WNBA Finals: Aces’ power trio leads Las Vegas to 2-0 series lead over Connecticut Sun

By Sep 13, 2022, 10:08 PM EDT
Chelsea Gray #12 high fives Kelsey Plum #10 of the Las Vegas Aces during Game 2 of the 2022 WNBA Finals.
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The Las Vegas Aces extended their advantage over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday evening, winning Game 2 of their best-of-five WNBA Finals series in decisive fashion, 85-71. The Aces were powered by 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, who had a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, and punctuated by 20-point performances from Chelsea Gray (21 points, eight assists) and Kelsey Plum (20 points, seven assists).

The Sun were paced by Courtney Williams with 18 points and five assists. Also in double figures were Jonquel Jones (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (13 points), while Brionna Jones came off the bench to score 12.

Connecticut will host Game 3 on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun: Post-game quotes

Aces’ leading scorer A’ja Wilson on her second straight double-double performance: “I’m just getting to my spots. My teammates are putting me in a situation where I’m comfortable and I’m just getting to my spots and taking what the defense gives me.

Aces’ Chelsea Gray on her performance Tuesday and what it will take to win the title on the road: “It’s gonna take every bit of every body and you know, you can see the stats, you can see the points and what it says, but it’s the toughness, the little things that’s going to get it done. … We’ve been a good road team this year, all year, so we might as well just go ahead and try to win on the road.”

Aces’ Kelsey Plum on her turnaround from six points in Game 1 to 20 in Game 2: “A’ja cussed me out before the game. That’s all I needed. About time I joined the party. They’ve been carrying us all week, so it was good to hit some shots, but we got one more.”

Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon on whether she feels like she’s proving naysayers wrong in first year as head coach: “It’s about putting these ladies in a position to win a championship. That’s been my focus. That’s why I took this job. I felt they had the talent to do it. And I felt that I can build the relationships and build a culture the right way for us to put ourselves in a position to be able to win a championship. Like I said before, we haven’t won anything yet. All’s we did is take care of home court. We did what we were supposed to do, but I’m used to people not picking me. I don’t know if you’re aware. I just do me.”

Connecticut head coach Curt Miller on the Game 2 loss: “We just, you know, felt like we were playing catch-up all night because we couldn’t string together consecutive stops. And again, we’re trying to find disruption. We’re trying to keep this high-powered offense out of rhythm. And tonight, we really struggled to do that.”

Sun’s Jonquel Jones on mindset going home for Game 3: “We’re just taking it one game at a time now. That’s all we can do. We’re gonna go back home, like you said, we’re gonna have our fans behind us, who’ve been with us the entire season, and we’re gonna use that to propel us to win. That’s all we can do.”

Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces, Game 2: Fourth-quarter live updates

10:00 Q4: Ahead of the fourth quarter, Kelsey Plum (20 points on 7-of-11 shooting) tells ESPN about her turnaround from her six-point performance in Game 1: “It’s new day. Shooters shoot. There’s really nothing else to say. I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in God. My team has confidence in me, my coach. It’s just a matter of time.”

6:18 Q4: Sun head coach Curt Miller calls a timeout, as nearly midway through the final quarter, Connecticut has added just two points on a pair Jonquel Jones free throws. Aces lead 74-56.

4:28 Q4: Chelsea Gray pushes the Aces’ lead to 20 points after making a 27-foot three point jumper, 80-60.

1:59 Q4: Aces starters head to the bench as Sun take 20-second TO, Aces lead 82-62.

0:00 Q4: Las Vegas wins handily, 85-71, and extends their best-of-five series lead to 2-0 and stand just one win away from a franchise-first WNBA title.

Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces, Game 2: Third-quarter live updates

9:34: Q3: Chelsea Gray opens the scoring in the second half with a jumper from 19 feet, putting the Aces back up by 10 at 47-37 and satisfying the record-breaking, sold-out crowd (video below) at Las Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena.

7:11 Q3: A 7-0 run that included two buckets from Alyssa Thomas and a three-pointer from Jonquel Jones makes it a three-point game. Aces lead 49-46.

