Battle of Red, White and Blue: Amateur LPGA hosts Myrtle Beach tournament in effort to expand game for women

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The Ladies Professional Golf Association amateur division came together on Wednesday to celebrate the Fourth of July, albeit a day early.

At Myrtle Beach’s World Tour Golf Links, the LPGA had their “Battle of Red, White and Blue” golf outing to help promote the game among women.

Women of all ages and all golf levels gathered to play in the tournament. The white and red teams challenged each other in a “step aside” scramble, while the blue team played just for fun.

“We come together as a group. Some of us have higher handicaps, some of us have lower handicaps,” co-captain Sherry Jude said. “But on a day like today, it doesn’t matter. We’re all just here for a good reason to celebrate Fourth of July and just to celebrate women.”

Women from Shallotte, North Carolina, to Pawleys Island came together to play the one thing they all love — golf. The amateur tournament highlighted to team bond and build new friendships as they made their way through the course.

“So, we are the amateur arm of the LPGA, the professionals, and we are gaining so much ground,” said Jaime Costanzo, president of the Myrtle Beach Chapter for LPGA Amateur. “When I got down here, this chapter did not exist. I thought, what a perfect place, we’re in the golf capital of the world and we should have a women’s presence here.”

Some of the women involved said that the program in Myrtle Beach means more to them than just a round of golf.

Jude said the course has brought her a sense of community, both on and off of it.

“We just want to play together and root for each other and form friendships and become better golfers,” she said. “You know, we play just for fun or we play competitive, [it] doesn’t matter. We welcome you.”

For veteran Jeanne Tirado, Wednesday’s round brought her a deeper meaning, bringing her back to her days in the Army.

“Every year, when I play in a tournament like this, it just brings me back to when I was in the military,” she said. “Every time I set foot on the golf course, because that’s my passion too, I just think about all those folks I was able to help from way back then, and we’re still friends today.”

The Myrtle Beach Chapter currently holds 245 members and is the fastest-growing chapter out of 135 across America and Canada. It hosts special events and leagues for women who want to play “Just 4 Fun.”

Their motto is “No strangers here, only friends you haven’t met.” The LPGA Amateur Golf Association is a nonprofit focused on providing women of all skill levels with opportunities to connect, learn about and play the game of golf.

For more information about it, click here.

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Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter , Facebook or Instagram , and read more of her work here .

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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here .

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