{
  "id": 11252951,
  "title": "Thitikul Leads 120-Player Field At 2026 LOTTE Championship",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/thitikul-leads-120-player-field-at-2026-lotte-championship",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T18:19:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/thitikul-leads-120-player-field-181942895.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 2026 LOTTE Championship will take place at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, as announced by Golf News Net. This year's 120-player field will retain the same format as last year, with players split into morning and afternoon waves for the first two rounds. Each group of three will remain together throughout the tournament. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 65 players, which includes any tied players. The tournament will run from Thursday through Sunday, following the traditional four-day structure. The final two rounds will feature pairings and tee times based on total scores, with the lowest scorers playing last. The winner of the event will receive a $450,000 prize and 500 Race to the CME Globe points, along with points on the Rolex Women's World Golf Ranking. The top 60 players advancing to the CME Group Tour Championship will vie for the $4 million first-place prize. In the event of a tie after 72 holes, the decision will be made through sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole. This format provides a clear champion, with a two-year exemption to the LPGA Tour as the ultimate prize. Jeeno Thitikul, among other top-ranked players, will compete for this prestigious title.",
  "summary": "Golf News Net reports the 2026 LOTTE Championship format remains unchanged with a $3M purse, 65-player cut, and sudden-death playoff rules.",
  "key_points": [
    "2026 LOTTE Championship to be held at Hoakalei Country Club",
    "120-player field retains same format as previous year",
    "Tournament runs Thursday to Sunday with $450,000 prize"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}