6:03 Q3: Chelsea Gray limps off the court after making a driving layup to put the Aces back out front by seven (video below). She’s got 10 points and seven assists. Gray exits at the timeout and heads back to the Aces’ locker room.

3:38 Q3: A’ja Wilson sinks a bucket from 18 feet to give Vegas another 10-point lead at 58-48. She now has 20 points, as does Kelsey Plum. Gray comes back out from the locker room (back in the game at 3:00 mark).

0:00 Q3: The Aces hold a 14-point lead for the second time during the game, heading into the fourth quarter at 68-54. Riquna Williams nailed 24-foot three-point jumper at the 22.3 mark and A’ja Wilson (22 points) added two from the line with 0.5 left.

Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces, Game 2: Second-quarter live updates

6:59 Q2: Sun go on a 6-0 run of their own, edging closer the Aces at 23-29.

5:55 Q2: Kelsey Plum follows up a 3-pointer from 25 feet with a layup to give the Aces another double-digit lead at 34-23.

2:48 Q3: A’ja Wilson extends Vegas’ lead to 13 points (41-28) as she hits 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

19.3 Q3: The Aces call a timeout after the Sun go on a 9-2 run, cutting the deficit to six points. Aces lead 43-37.

0:00 Q3: A’ja Wilson gets a bucket with 1.6 left as the Aces take an eight-point lead into halftime (45-37). Wilson leads all scorers with 18 points, with Kelsey Plum adding 13. Jonquel Jones leads the Sun scorers at the half with 11; Courtney Williams had 10.

Connecticut Sun vs. Las Vegas Aces, Game 2: First-quarter live updates

8:26 Q1: The Sun and Aces pick up where they left off Tuesday, trading baskets as the two teams tie at 6-6 early. A’ja Wilson is first on the board again (video below).

3:45 Q1: Well more than halfway through the first quarter, the tug-of-war continues … A’ja Wilson leads all scorers with eight points, while Courtney Williams has put up six for the Sun. Tied at 14 as Las Vegas takes a timeout.

1:55 Q1: Aces go on a 7-0 run, started and capped by Chelsea Gray (video below), sandwiched around a 3-pointer from Jackie Young. Aces lead 21-14 as Sun call a timeout.

0:00 Q1: Las Vegas ends the quarter on a 9-1 run, finishing the first quarter with a 23-15 lead.

WNBA Finals Game 2: What’s at Stake

  • Now in their fifth year as the Las Vegas Aces, the franchise is looking to capture its first WNBA title under first-year head coach and 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year Becky Hammon. This marks the second time the Aces have appeared in the Finals, after losing in a three-game sweep to the Seattle Storm in 2020. Las Vegas looks to extend its lead to 2-0 before heading to Connecticut for Game 3 on Thursday.
  • The Connecticut Sun aim to get a win on the road Tuesday and even the series as they look to win the franchise’s first ever WNBA title. The Sun have previously qualified for the WNBA Finals three times (most recently in 2019).

Refresher: Wilson’s double-double leads Aces to 67-64 win over Sun in Game 1

The top-seeded Las Vegas Aces jumped out to a 1-0 series lead on Sunday with a narrow 67-64 victory of the third-seeded Connecticut Sun in their best-of-five 2022 WNBA Finals.

Newly minted 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray added 21 points and Jackie Young chipped in 11 as the franchise won its first WNBA Finals game in franchise history.

The Sun were led by Alyssa Thomas with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jonquel Jones added 15 points, and Brionna Jones came off the bench to score 12.

What they’re saying ahead of Game 2 between Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces:

Aces coach Becky Hammon on Game 1 win: “Obviously had a rough night offensively. Give credit to (the Sun’s) defense and give credit to us missing. I thought it was a little bit of both. But that’s a tough team. This is where they like the score to be, and we’ll go back, look at the film and make some adjustments. Happy that we won. It’s better than losing, but there’s a lot of things that we can do better.”

