 40 percent of televised events were shown live. Now that figure if 90 percent, and 100 percent on weekends. Twitter and Facebook followings have more than doubled over the past year or two. With nine countries represented among the top 20 players in the rankings, the LPGA has a global following.
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Aviara officials say that they have secured enough parking within the resort area to accommodate fans, who can view practice rounds for free on Tuesday, March 19. Admission to the Kia Classic Pro-Am on Wednesday (March 20) is $10, while tickets to any one day of the actual tournament are $15, with a $30 weekly badge also available that is good for all days. Admission also includes bleacher seating. A $40 (daily) or $80 (weekly) clubhouse admission badge is also offered.
