International and local field arrives for LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship in Somis

For the first time in more than two decades, the LPGA has arrived in Ventura County.

A field of 120 of the world’s best golfers will gather for the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship this week at The Saticoy Club in Somis.

Three former World No. 1s, 17 major champions and the current No. 2 player in the world will compete for the $1.8 million purse at the first professional event at one of Ventura County’s oldest golf clubs.

The first round of the 72-hole event tees off Thursday, although practice rounds on the 6,551-yard course arrived Monday morning.

The field is both international, including players from 27 different countries and territories, and local.

Westlake High graduate Danielle Kang, the No. 14th-ranked player in the world and one of eight players in the field who have won on the tour this season, is familiar with the course from her time playing junior golf locally.

Kang, who tied for fifth in the event a year ago, and Katherine Kirk played at Pepperdine University.

There are seven former UCLA players (Brianna Do, Bronte Law, Alison Lee, Mo Martin, Ryann O’Toole, Patty Tavatanakit and Lilia Vu) and seven former USC players (Tiffany Chan, Jennifer Chang, Allisen Corpuz, Muni He, Annie Park, Robynn Ree and Jennifer Song) in the field.

The tournament was previously held at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City. Matilda Castren and Sei Young Kim, the last two winners of the event, are also entered.

Atthaya Thitikul, a 19-year-old rookie who has already won two tournaments, is the top-ranked player in the field after rising to No. 2 in the Rolex women’s world golf rankings on Monday.

Ariya Jutanugarn, Stacy Lewis and So Yeon Ryu are among the former World No. 1s in the field.

It is the first LPGA event in Ventura County since the Los Angeles Women’s Championship was held at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley in 2000.

Tickets are available at www.MedihealChamp.com.

Daily general admission is $25. Weekly general admission is $40.

Premium hospitality in the Stone Pine Club, an open-air deck above the ninth and 18th greens, are $275 (daily) and $1,000 (weekly).

All military and first responders are eligible to receive complimentary admission. Children are admitted free with a ticketed adult.

The Saticoy Club was founded in 1921 as Ventura County’s first private country club and moved to its present location in Somis in 1964.

The 18-hole course was designed by architect William F. Bell, refined over the years by architects Robert Muir Graves, Tom Doak and John Harbottle, and renovated in 2018 by Arnold Palmer Design.

Joe Curley is a staff reporter for The Star. He can be reached at  joe.curley@vcstar.com. Follow him @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: International and local field arrives for LPGA tournament in Somis