Hammon on A’ja Wilson: “Her leadership, who she is, she got (the) ‘it’ factor. She got ‘it’ factor. She gets it. She understands leadership. Because I don’t really know her as a person. I was watching like everybody else was watching from afar. She’s got beast skills. She’s a beast human. She’s a good one. I’ll go to battle with her any day.”

Sun coach Curt Miller on Game 1 loss: “Unfortunately the big stat line difference tonight in a lot of areas was their ability to get to the foul line and play through contact, and we struggled to get to the foul line and any kind of offensive rhythm there in the second half, and that’s a credit to their defense. But you know, really pleased with holding that high-powered offense down and got the style of play we wanted. So we are encouraged but I’m disappointed that it didn’t equate to a win.”

A’ja Wilson regarding getting the Aces’ first win under their belts: It was a game we needed. It was a game we needed not necessarily because, oh, it’s our first win. It’s because it’s something that this is huge for us. These are statement games in a way and when you are playing a good team like Conn, you have to really lock in at all costs. It was good to have a game underneath our belt. The crowd was great and now we have to get ready for Game 2.

Alyssa Thomas on her takeaways from Game 1: “After this game, we have to have a lot of confidence. I mean, this is a three-point game and we had a chance to tie. I think we are very confident and we know that all you need is one (win), and then there’s two games at our place. So, there’s some things we can clean up — of course we can make more shots — but overall we played a hard game.”

Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun: Leading scorers ahead of WNBA Finals’ Game 2

Aces leading scorers (postseason points average):

  • Chelsea Gray, 23.6
  • A’ja Wilson, 21.0
  • Kelsey Plum, 17.0
  • Jackie Young, 12.1
  • Riquna Williams, 6.3

Sun leading scorers (postseason points average):

  • Jonquel Jones, 14.4
  • DeWanna Bonner, 12.7
  • Alyssa Thomas, 11.9
  • Brionna Jones, 10.2
  • Natisha Hiedeman, 8.7

2022 WNBA Finals Schedule: Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

Note: Games marked with an asterisk (*) are if necessary

  • Game 1: Sunday, Sept. 11 — Connecticut at Las Vegas
    • Las Vegas won, 67-64 (3 p.m. ET on ABC)
  • Game 2: Tuesday, Sept. 13 — Connecticut at Las Vegas 
    • 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 3: Thursday, Sept. 15 — Las Vegas at Connecticut 
    • 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 4*: Sunday, Sept. 18 — Las Vegas at Connecticut 
    • 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
  • Game 5*: Tuesday, Sept. 20 — Connecticut at Las Vegas
    • 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

MORE WNBA: 2022 WNBA Finals — Las Vegas vs. Connecticut schedule, how to watch, results

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Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges still to come and embracing her AAPI heritage

By May 31, 2023, 9:59 AM EDT
Head of USA Gymnastics Li Li Leung.
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Li Li Leung joined USA Gymnastics as president and CEO in March 2019, when the organization was reeling from the fallout of Larry Nassar’s widespread sexual abuse and the subsequent revelations of larger cultural issues within the sport. Since then, Leung has seen USAG through an ongoing transformation, one that hinges on the work of the survivors and staff around her, whom she is quick to credit. That evolution, as she calls it, has included instituting new norms and standards at all levels of the sport, particularly in matters related to athlete safety.

Among the notable USAG initiatives that Leung has brought to fruition is the Athlete Bill of Rights, established in December 2020 as a tool “to unite the full gymnastics community around a shared vision of behavioral expectations.” At the same time, USAG instituted a protest policy for national team members aimed at supporting athletes who choose to use their voice on public platforms. Both initiatives were among the first of their kind in sport.

Prior to joining USAG, Leung served as a vice president at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she was responsible for building and managing key partner relationships around the world. She continues to use that experience in her roles as vice chair of the National Governing Bodies Council of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Executive Committee.

Leung, who began competing in gymnastics at age 7, was a member of the U.S. junior national training team and represented the U.S. at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games. She was a four-year member of the four-time Big 10 champion University of Michigan gymnastics team and was an NCAA Championships participant.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, On Her Turf sat down with Leung to talk about her journey with USAG, the challenges still to come and how being a member of the AAPI community has shaped the person she is today.

