Nelly Korda & Lexi Thompson To Make History In QBE Shootout

LPGA stars to form the first ever all-female pairing in the PGA Tour team event in December

Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson in conversation on the golf course
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
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The PGA Tour have announced that for the first time ever an all-female pair will contest the QBE Shootout as LPGA stars Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda will take on the men next month.

Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, will stage the QBE Shootout from December 7-11 and history will be made with the first women’s pairing named in the team event.

World number four Korda and world number seven Thompson, who have won 18 LPGA titles between them, will team up to play in the $3.8m event against many of the top players on the PGA Tour.

It will be Korda’s debut in the event but Thompson is something of a veteran now with this being her sixth appearance since 2016 – with her best finish being tied fourth alongside Tony Finau in 2017.

“QBE is proud to be sponsoring the QBE Shootout again this year, and we are thrilled with the field announced today,” said the CEO of QBE North America Todd Jones.

“The quality of the players competing makes for an exciting event, and I am particularly pleased that two LPGA stars – Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda – will join the field in Naples.”

Six of the top 30 and 10 of the top 50 in the men’s world rankings will be appearing in the QBE Shootout, including Billy Horschel, Kevin Kisner, Corey Conners, Max Homa, Cameron Young, Brian Harman and Harris English.

Two-time winner Steve Stricker, who has four wins on the PGA Tour Champions this season, returns along with three-time Shootout champion Matt Kuchar and former world number one Jason Day.

“We are thrilled to welcome such a wonderful collection of PGA TOUR and LPGA stars to Southwest Florida as we prepare for the 34thedition of the QBE Shootout,” Tournament Director Rob Hartman said.

“This year’s tournament will have a special mission as we collectively help to rebuild the local community in the wake of Hurricane Ian. In addition to our traditional giving, all proceeds from QBE Shootout ticket sales will benefit local hurricane relief efforts.”

The format for the QBE Shootout will remain as a scramble for the two-player teams in the first round, followed by a form of alternate shot on the Saturday and a better ball format for the final round on Sunday.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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