By our account, the Nanea Cup is a win-win-win-win-win-win-win. Yes, that’s 7 winners coming out of this new event.
What’s special about this tournament is that the LPGA Tour players and collegiate players from five of the top golf programs will compete concurrently for the first time.
The Nanea Cup will take place March 11-14, 2027, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Nanea Golf Club has hosted Stanford’s collegiate invitationals since 2013 but never a professional event.
Let’s dive into the 7 winners of this event.
1. The LPGA Tour
The LPGA Tour is a clear winner from adding this event to the schedule.
If you remember Craig Kessler’s vision that he presented to the media at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship, you’ll know that his priorities are the broadcast, schedule, buildings stars, TV rights and internal talent. He may have hit all five with the Nanea Cup.
Let’s start with the broadcast and TV rights. Golf Channel will be covering the Nanea Cup, so that’s a huge win in itself. This year is the first season the entire LPGA Tour schedule is being broadcasted, so it’s great to see Golf Channel still wants to put the pedal to the metal next year.
With scheduling, stopping in Hawaii in March makes perfect sense. “Our excitement about adding the Nanea Cup to the 2027 LPGA Tour schedule is off the charts,” said LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler. “As we continue to focus on routing, courses and purses, this event checks every box. Hawaii is a natural stop as we return from Asia and head to the West Coast.”
And when it comes to building stars? The next generation comes from college. Giving these top performers exposure and experience can only help them connect with fans and improve their games to get to the next level.
As for internal talent, we have no doubt it took many of the new hires and current staff to add a new event to the schedule. From past discussions with Jody Brothers, the chief business officer of the Epson Tour, we know it takes a lot of time, effort and money to make this happen. Props to Kessler and his team for adding another event that champions women’s golf in so many ways.
2. The LPGA Tour Players
Anytime a new event is added to the LPGA Tour schedule, the players have a new opportunity to earn money, Race to the CME points, status and exposure. That extends their careers.
The other win? A $4 million purse. That’s more than a non-major event on the current schedule.
On top of the inherent wins from creating a new event and purse on tour, this stop in Hawaii will go a long way in smoothing out a schedule that isn’t always easy on the body. Plus, playing in the tropics during the spring hopefully means better weather – just what these players need ahead of a long season.
3. The College Players and Their Programs
Of course, the 25 collegiate players will be loving this event. Currently, five players from the following programs will be competing:
- Stanford
- Texas
- Arkansas
- Texas A&M
- UCLA
These programs are top tier in women’s collegiate golf. Stanford has won the NCAA D1 Championship three of the last five years, one time against UCLA in the Finals. Texas’ Farah O’Keefe won the individual national championship this year. Arkansas’ Maria José Marin won in 2025 and Texas A&M’s Adela Cernousek won in 2024.
Not that these programs need help recruiting, but having Golf Channel exposure will certainly up their reputations.
As for the players themselves, they’re gaining experience, TV exposure and relationships with players who could be their mentors and one-day fellow competitors. Being able to play with your role models is the best way to learn how to join them. In turn, they’ll become role models for the girls who tune in to watch the Nanea Cup.
4. Nanea Golf Club
Nanea Golf Club opened in 2003 and is located next to the Hualalai volcano. David McLay Kidd designed the links golf course to lie between mountain and sea.
In addition to being able to showcase their beautiful golf course on TV for the first time, they’ll also receive donations from the sponsors for the Nanea Foundation, which serves local and statewide charities.
“On behalf of the Nanea membership and ‘ohana, and our co-founders George Roberts and Chuck Schwab, we are proud to host the Nanea Cup,” said Nanea President Dan Rose. “We’ve designed this tournament around the values that George and Chuck instilled at Nanea from the very beginning: generosity, enjoyment, paying it forward, respect for one another and for Hawaiian culture, and appreciation of Hawaii’s natural beauty. By bringing professional athletes together with collegiate stars, we will showcase women’s golf in a magical setting never before seen on TV.”
While they’ve worked with Stanford’s Anne Walker in the past to host collegiate events, this will be their first time sharing Nanea Golf Club worldwide in a professional event.
5. Golf Channel
Golf Channel is another victor from the Nanea Cup. They have the opportunity to solidify their status as an ally to women’s golf: promoting their play, inspiring the next generation of girl golfers and showcasing another ally, Nanea Golf Club.
“Golf Channel applauds the LPGA’s bold vision in creating a joint event with collegiate golf teams in primetime at a premiere venue such as Nanea Golf Club,” said Golf Channel’s Executive Vice President and General Manager Tom Knapp. “New, dynamic ideas are critical, and we look forward to putting our deep experience and relationships with today’s college golfers and coaches to work to help the LPGA build this innovative new event.”
6. The Sponsors
The title sponsors for this event are Charles Schwab, Dell Technologies, Salesforce and Workday.
In addition to funding the Nanea Cup, donating to the Nanea Foundation and gaining the reputational currency that comes from supporting women’s sports and charities, the sponsors are also offering their expertise. They’ll be on the ground networking with the players and prioritizing mentorship between the players and the corporate world.
7. The Girls
The girls watching this event on TV are really what the Nanea Cup is about. By strengthening the connection between LPGA Tour and collegiate players – and broadcasting it – this tournament has the power to inspire the next generation of talent.
For those that say, “If you can see her, you can be her,” this is exactly what it means. These girls will see women on the big screen and add a new goal to their bucket list before playing on the LPGA Tour: play in the Nanea Cup.
