Arkansas Razorbacks and Past Champions Headline 2026 Early Commitments
Competition: Razorback Contingent and Former Champions Highlight Early #NWAChampionship Field
New: 5k @ the LPGA Moves to Walmart Home Office for 2026
Community: Walmart and P&G Kids Confidence Club Expands Family-Friendly Experiences at the #NWAChampionship
ROGERS, Ark. – The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary as Arkansas’ premier LPGA Tour event, taking place Sept. 21-27 at Pinnacle Country Club.
Tournament officials made several announcements today in advance of the #NWAChampionship, headlined by early commitments featuring several Arkansas Razorbacks and past champions; the 5K @ the LPGA moving to the Walmart Home Office campus in Bentonville on Saturday, Sept. 19; and expanded family-friendly activities in the Walmart and P&G Kids Confidence Club during tournament week.
Registration for the 5K, tournament tickets and volunteer opportunities are available now at NWAChampionship.com.
COMPETITION: Arkansas Razorbacks and Past Champions Headline Early Commitments at the #NWAChampionship
Tournament officials announced several early commitments to the #NWAChampionship with three Arkansas Razorback alums headlining the 144-player field, including 3-time LPGA Tour winner and former Arkansas All-American Gaby Lopez; Rogers native Brooke Matthews, who will be returning to her home course at Pinnacle Country Club; and 2019 NCAA Individual Champion Maria Fassi.
The 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion and NCAA All-American senior Maria Jose Marin also is returning to compete in the #NWAChampionship as a sponsor invitation. Jose Marin, ranked No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will be competing in the #NWAChampionship for a third consecutive year. She received the invitation through the Road to the #NWAChampionship program, a partnership between the tournament and the University of Arkansas’ women’s golf team that awards the top-performing student athlete a spot in the field. She made her LPGA Tour debut at the 2024 #NWAChampionship, finishing tied for 17th.
Past champions from throughout the #NWAChampionship’s 20-year history, including Nasa Hataoka (2018, 2021), Austin Ernst (2020) and Sung Hyun Park (2019), will return to compete as the tournament celebrates its milestone anniversary.
Through the tournament’s Road to the #NWAChampionship program, two current players on the Razorback women’s golf team – Sara Brentcheneff and Abbey Schutte – will compete in the event’s Qualifier Tournament, held on Monday, September 21. The top two finishers in the Monday Qualifier will be entered into the #NWAChampionship field. Brentcheneff and Schutte are the second and third-ranked players on Arkansas’ women’s golf team behind Jose Marin.
NEW: #NWAChampionship Week Kicks Off with 5k @ the LPGA in New Location
Registration is now open for the 5k @ the LPGA benefiting Mercy, the official kickoff to #NWAChampionship Week, taking place Saturday, Sept. 19. The 5k race will take place in a new location in 2026, hosted at the Walmart Home Office campus in Bentonville. Participants can choose between a traditional 5k or a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk, routing through the heart of the campus and surrounding scenic trails.
After the race, all guests are invited to join the community celebration at the Maverick Building Pavilion and Helen’s Amphitheater with the event’s largest post-race expo to date, featuring activations from P&G, TruFru, Gatorade, Chobani and La Colombe, Woodhouse Spa, and more. Guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast, photo opportunities, food and beverage samples from local restaurants and take part in the tournament’s long putt challenge. New in 2026 in partnership with Rapiscan and USA Track & Field Foundation, two world-class track and field athletes – two-time gold medalist, Dalilah Muhammad and former Razorback, Britton Wilson – will be in attendance for a meet-and-greet and autograph signing.
Registration is now available online for $20, which includes an event gift bag, race t-shirt, finisher medal, a complimentary ticket to the #NWAChampionship, and more.
COMMUNITY: #NWAChampionship Continues to Expand Family-Friendly Activities in Walmart and P&G Kids Confidence Club
The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G continues to offer something for fans of all ages during tournament week with the Walmart and P&G Kids Confidence Club, a free onsite destination that will be open during tournament rounds Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27, from 9 a.m-5 p.m. The Kids Confidence Club will feature interactive activities from Walmart and P&G brands including:
- Walmart Kids Market – Families can enjoy complimentary snacks in the Kids Confidence Club throughout the weekend.
- Charmin Creativity Corner – Young fans can climb, create and explore through interactive play structures, dry-erase walls and hands-on STEM activities.
- Aussie Compliment Club – Kids can lift up their friends with personalized compliment cards designed to celebrate what makes each person unique.
- Old Spice Gym – Kids can put their confidence to the test through fun, interactive challenges that get them moving.
Alongside Walmart and P&G activities, Feastables, Uncrustables, Airheads and Sanrio®, will offer young fans a variety of interactive experiences to enjoy throughout the tournament.
Local community organizations including The Jones Center, The First Tee of NWA and Crystal Bridges will also bring STEM and confidence-focused activities to the Kids Confidence Club throughout the weekend.
As part of the #NWAChampionship’s 20th anniversary celebration, the Kids Confidence Club will also host a special celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, featuring face painting, treats, giveaways, mascot meet-and-greets and more, courtesy of P&G.
Sanrio®, the global lifestyle brand behind beloved icons Hello Kitty®, Kuromi™, Cinnamoroll™ and more, is returning to the LPGA with a vibrant and interactive fan experience at the Walmart and P&G Kids Confidence Club throughout the weekend, as well as a presence at the Fassi’s Friends Junior Clinic. Fans of all ages are sure to create lasting memories, with opportunities to meet Hello Kitty herself during special meet-and-greet sessions throughout the weekend.
MEDIA: Media Credential Registration Now Open
The tournament media credential application is now open at www.lpgamediacredentials.com. All members of the media interested in covering the tournament will need to apply for a credential. Advance approval by the LPGA is required for media access to the tournament. Contact Jeremy Friedman at jfriedman@outlyr.com with any questions.
About the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G
A premier stop on the LPGA Tour, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G returns Sept. 21-27. A field of 144 of the world’s best female golfers are set to compete at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, vying for a $3 million purse. The week-long schedule of events also includes a 5k race, onsite food festival, women’s summit, and other community-driven events. Learn more about the tournament online at www.NWAChampionship.com.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (Nasdaq: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 280 million customers and members visit more than 10,900 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2026 revenue of $713 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at https://www.pg.com/news.
About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course.
Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.
About the LPGA Tour
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts 33 annual events across 13 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $132 million and reaching television audiences in more than 170 countries.
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