If The LPGA Had Signature Events, Mizuho Would Be One of Them

WEST CALDWELL, N.J. — Signature events, previously called designated events, on the PGA TOUR can feel like mini majors at times. The elite player fields, increased prize money, and of course, the venues that host these events—are all elevated compared to regular weeks on the schedule.

They're little doses and reminders that golf's expansion boils over from the major weeks and people are paying attention—and for the LPGA Tour— the Mizuho Americas Open is exactly that.

It’s a special week across the Hudson River, just outside New York City, as the Tour returns to Mountain Ridge Country Club for the first time in four years. The stage is set with 120 LPGA professionals competing alongside an elite amateur field featuring the AJGA’s top 24 ranked players.

With its unique format and the presence of tournament host Michelle Wie West, the Mizuho Americas Open is quickly establishing itself as one of the standout events on the schedule—despite being only a few years old. Here’s why.

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Host Course(s)

For the last three years, Mizuho has been contested at Liberty National, which is just a stone's throw away from the Statue of Liberty and a mere ferry ride from lower Manhattan.

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Liberty National was once a a clean-up project. The now luxurious golf club had several dark, and well, dirty past lives. It was used as uses as an oil refinery, storage facility, and during the First World War, the location housed ammunition. During the Second World War, part of land was used as a prisoner of war camp. But its course engineers and designers of the course, saw an aerial shot of the grounds, they had a vision for a golf course that would sit across from the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Lower Manhattan. And over the year's it become a premier attraction site for professional golf, serving as host to not just Mizuho but a total of nine PGA TOUR events, including the 2017 President's Cup.

But in it's fourth year, this special tournament will revisit a course of LPGA's past in Mountain Ridge Country Club, located 20 miles outside of NYC. It’s a challenging course, featuring beautiful views, significant elevation changes, and complex greens that give it the feel of a major championship test. Previously, this course has hosted the 2021 Founders Cup when Jin Young Ko won with a score of 18-under-par.

Mizuho will continue to be the title sponsor of this event through 2030, and in two years, Liberty National will be the host venue once more, and hopefully for the long run!

Michelle Wie West Doing Double-Duty!

In the past, Michelle Wie West has just acted as tournament host, you know, greeting folks, talking to media, speaking on panels, doing all the things a good host does. But this year, things are looking a little bit different for Wiezy as she has also accepted a sponsor invitation into the field this week.

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And she may be more locked in than normal, but Wie West hasn't skimped on being the hostess with the mostest! Each player is getting a Ford courtesy car for the week, along with a $250 Starbucks gift card for a little off-course libation.

But perhaps one of my favorite elements of this week is the mentorship program between the pros and the amateurs playing in the event that Wie West has helped forge. She was barely a teen when the golf world was introduced to her so she knows first-hand what it's like to experience the big stage at an early age, and wants this event to be a leading force in connecting the current generation of LPGA players with the next ones up.

Giving Pro-Am a Whole New Meaning

Mizuho's separating element is by far its unique format that offers an opportunity for top-ranked AJGA junior golfers to compete side-by-side with the best LPGA players in the world.

While the pros will play in normal stroke play tournament format, the amateurs use a Modified Stableford format where points will be awarded based on a score for each hole.

There's a winner for each division. Previous LPGA winners include Rose Zhang (2023), Nelly Korda (2024), and Jeeno Thitikul (2025). It was also Zhang's first ever LPGA win, making her the first player in 51 years to win her professional debut. A feat Lottie Woad also accomplished last year.

Yana Wilson, who won the amateur division in 2023 will tee it up this week as a 2026 LPGA rookie!

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How To Watch/TV and Streaming

Thursday, May 7: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Golf Channel Digital); 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. (Golf Channel Live)

Friday, May 8: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Golf Channel Digital); 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. (Golf Channel Live)

Saturday, May 9: 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. (Golf Channel Digital); 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. (Golf Channel Live)

Sunday, May 10: 12:00pm - 1:00pm (Golf Channel Digital); 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. (CBS/Paramount+)

This page was first published on May 5, 2025. Last updated May 6, 2026.