From John Fischer,
Your Guide to Philadelphia / South Jersey.
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Professional golf returns to the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area in June with three tournaments, including two tournaments designated as majors by their respective tours.

The LPGA makes their annual return to Wilmington, Delaware with the McDonald's LPGA Championship at the DuPont Country Club. The tournament runs from June 2 to June 8, with the four championship rounds taking place Thursday - Sunday.

The McDonald's Championship is the second major on the LPGA schedule, and will feature all of the stars of the LPGA Tour, including such notables as Julie Inkster, Grace Park, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb,and defending champion Se Ri Pak.

The tournament will also feature such rising young stars as Natalie Gulbis, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Lorena Ochoa, as well as LPGA Hall of Fame members.

Later in June the LPGA returns to the area for the ShopRite LPGA Classic which will be held at the Marriott Seaview Resort (Bay Course) in Galloway Township, NJ. Competitive rounds will take place from June 27 to June 29. Annika Sorenstam will return to defend her 2002 title.

If that's not enough, the LPGA will return to the area in August for the Wachovia LPGA Classic, hosted by Betsy King. The tournament will be held at the Berkleigh Country Club in Kutztown, PA from August 21 to 24, 2003.

The Champions Tour (formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour) returns to the area for the first time since the demise of the Bell Atlantic Classic at Hartefeld National in 1999.

The 64th Senior PGA Championship will take place at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, PA from June 2 to June 8 - the same week as the LPGA McDonald's Championship.

The Senior PGA Championship is the oldest and most prestigious event in senior golf. Competitive rounds will also take place Thursday through Sunday.

Local golf fans will have the opportunity to see two of golf's major championships during the same week.

The ever personable Fuzzy Zoeller will return to defend his 2002 Senior PGA Championship title. The tournament also will feature 22 past major champions in the 144-player field, who have combined for 73 major titles. Golf's most famous duo of Jack Nicklaus (18 major titles) and Arnold Palmer (7 major titles.)

Also playing in the tournament are Tom Watson (8 major championships), Raymond Floyd (4), Hale Irwin (3), and Larry Nelson (3).

So, if you're a fan of professional golf, there's no place better to be during the summer of 2003 than right here in the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area.