December 03-06
Old American Golf Club, The Colony, Texas
$1,750,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Angela Stanford shot a 4-under 67 to win her home event, the Volunteers of America Classic, in front of her parents, beating Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu by two shots with a 7-under 277. It was her seventh LPGA Tour title and the first since the 2018 Evian Championship.

“It's pretty cool since my parents have never seen me win in person,” said Stanford. “It was fun to have my dad walking around the whole time and then mom at the end. I know there are going to be a lot of people giving me grief because I did it during a COVID year and nobody could come out. But to have my parents here, that was a pretty big deal.”

Stanford is the first player at or over the age of 40 to win on Tour since Cristie Kerr (40, 2017 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia) and Catriona Matthew (42, 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational).

“All year I've been so grateful to get to play golf. I thank LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan and his team and all the staff at the LPGA, all of our sponsors and partners, I was scared to death that I wasn't going to get to play golf this year, and there are so many people that made this year happen and I don't get to sit here today without all those people. I didn't expect this in the 20th year, and I was just thinking I took a picture at Diamond Resort this year. It's my 20th year,” said Stanford.

“Now looking back, you're just like, ‘wow, didn't think this year was going to go this way.' So you just never know. I never saw this year coming. Honestly, I didn't think I would win this year. I didn't know if I'd ever win again. You know, that's the thing, it's hard to win on this tour and I'm just so grateful to everybody that stepped up and said, no, we want to play golf. The sponsors that came beside us and said we want to put you all out on a golf course. It's a big deal, and it's much appreciated.”

Park started the final day in a tie for the lead and in the final group with Yealimi Noh and Ryu . It was the 21st time Park had held the 54-hole lead/co-lead on the LPGA Tour, and had converted 12 of the last 20 times into victories. After an unfortunate bogey on the first hole, Park regained ground to tie for the top at the turn. She bogeyed the 12th and her birdie on the 14th wasn't enough to secure her third VOA title since 2013.

“Today was a little bit tougher out there with the wind. I feel like I gave myself a couple of opportunities, but I guess Angela played really well and under really tough conditions. So I don't feel I played bad, just wasn't my day.Yeah, still very happy with the round and having 3 under par rounds in this cold weather, tough conditions is giving me things to accomplish going into next week.”

Park heads to the U.S. Women's Open at Champions Golf Club next week, a major championship she won in 2008 and 2013. She's hoping to keep the momentum going into the season's final major title opportunity.

“I think it's going to be a little bit similar conditions with a little bit of wind and probably a little bit chilly weather,” said Park. “I think good practice week this week, so yeah, looking forward to next week.”

Ryu closed with a fourth-round 70, making 17 consecutive pars and closing with a birdie, her first since Saturday's round at the 13th..

“I was quite nervous coming back, even though I played a few good events in Korea, I haven't played on the LPGA for a long time, so I was nervous I was still eligible to compete with these greatest players or not, but it was really great to be in contention,” said Ryu. “Well, to be honest, like last 27 holes were a little disappointing, but finish second is always good, I cannot complain to that, so it's really good to be back.”

Ryu won the Korean Women's Open on the KLPGA in the summer and is hoping to claim another title at next week's U.S. Women's Open. Her win in 2011 jumpstarted her career on Tour, and earned her Membership for the 2012 season.

“I think it's going very needed to have the confidence and if I can win the tournament again, that will be awesome,” said Ryu. “Having two U.S. Women's Open trophy under my belt is something really big, so looking forward to playing next week.”