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This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start by talking about your journey since joining USA Gymnastics in 2019. What have the last four years been like for you?

Li Li Leung: This was just an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me. And I really mean that because I started in the sport when I was 7 years old and did it for 15 years. It’s taught me all of these different skills that I apply to my daily life, both professional and personal. It feels a little bit like I’ve come full circle, and honestly, never in a million years did I think I would find myself in this role. … I joined at a time when it was a tumultuous time for the organization. It’s been just a little a little over four years now, and it has been an incredible journey — and believe it or not, I have enjoyed it. While it hasn’t been easy, I actually have enjoyed it, because I’ve been able to make it not just me. One thing that’s important to note is that — I had even said on my first interview with the board — it will take a village to accomplish what we need to accomplish. This is not a one-person job. And I was lucky enough to be able to bring on a leadership team that has been incredible, and also retain the staff that we have retained, as well as hire other new staff members. And it’s because of them and some really key volunteers that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to do.

OHT: Can you talk a little more about this cultural transformation that the organization has experienced and your approach to tackling this all-encompassing change?

Leung: When I was interviewing for the position, I actually met every single board member. It was really critical to both sides that they felt that I matched the role and their needs and also I had to be confident in the board believing in the ultimate mission of the organization and what we wanted to achieve. So that the culture really does stem from the well – from the top down and everything in between as well. And when I was looking for leadership team, … one of the characteristics I was really looking for was they couldn’t have an ego. The job couldn’t be about themselves or about what they would personally get out of the role. It had to be about them believing in the bigger picture and believing in what we collectively wanted to achieve. I knew that we would only be able to accomplish what we need to accomplish if people were willing to roll up their sleeves and just do whatever needed to be done, so that was one of the key things in terms of having no ego.

Since 2018, we’ve turned over more than 70 percent of our staff. We’ve been able to retain the really key members of our staff, who have been critical to our success, but also have been able to really bring in new thinking, new blood, new perspectives. Because the other thing I was looking for when I was hiring for the leadership team was diversity in perspectives. That was critical because I did not want to be surrounded by “yes people.” I wanted to be surrounded by people who would be willing to have really robust conversations and engage in difficult conversations, because ultimately, you end up in a better place because of that.

In 2020, we reset our mission to be about building a community and culture of health, safety and excellence, with athletes who thrive in sport and in life. So we were no longer about developing technically superior gymnasts who perform well in gym. We reset our focus to be about helping set our athletes up for success with the skill sets that you learn in gymnastics, and when we come to the office each day, that’s what we’re thinking about. …

The other piece is we also know from a community standpoint that our national team coaches are the most visible representation (of USAG), and a lot of coaches model them. So we’ve been working really hard in terms of working on educating our national team coaches. We work with Positive Coaching Alliance to do educational training with them as well. And we also have introduced training specifically for young coaches coming in, because we know when they come in and they’re new, that they’re eager to learn, and that’s when you can start training and moving them in a way. So our thinking is with this top-down and bottom-up strategy, eventually the middle will meet.

OHT: You noted how the coaches can be some of the most visible representatives of USAG. Regarding the addition of 2008 Olympic silver medalists Chellsie Memmel (USAG technical lead) and Alicia Sacramone Quinn (USAG strategic lead), how have those women impacted the program?

Leung: The addition of Chellsie and Alicia has been fantastic. They have been phenomenal to work with, and the fact that they have firsthand experience of having gone through it themselves – that also gives them a very good idea of what they would change and what they wouldn’t change, at the same time. It has been a phenomenal addition to be able to have this perspective of firsthand, high-level, high-performing athletes to be able to lead our high-performance team. And the athletes are saying it as well. They’re saying, “We trust them; we feel confident in their decisions; we can relate to them” — all of those things that historically haven’t really happened before.

