The Portland Classic presented by Safeway is the oldest continuous tournament on the LPGA Tour. It began in 1972 as the Portland Ladies Classic. Safeway became the title sponsor in 1996 and today the official name of the event is the Portland Classic presented by Safeway. Over $15 million has been donated to Portland area children's charities from the event's porceeds.
The tournament has been played at a variety of courses around the Portland area, but since 2009 it has been held on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Ghost Creek is a par-72 and will play to 6,465 yards for the ladies.
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club opened in 1992 and in 1996 Tiger Woods won his third consecutive U.S. Amateur on the Witch Hollow Course. Pumpkin Ridge also hosted the 1997 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, the 2000 Jr. Amateur and the 2000 Jr. Girl’s Champioships.
Over the past ten years top stars on the LPGA Tour have found the winners circle here. Annika Sorenstam won this event twice in 2002 and 2003. Lorena Ochoa won in 2007 and Cristie Kerr captured the 2008 Safeway Classic title. Suzann Pettersen won two years ago and Mika Miyazato will defend her title from last year.
Top names that will compete this year include, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie, Karrie Webb, Yani Tseng, Lexi Thompson, Lizette Salas, Morgan Pressel, Beatriz Recari, Suzann Pettersen, Stacy Lewis and Inbee Park.
Park will be trying to get back to her winning ways and will be seeking her seventh win of the year.
Lewis withdrew from last week’s CN Canadian Women’s Open citing fatigue and will be looking to find the form that helped her win the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
All four rounds of the Portland Classic can be viewed on the Golf Channel. It will be aired Thursday August 29, 5:30-8:30 PM ET, Friday August 30 and Saturday August 31, 6:30-8:30 PM ET. The final round can be seen live on Sunday September 1, 7:00-9:30 PM ET.