LPGA Ford Championship heads to Gila River Indian Community golf course

In the heart of the Sonoran Desert, the Gila River Indian Community is preparing to welcome the world’s top golfers during the LPGA’s Ford Championship, presented by Wild Horse Pass.

The LPGA Tour stop will bring together fans and the community’s cultural heritage from March 27 to 30 at Whirlwind Golf Club. Stephen Roe Lews, governor of the Gila River Indian Community Stephen, emphasized the importance of showcasing the community’s economic strength and hospitality as one of the few tribes to host a professional sporting event.

Lewis has a history of involvement in Valley sports, including his role as a member of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. He notes the sense of recognition for tribal communities back in 2023 – and hopes for the same acknowledgment next week.

“I think this shows that the Gila River Indian Community, for a long part of our history, we’ve put such a high priority as part of our culture and tradition, on hospitality, so this plays right into our values and our history,” Lewis says. “This shows that a tribe such as the Gila River Indian Community, that we’re a major economic force.”

This Ford Championship is entering its second year, having moved from its inaugural venue at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert. Currently, 19 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings have committed to compete, including last year’s winner, Nelly Korda, who had seven wins in 2024.

Swedish golfer Madelene Sagstrom, who is also committed to play after competing last year, has 20 career top-10 finishes and 55 career top-25 finishes while playing in tournaments around the world. For her, the Valley stands out among the one of the destinations with the best courses.

“I think the charm of what we do is that we play so many different golf courses in so many different conditions,” Sagstrom said. “I mean, I was just talking a little bit earlier, like, it’s perfect to play golf here, everything is perfect about golf in Arizona.

“We have had a lot of good fans coming out here and I love playing when people scream, like when you make a putt, people cheer. I’m a big one of those adrenaline junkies ... I love having a big crowd.”

Already a major attraction for the community, the Gila River Casinos distribute 12% of their revenue to “cities, towns and counties for community services and public safety programs.” In addition to the LPGA Ford Championship, Lewis said the community is planning a youth golf clinic for children and bringing in their Native youth.

“It’s about diversity as well, especially now, to expose them to golf," Lewis says, noting that it's traditionally been a sport in which Indigenous people were not well represented due to the costs of participation.

Ford’s regional manager, Brandon Nix, says women’s athletics has taken off in recent years and that’s why Ford is excited to sponsor an LPGA event. In 2024, the female golfer population was at an all-time high with 7.9 million golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation.

“You see the things that have happened with women’s basketball, soccer, softball, but golf is also making that jump,” Nix says. “And, you know, the NCAA, sure they’ve got their Caitlin Clarks. The WNBA has Caitlin Clark, but we have the Nelly Kordas. We have the Lydia Kos.”

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