Then in terms of the athletes who are going to college and coming back to compete with USA Gymnastics – there are so many aspects that I think are great about this. One: It’s showing a lengthened career in a sport that historically has not been very long because it’s so demanding on the body. So that means that our athletes are physically healthier, as well, that they can train and compete at a high level for a longer period of time. It also means that they’re enjoying it more because they’re staying in the sport. From an emotional standpoint, they’re finding a lot more joy in the sport, and they’re talking about it, too. And we love the fact that they’re talking about it. We want them to talk about it, and we want them to have voices and feel open and free about sharing what they’re thinking about. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying seeing almost like — I’m not sure if I can go as far as a new era in the sport maybe — but just this evolution of the sport and the athletes changing in front of my eyes.

OHT: What do you consider now to still be the biggest challenge or obstacle for USAG?

Leung: There are a couple of big initiatives on the list. One is we want to build a training and wellness center where all of our disciplines will train under one roof. This is a long-term project, obviously, but my vision around it is that it will be the heart and hub of gymnastics in America. And while this is where national team athletes will ultimately train to some extent, it is going to be a welcoming place for athletes of all different disciplines and all different levels. We want it to be a place where young athletes can come through and see their role models training. We want this to be a place of education for our community and judges. We want to be able to run clinics there for all different levels. We just want this to be a gathering place of gymnastics and to be able to celebrate the sport there at the same time.

We’re also going to reset our foundation. There’s been the National Gymnastics Foundation, but we are going to reset it and basically be much more proactive on fundraising and development to grow the sport and also to raise more money for athletes in their training.

OHT: Turning to AAPI Heritage Month and being named to the 2023 Gold House A100 List (the A100 is named each May honoring 100 Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society over the past year). What did that honor mean to you?

Leung: It was such an incredible honor to be recognized by them, and my fellow honorees — when I read the list, I thought to myself, “I don’t belong.” There are some incredible names on that list. But again, I go back to what I said earlier: I owe this honor to a lot of the other people who work [at USAG]. I think the really important thing to recognize is that this was not done by just me. It was done by a lot of other people who are on staff and who aren’t getting the accolades or the recognition. But it was an incredible experience to be, and I’m very, very touched and honored to be on that list.

OHT: How do you identify within the Asian American Pacific Islander community? Did you embrace your heritage growing up and how has that shaped who you are today?

Leung: So I’ll tell you a story that I’ve mentioned to other people recently. I grew up in a town called Ridgewood in Bergen County, New Jersey, and most of my friends had blond hair and blue eyes. When I was growing up, I wanted the name “Nancy Smith,” and I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to fit in. As a kid, you always want to fit in. Then when you get older and wizen up a little bit, you realize that it’s okay and it’s good to be different, that you can use that to your advantage. And so upon growing up, I realized that it’s pretty special to be Asian American and there are benefits to being Asian American, and you should embrace the fact that you are different. In fact, I recently lectured to a women-in-sports-business class, and one of the questions they asked me was about impostor syndrome. I said the same thing that I’m saying to you now, which is absolutely embrace who you are. Absolutely embrace your differences, because those ultimately are embedded advantages to who you are and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. So that’s my philosophy now.

OHT: Do you or your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

Leung: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a tradition, but in the Chinese culture, food is really important. Food is what brings people together. It’s a sign of respect, and that is the ultimate unifying language in a way. So when we do get together as a family, it’s really important for us to get together around a meal, because that’s when we share our stories. That’s when we connect with one another.

OHT: You might have just answered my next question, but I want to ask: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Leung: It’s funny, I was actually at a conference last week and you were supposed to find someone you didn’t know in the conference and share a secret talent that you have. I shared that I can eat a lot more than most people think. Food is a really important part of our culture and in my upbringing and family.

OHT: Lastly, I wanted to ask, as we’ve seen an increase in hate-filled actions toward the AAPI community, what does supporting the AAPI community look like for you?

