"The Classic" Comes Back to Corning CC
The LPGA returns to Corning Country Club
JAMESVILLE, N.Y. -- It was announced this morning that the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour’s “The Classic” will return to Corning Country Club in 2027, the first time since 2009. The tournament will be held May 27-30, 2027, with one of the largest non-major purses in the LPGA Tour. It will be presented by Corning Incorporated.
Related: Club Homepage / LPGA Announcement
Corning Country Club, located in Corning, was founded in 1919 and was designed by Thomas Winton. The 18-hole golf course is a par-70, playing at 6234 yards from the back tees. The layout works up and down a prominent ridge that cuts through the golf course that challenges any player with tight, tree-lined fairways, distinct elevation changes, and heavily bunkered, undulating greens.
It has hosted six NYS championships, most recently the Women’s Amateur Championship in 2023, won by Lily Zhang at 14 years old. Previously it hosted the Women’s Senior & Super Senior in 2017, the Girls’ Junior in 1989, the Men’s Senior in 1982, and the Women’s Amateur in 1975 & 1965.
The LPGA Corning Classic was a mainstay on tour as the tournament spanned from 1979-2009. In the 1983 championship, NYSGA Hall of Fame member Dottie Pepper played in her first professional event, about five years before becoming a professional.
Tournament proceeds went to charity, supporting local hospitals and camps for disabled children. Corning Incorporated hosted all 31 previous renditions of the tournament. The Classic was the longest running tournament on the LPGA Tour with a single sponsor.
In a statement by the LPGA, Corning Incorporated’s Lewis Steverson said, “We’re proud to renew a relationship that runs deep across our company and this region. Together with our employees, local leaders, the Corning Country Club, and the LPGA Tour, we look forward to welcoming the world’s best players back to Corning for an event that reflects the innovation, excellence, and unmistakable spirit that have defined Corning for generations.”
In the same statement, LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler noted “The return of The Classic brings together the LPGA’s history and its future. As we continue shaping the next chapter of our Tour, we’re building on the qualities that have defined the LPGA for decades—incredible championships, committed partners, passionate communities and unforgettable experiences for our athletes… All the legends I’ve spoken to remember this event so fondly, and we can’t wait to create a new generation of memories together in Corning.”
In front of the clubhouse’s entrance lies a plaque commemorating all the winners of the 31 prior Corning Classics. The most recent winner was Yani Tseng of Taiwan. Betsy King and Rosie Jones were the only players to win the tournament multiple times. King won in 1991 and 2000. Jones won in 1996 and 1997.
The LPGA had previously held a major in Pittsford. Locust Hill Country Club hosted the LPGA Championship from 2010 while Monroe Golf Club was the venue for the 2014 Wegmans LPGA Championship. The major is now sponsored by KPMG.
