The 2016 International Crown was a women's golf team event organized by the LPGA, played July 21–24 at the Merit Club in Libertyville, Illinois, north of Chicago.[1] This was the second International Crown, a biennial match play event contested between teams of four players representing eight countries.
The first three days, Thursday through Saturday, featured round-robin pool play matches at fourball. Each match was worth two points for a win and one point for a halve.[2] Following the completion of pool play, the top two teams in each pool and one wild card team advanced to singles play. The five remaining teams were re-seeded based on points earned in pool play, and each team played one singles match against each of the other teams on Sunday. The total points earned in pool and singles play determined the team champion.[3]
On April 3, 2016, eight teams qualified to participate in this event, based on the combined world rankings of the top four players from each country: South Korea, United States, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, England, China and Australia.[5][6] Defending champion Spain did not qualify. The team members were finalized on June 13, 2016, and divided into two pools.[5][7] The top two teams from 2014, Spain and Sweden, failed to make the 2016 field. China and England made the field for the first time.
Match 11: Suzuki/Watanabe (JPN) and Ewart Shadoff/Clyburn (ENG), halved
Match 12: Miyazato/Nomura (JPN) defeated Hull/Reid (ENG), 1 up (Hull did not play due to illness[9])
Standings
Seed
Team
Points
Win
Loss
Tie
7
England
5
2
1
1
3
Japan
4
1
1
2
6
Thailand
4
1
1
2
2
United States
3
1
2
1
Source:[9]
Day three pool play
Saturday, July 23, 2016 Sunday, July 24, 2016
Play was suspended due to lightning with only the South Korea/Australia matches yet to be completed. England and the United States advanced to singles play from pool B.[10] Play resumed Sunday morning with South Korea winning both its matches with Australia to advance, along with Chinese Taipei, to singles play.
Pool A
South Korea vs. Australia
Match 23: Yang/Chun (KOR) defeated Lee/Oh (AUS), 1 up
Match 24: Ryu/Kim (KOR) defeated Webb/Artis (AUS), 3 & 2
Chinese Taipei vs. China
Match 19: Kung/Lu (TPE) and Sh. Feng/Si. Feng (CHN), halved
Match 20: Yan/Lin (CHN) defeated Tseng/Cheng (TPE), 5 & 4
Standings
Seed
Team
Points
Win
Loss
Tie
1
South Korea
8
4
2
0
5
Chinese Taipei
7
3
2
1
8
China
6
2
2
2
4
Australia
3
1
4
1
Pool B
United States vs. Japan
Match 21: Piller/Lewis (USA) defeated Miyazato/Nomura (JPN), 2 & 1
Match 22: Kerr/Thompson (USA) defeated Suzuki/Watanabe (JPN), 4 & 2
Match 18: Hull/Reid (ENG) defeated A. Jutanugarn/M. Jutanugarn/(THA), 2 & 1
Standings
Seed
Team
Points
Win
Loss
Tie
7
England
9
4
1
1
2
United States
7
3
2
1
6
Thailand
4
1
3
2
3
Japan
4
1
3
2
Wild card
China, Japan, and Thailand advanced to the wildcard playoff by finishing third in their pools. Japan advanced when Ayaka Watanabe eagled the first playoff hole.[11]
Standings
Reseed
Team
Points
Win
Loss
Tie
1
England
9
4
1
1
2
South Korea
8
4
2
0
3
United States
7
3
2
1
4
Chinese Taipei
7
3
2
1
5
Japan
4
1
3
2
Singles play
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Match 25: Kung (TPE) defeated Suzuki (JPN), 2 & 1
Match 26: Lewis (USA) defeated Miyazato (JPN), 3 & 2
Match 27: Piller (USA) defeated Tseng (TPE), 4 & 3
Match 28: Nomura (JPN) defeated Yang (KOR), 3 & 2
Match 29: Watanabe (JPN) defeated Clyburn (ENG), 1 up
Match 30: Lu (TPE) defeated Chun (KOR), 4 & 3
Match 31: Ewart Shadoff (ENG) defeated Cheng (TPE), 1 up
Match 32: Ryu (KOR) defeated Thompson (USA), 2 & 1
Match 33: Kerr (USA) defeated Reid (ENG), 3 & 2
Match 34: Kim (KOR) defeated Hull (ENG), 5 & 4
Source:[11][12]
Final standings
Place
Team
Points
Win
Loss
Tie
Money ($) (per player)
1
United States
13
6
3
1
100,000
2
South Korea
12
6
4
0
60,000
T3
Chinese Taipei
11
5
4
1
50,000
England
11
5
4
1
5
Japan
8
3
5
2
42,500
6
China
6
2
2
2
35,000
7
Thailand
4
1
3
2
32,500
8
Australia
3
1
4
1
30,000
References
^"Chicago's Merit Club to Host 2016 UL International Crown". LPGA. November 24, 2015.
^"Field is Set for Inaugural International Crown; Teams Seeded, Players Finalized in a Dramatic Finish at the Kia Classic". LPGA Tour. March 31, 2014.
^"Fact Sheet". LPGA International Crown. 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
^"Course Map". LPGA International Crown. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
^ a b"Qualifying". UL International Crown.
^"Eight countries finalized for 2016 UL International crown". UL International Crown. April 3, 2016.
^"2016 UL International Crown Final Field Announced". UL International Crown. June 22, 2016.
^"England sweeps United States at LGPA Tour's International Crown". ESPN. Associated Press. July 22, 2016.
^ a b"Cristie Kerr, Lexi Thompson lift U.S. past Thailand at UL International Crown". ESPN. Associated Press. July 22, 2016.
^"Play Suspended On Day 3 UL International Crown – Resumes 7:00 a.m. Sunday". LPGA. July 23, 2016.
^ a b"2016 UL International Crown Final Day Notes and Interviews". LPGA. July 24, 2016.
^"Cristie Kerr holds on as U.S. wins UL International Crown". ESPN. Associated Press. July 24, 2016.