Hilton Grand Vacations to Donate $100,000 to the ANNIKA Foundation to Expand Opportunities for the Next Generation of Female Golfers
ORLANDO, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE:HGV), the industry-leading global vacation ownership company, opened the 2022 LPGA Tour season with the record-breaking Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. This year’s event was the most attended LPGA Tour season opener with nearly three times the number of tickets sold over previous years and the tournament’s largest purse size to-date.
The four-day tournament wrapped on Sunday, Jan. 23 with LPGA Tour player and 2017 Major Champion Danielle Kang winning the Professional Title and 2004 World Series Champion Derek Lowe clinching the Celebrity Title.
The 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, the first under Hilton Grand Vacations since its acquisition of Diamond Resorts, featured 50 beloved celebrities, athletes and entertainers playing alongside 29 LPGA champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida.
Kang took the Professional Title with multiple birdies during her Sunday play, giving her the lead over Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson and Gaby López for the LPGA Tour’s first win of the season. LPGA Tour champions played 72 holes of no-cut stroke play for $1.5 million in official prize money, a 25% increase from the 2021 purse. Celebrity participants competed for a $500,000 purse using a modified Stableford format.
The celebrity field ended with Lowe and LPGA Hall of Famer and Lake Nona resident Annika Sörenstam going stroke-to-stroke and needing one extra hole to determine the victor. After sinking a 25-foot putt for birdie on the playoff hole, Lowe won the title and $100,000 in prize money.
“The first Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was one for the record books,” said Mark Wang, president and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations. “Congratulations to the LPGA Tour’s Danielle Kang for winning the Professional Title and Derek Lowe for claiming the Celebrity Title, both having such strong performances down to the very last hole. We’re thrilled that spectators and fans had such a fun and engaging experience, and we look forward to what’s in store for future Tournament of Champions.”
As part of the company’s corporate social responsibility program – HGV Serves – Hilton Grand Vacations will make a $100,000 donation to Annika Sörenstam’s ANNIKA Foundation to help expand opportunities for female golfers at the junior, collegiate and professional levels. This donation includes proceeds from the tournament’s on-site silent auction, which raised over $80,000.
During the Tournament week, Hilton Grand Vacations also hosted a Women’s Leadership Conference, featuring Sörenstam, along with women leaders from a variety of industries.
Off the course, HGV and Diamond owners, along with invited guests, had the exclusive opportunity to attend three nights of live music under the stars at the open-air Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions stage in Lake Nona Town Center. Attendees were treated to performances by GRAMMY Award-winning artists Sheryl Crow, LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans, Boyz II Men, Gin Blossoms and Goo Goo Dolls.
For highlights from this year’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, visit: www.HGVLPGA.com.
The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions has partnered with the Tavistock Group, owner and developer of Lake Nona, to return to the renowned Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in 2023 and 2024. Stay tuned for dates.
About Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.
Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE:HGV) is recognized as a leading global timeshare company. With headquarters in Orlando, Florida, Hilton Grand Vacations develops, markets and operates a system of brand-name, high-quality vacation ownership resorts in select vacation destinations. As one of Hilton’s 18 premier brands, Hilton Grand Vacations has a reputation for delivering a consistently exceptional standard of service, and unforgettable vacation experiences for owners and guests, synonymous with the Hilton name. Ownership with the Company provides best-in-class membership programs, currently offering exclusive services and maximum flexibility for 710,000 owners around the world. For more information, visit www.hiltongrandvacations.com.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Symetra Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and game changers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
Recognized as one of the world’s top private golf club communities, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club sits at the heart of the 17-square-mile, Lake Nona Region, a master-planned community comprised of wellness, education, recreation and entertainment offerings. For 35 years, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club has delivered the highest quality of living in Central Florida, combining natural splendor with a dynamic lifestyle amidst an abundance of luxury estate homes. The unique opportunity to live and play at Lake Nona has attracted a vibrant community of residents and members who enjoy a wealth of amenities, including: a Tom Fazio-designed, championship golf course; a fully equipped golf performance center; a 40,000-square-foot Clubhouse with an 18-room guest lodge; a Bath & Racquet Club with an all-inclusive fitness center, along with state-of-the-art tennis and pickleball courts, a lakeside pool and playground, and a dedicated youth activity center with year-round children’s programming; 24-hour gated security; and outstanding water-based recreation on a trio of waterways. Guided by a continual pursuit of excellence, highlighted by exceptional family experiences and outstanding service, Lake Nona Golf & Country Club will continue to set the benchmark for lifestyle-driven club communities for years to come.
For more information, visit: www.lakenona.club.
About Lake Nona
Planned and developed by the Tavistock Group, Lake Nona is one of the fastest growing and most innovative communities in America. Located in Orlando, Florida, the 17-square-mile community has established a new standard of living for its residents with groundbreaking initiatives around technology, mobility, and wellbeing. Lake Nona is located contiguous to Orlando International Airport in the most visited destination in the U.S. The smart and connected community’s advanced infrastructure and commitment to collaboration has drawn visionary companies and entrepreneurs from across the globe to join its living lab environment accelerating economic growth and opportunity across health and life sciences, education, hospitality, and sports and performance. Lake Nona’s attractive business ecosystem is enhanced by a thriving cultural landscape defined by iconic architecture and engaging public art installations, miles of trails and walkable green spaces, weekly signature events, shopping, dining and entertainment options set amongst Central Florida’s beautiful natural landscape and year-round sunshine.
For more information, visit www.lakenona.com.