Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give to Welcome Back All Three Defending Champions

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The playing field for the 2017 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give continues to grow stronger with commitments from its three defending champions — Sei Young Kim, Lexi Thompson and Mirim Lee – who will return June 13-18 to Blythefield Country Club.

“Each year, we strive to ensure the Meijer LPGA Classic is a high-caliber tournament for the community, but also for these incredible athletes who make Grand Rapids their home,” said Cathy Cooper, Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic. “When our past champions commit, we know that they recognize and appreciate just how much the community supports them year after year.”

Sei Young Kim — 2016 Champion

The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give Defending Champion Sei Young Kim is still relatively new to the Tour but has made great strides. Kim captured three victories in her rookie season, and in 2015, won both the Kia Most Compelling Performance Award and the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors. She also became a Rolex First-Time Winner in 2015 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and has had five overall career wins. To view her full bio, please visit: http://www.lpga.com/players/sei-young-kim/98371/bio

Lexi Thompson — 2015 Champion

In her amateur career, Lexi Thompson became the youngest person to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 when she was just 12 years old. Thompson ranked No. 1 in the Women’s Amateur and Girl’s Junior Amateur by Golfweek in 2009 before turning professional in 2010. In 2011, she not only became the youngest professional to win on the Ladies European Tour, but also the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history after winning the Navistar LPGA Classic at 16 years, 7 months, and 8 days old. To date, she has competed in two Solheim Cups and UL International Crowns, along with the 2016 Rio Olympics, finished 45 times in the Top 10, and achieved seven LPGA Tour victories and one major. To view her full bio, please visit: http://www.lpga.com/players/lexi-thompson/98184/bio.

Mirim Lee — 2014 Champion

Mirim Lee began playing golf at the age of 11. She began her professional career in 2009 and played on the KLPGA's developmental tour. Lee won her first KLPGA victory at the S-OIL Champions in 2012. In 2013, she broke the tournament scoring record, with a 61 in the third round, of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category for the 2014 season. In her rookie season, Lee became a Rolex First-Time Winner with her playoff win at the 2014 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. This season, Lee won her third win on tour with her victory at the 2017 Kia Classic in March. To view her full bio, please visit: http://www.lpga.com/players/mirim-lee/98054/bio

The 2017 Meijer LPGA Classic will host a full field of 144 of the best women golfers for 72 holes of stroke play over four days of competition. Proceeds from the tournament — and each of the week’s festivities – will once again benefit the Meijer Simply Give program that restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. To date, the Meijer LPGA Classic has generated more than $2.1 million for food pantries in the communities it serves.

For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give or to volunteer, please visit meijerLPGAclassic.com.

A video featuring the 2016 Meijer LPGA Classic is available at https://youtu.be/WlNXmv64-vE.