Instead of Maineville, Ohio for the inaugural Prasco Charity Championship, Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden) is in Kildeer, Ill., this week, as she received a sponsor exemption into the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship from June 28-July 1 at Kemper Lakes Golf Club.
It will be only the second Epson Tour event that the current No. 1 in the Volvik Race for the Card misses this year, but there’s no way she could have turned down an invite to the third major of the LPGA Tour season.
“This is an opportunity that doesn’t come around too often, and I am very grateful to be selected by KPMG for the exemption,” said Haglund. “It is extra special because my birthday is this week, so it is literally icing on the cake to be included with such a prestigious group of players.”
Featured in the 156-player field, Haglund is currently No. 198 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She will be competing against the top-100 players on the LPGA official money list, as well as 37 of the top-40 in the Rolex Rankings.
“Having our No. 1 player in the Volvik Race for the Card playing in a major championship shows how fine the line is between the Epson Tour and LPGA,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer for the Epson Tour. “Her consistent rookie campaign is a testament to where her game is heading and gives her the opportunity to test herself against the best.”
Haglund made her first career Epson Tour start in Beaumont, Calif., at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. In just her fourth event at the Epson Classic, she earned her first Tour win. Overall, she has six top-20 finishes on the year, including four top-10s and three top-5 results, with the victory as the cherry on top.
Meanwhile, the win on the official qualifying Tour of the LPGA is not the only time she has raised a trophy in 2018. On April 22, Haglund captured the Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Morocco, part of the Ladies European Tour (LET) schedule.
“Winning the LET tournament definitely taught me how to win on the Epson Tour,” Haglund said. “I’ve taken pieces from each experience and grown from them to develop my game and keep it moving in a positive direction.”
Furthermore, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship won’t be the first major for Haglund. Last year, she earned a spot in the Ricoh Women’s British Open, an event she’ll tee it up at again this year. Also on her schedule is The Evian Championship in September.
“Every step along the journey this season has been a learning process, from traveling so much to figuring out when to take time off to practice and rest,” said Haglund. “I’m enjoying it and am very lucky to be where I am on the Epson Tour, as well as competing in several LPGA and LET tournaments. Still, I try to stay focused on the present and not think too far ahead.”
In 2016, Haglund graduated from SMU and then played on the LET Access Series. She went on to earn her LET card for 2017 after finishing second in the Access Series points standings.
While at SMU, she was a four-year all-conference selection and completed her collegiate career as the Mustangs’ all-time scoring average leader (73.55). Haglund also won the inaugural American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship in 2014.
On Thursday, Haglund tees off in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at 1 p.m. ET off the first tee. She’s grouped with 2017 Epson Tour graduate Celine Boutier (Montrouge, France) and Epson Tour alumna Caroline Inglis (Eugene, Oregon)
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