For the eighth consecutive year, the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give is inviting collegiate and
underrepresented athletes to play alongside the LPGA Tour professionals representing Meijer in the
tournament on June 16-19 at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan.
Sadena Parks, a two-time EPSON Tour winner, who competed full-time on the LPGA Tour in 2015,
captured the women’s division of THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational presented by
Rocket Mortgage on Thursday at Blythefield Country Club. Parks turned in a 3-under par 69 on
Thursday to finish the two-day event at 2-under par, winning by two strokes. As a result of her
victory, Parks earned exemptions into the Meijer LPGA Classic, as well as an exemption into the
Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (July 13-16) in Midland, Mich. She selected Anita Uwadia, who
finished fourth in the event, as her teammate for the Dow GLBI, which is a two-player team event.
The JOHN SHIPPEN, designed to showcase Black amateur and professional golfers, is named after
John Shippen, Jr., who was the first American-born golf professional and also the country’s first
Black golf professional.
“We are excited to welcome Valery, Natasha and Sadena as part of our world-class international field
at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give and we look forward to celebrating their outstanding
achievements during tournament week,” said Cathy Cooper, executive director of the Meijer LPGA
Classic.
Valery Plata, a graduating senior at Michigan State University, will return for a second year as a
sponsor exemption to the Meijer LPGA Classic. In 2021, Plata finished T70 as a sponsor exemption
at the 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic, her LPGA Tour debut. The Meijer LPGA Classic will be the
kickoff for Plata’s competitive summer, as she also is entered into the AIG Women’s Open and the
Evian Championship as a result of winning Women’s Amateur Latin American (WALA)
Championship in November. She followed up her victory in November by becoming the first-ever
women’s winner of the Patriot All-American Invitational in Arizona in December. She also competed
at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at historic Augusta National Golf Club. Plata,
currently 58th in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings, is a three-time All-Big-Ten First Team
selection (2020-22) and was the 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year.
Natasha Andrea Oon, a graduating senior from San José State University, will compete in the
Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give as a result of winning the 2022 Inkster Award Presented by
Workday, recognizing the highest-ranked women’s Division I (DI) collegiate golfer in her final year
of eligibility for the 2021-22 college golf season. The award is named after Juli Inkster, a World Golf
Hall-of-Fame member and LPGA legend, who was a three-time All-American San Jose State (1979-
82). Oon finished the season as the 3rd-ranked DI women’s college golfer according to Golfstat and
the 4th-ranked in the Golfweek-Sagarin rankings, the highest-ranked senior in both polls. As a result
of winning the award, Oon receives exemptions to compete in the 2022 Meijer LPGA Classic and the
AmazingCre Portland Classic in Portland, Ore. She also will automatically advance to the second
stage of LPGA Q-School, Oct. 18-21, and will join Inkster on a two-day mentorship retreat in
Northern California. Workday also is providing $50,000 to the Juli Inkster Foundation to help
support Oon’s transition to her professional golf career.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
The 2022 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. The 2021 tournament raised $1.1 million for local food pantries through
Simply Give. In total, the seven tournaments have generated more than $7.4 million for the Meijer
Simply Give program. Additionally, in 2021, tournament officials introduced a separate $25,000
donation to a hunger relief organization of the champion’s choice, which will continue again this
year. Champion Nelly Korda chose Grand Rapids-based Kids’ Food Basket for the inaugural
donation.
For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, and to purchase tickets, please
visit meijerLPGAclassic.com. Follow the action and stay up-to-date on the latest tournament news
using #ForeHunger and #MeijerCommunity.