Leung: Well, I think kind of going back to my other answer, it’s just about embracing who you are and embracing your differences. I think part of it is being unafraid of it at the same time, which I know is really difficult. But if you’re going to truly embrace it, and then you can’t be afraid about embracing it at the same time.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Laureus award winner and three-time Olympic medalist Eileen Gu on Stanford, elevating women and changing the game

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2023 Mizuho Americas Open: How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at Liberty National GC

By May 30, 2023, 5:03 PM EDT
Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand tees off on the eleventh hole during Day One of the HSBC Women's World Championship.
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The Statue of Liberty is the backdrop for this week’s inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tournament boasts a theme of mentorship and education, and includes a girls’ 72-hole, modified Stableford tournament featuring 24 juniors to go along with the 72-hole stroke-play event for 120 LPGA professionals.

The field is led by seven of the top 10 players on the Rolex Rankings including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 3 Lydia Ko, No. 4 Lilia Vu and No. 5 Minjee Lee. Also teeing it up this week are the finalists from Sunday’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, where Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her second LPGA title with a 3-and-1 victory over Japan’s Ayaka Furue.

Michelle Wie West is serving as the tournament host, and she’ll be on hand to welcome fellow Stanford alum Rose Zhang, who’s fresh off her second straight NCAA individual title and turned professional just last week. Zhang will have her first go at an LPGA prize purse, which tops out at $2.75 million this week with the winner taking home $412,500.

How to watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open

You can watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

  • Thursday, June 1: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Friday, June 2: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Saturday, June 3: 5-8 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Sunday, June 4: 4:30-5 p.m. ET (streaming only on Peacock); 5-7:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock

ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: Wake Forest captures team title at 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships, Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins individual crown

Who’s playing in the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open?

The 120-player field features seven of the top 10 players (and 16 of the top 25 player) on the Rolex Rankings:

  • No. 1 Jin Young Ko
  • No. 3 Lydia Ko
  • No. 4 Lilia Vu
  • No. 5 Minjee Lee
  • No. 6 Atthaya Thitikul
  • No. 8 Brooke Henderson
  • No. 9 Georgia Hall

Also in the field are 2023 winners Celine Boutier (LPGA Drive On Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), plus several sponsor exemptions including reigning NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang and her Stanford teammate Megha Ganne. Ganne, a native of Holmdel, N.J., finished T-21 at the recent NCAAs and is playing as an amateur. Joining them as an exemption is fellow Cardinal Mariah Stackhouse, who has conditional status on tour in 2023. Monday qualifiers include tour rookie Alexa Pano and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith.

Among the notable juniors expected to play are 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Anna Davis, 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Yana Wilson and 2022 U.S. Junior Girls’ runnerup Gianna Clemente. The 24 junior players were invited through their standings in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

What’s the format for the Mizuho Americas Open?

The professionals will play a 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut to the top 50 and ties after 36 holes. The 24 juniors will play a 72-hole, no-cut competition using the modified Stableford scoring format and a different yardage than the pros.

During the first two rounds, the AJGA players will all be paired together. During the final two rounds, one junior player will play with two LPGA pros with groupings based on scores. This unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase junior and professional competitors playing together.

Stableford scoring refresher: “Stableford” is a scoring system that awards points for the number of strokes taken on each hole in relation to par, rather than simply counting strokes like in stroke play. Unlike in stroke play, where players want the lowest score, the goal in Stableford scoring is to have the highest score. Standard Stableford points values are:

  • 0 Points – Double bogey or worse (two strokes or more over par)
  • 1 Point – Bogey (one stroke over par)
  • 2 Points – Par
  • 3 Points – Birdie (one stroke under par)
  • 4 Points – Eagle (two strokes under par)
  • 5 Points – Albatross or double eagle (three strokes under par)
  • 6 Points – Condor (four strokes under par)

More about Liberty National Golf Club

Located on the shore of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Liberty National Golf Club was designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite and officially opened on July 4, 2006. After the course received mixed reviews following the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust in 2009, the course underwent a renovation led by Steve Wenzloff of PGA Tour Design Services. Of note, the course hosted an event during the PGA Tour Playoffs four times (2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021) as well as the 2017 Presidents Cup, where the U.S. defeated the Internationals 19-11 for the Americans’ seventh consecutive victory in the competition and its 10th straight win overall. For this week’s event, the course will play to a par of 72 with an unofficial scorecard yardage of 6,671 yards.

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