LPGA's Carlota Ciganda joins Brooks Koepka as inaugural winner of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge and takes home $1 million prize
First-of-its-kind program awards equal prize money for LPGA and PGA TOUR winners
Season-long competition recognizes players who consistently make the best decisions on the most strategically challenging holes in golf
NAPLES, Florida, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, and the LPGA announced that Carlota Ciganda has won the inaugural Aon Risk Reward Challenge and a $1 million prize.
Watch highlights of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge here.
Throughout the season, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge showcased how the world's best golfers are among the world's best strategic decision makers. The competition, which measured the performance of LPGA and PGA TOUR golfers on a series of holes across multiple tournaments, tested players' ability to analyze risk, utilize data-driven insights to identify opportunities and maximize performance in the moments that matter most.
"Being the first LPGA Tour player to win the Aon Trophy is such an honor," said Ciganda. "We face so many great competitors and I worked closely with my team, specifically my caddie, to give me opportunities to deliver the best possible performance."
Ciganda was a leading contender from the beginning, but it wasn't until end of the season that she really started to make a move on the leaderboard. Her eagle-birdie scores on the Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes in consecutive weeks (Buick LPGA Shanghai in Shanghai and BMW Ladies Championship in Busan) stretched her lead on the way to becoming the Champion.
Aon and the PGA TOUR previously recognized Brooks Koepka as the winner of the inaugural Aon Risk Reward Challenge trophy. Both Koepka and Ciganda received equal $1 million prizes.
"It sends a powerful message for Carlota to win the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, receive the same prize money and share the title with Brooks," said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. "This inaugural season was extremely exciting as our players competed week in and week out across the globe. It came down to the wire, and we have so much respect for the way Carlota rose to the challenge."
Commissioner Whan added: "Innovative partners like Aon are key to the growth of the game. This competition has added tremendous value and interest in what we do and serves as a powerful initiative."
"Aon approached the PGA TOUR and LPGA with the idea for the competition because it offered compelling opportunities for players like Carlota, the game of golf and our firm," said Aon Chief Marketing Officer Andy Weitz.
"We are very proud of the program that's been developed," Weitz added. "Drawing on the Risk Reward narrative, we've been able to show the parallels between decisions made on the course and in the boardroom, demonstrating how we create value for our clients. The inaugural season of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge has exceeded our expectations and we could not be more pleased to have Carlota Ciganda and Brooks Koepka as our first champions."
About the Aon Risk Reward Challenge
The Aon Risk Reward Challenge is a unique season-long competition across the LPGA and the PGA TOUR that highlights golf's most strategic decision makers. The scoring system, identical on both the PGA TOUR and LPGA, is intuitive and produces a compelling risk/reward narrative throughout the season. The Aon Risk Reward Challenge takes the best two scores on the designated hole from every participating event a player competes in, ensuring that all play is counted and providing a small advantage to those that make the cut. The winner is the player with the best average score to par across the season. Players must have competed in a minimum of 40 rounds throughout the season.
The Challenge runs across regular season tournaments (36 PGA TOUR; 29 LPGA), with Golf Channel as official broadcast partner of the LPGA. The Aon Risk Reward Challenge is brought to life through feature segments, including weekly Challenge hole profiles and insights, player interviews and on-air commentary as well as through the work of the Aon player ambassadors throughout the year.
To view the final Aon Risk Reward Challenge leaderboard on the LPGA and for more information visit: Aon Risk Reward Challenge on the LPGA
To view the current Aon Risk Challenge leaderboard on the 2019/20 PGA TOUR season and for more information visit: Aon Risk Reward Challenge on the PGA TOUR
About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance. Sign up for News Alerts to get information instantly. Follow Aon on Twitter and join the conversation on LinkedIn.
As an Official Marketing Partner of both Tours, Aon receives the following designations: the "Official Professional Services Firm of the LPGA" and the "Official Risk, Retirement and Health Advisor of the PGA TOUR." Aon is also the "Worldwide Partner of the Ryder Cup".
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world's leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women's golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.
The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental, humanitarian and golf community initiatives, including LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the LPGA Women's Network and the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.
Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram at @lpga_tour.
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