Hilton Grand Vacations is turning the 2026 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions into one of the most star-studded season openers in women’s golf, confirming a celebrity field that includes Brandi Chastain, Blake Griffin, Albert Pujols, and defending celebrity champion Joe Pavelski. Staged at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida, the event blends elite LPGA Tour competition with live music and hospitality tailored to the brand’s vacation ownership members.
LPGA Season Opener In Orlando
The 2026 HGV Tournament of Champions will run from January 29 to February 1, 2026, at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, one of Central Florida’s most prestigious private golf communities. The tournament serves as the official season opener for the LPGA Tour and remains one of the circuit’s most-watched and most-anticipated events.
LPGA champions from the previous two seasons will tee it up for $2.1 million in official prize money, while the celebrity division will compete for a separate $500,000 purse using a modified Stableford format. National coverage is set across NBC, Golf Channel, and Peacock, aligning the event with the LPGA’s broader media push around a record $132 million total prize fund for the 2026 season.
Celebrity Field Packed With Champions
The celebrity draw will feature a mix of returning favorites and high-profile newcomers from across sports and entertainment. Names confirmed in the field include FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic gold medalist Brandi Chastain, NBA All-Star Blake Griffin, World Series champions Albert Pujols, Roger Clemens, Jon Lester, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millar, John Smoltz, Jeff McNeil and Victor Cruz, Pro Football Hall of Famers Marcus Allen, Emmitt Smith and Brian Urlacher, along with NHL All-Star Joe Pavelski, who returns as the defending celebrity champion.
The lineup also includes Annika Sörenstam, Urban Meyer, Tuukka Rask, James “Bubba” Stewart and media and entertainment figures such as Don Cheadle, Michael Peña, Alfonso Ribeiro, Brian Baumgartner, Larry the Cable Guy, Jack Wagner, Wells Adams, and Joey Graziadei. By pairing these names with LPGA winners in a pro-am style setting, Hilton Grand Vacations turns the four days into a crossover moment for golf, celebrity cultur,e and live TV.
Three-Night Concert Series With Kelly Clarkson And More
Beyond the action inside the ropes, the 2026 HGV Tournament of Champions will again feature an exclusive three-night concert series for members, guests, and sponsors. Headliners include Kelly Clarkson, The Beach Boys, and Ella Langley, delivering a mix of pop, surf-rock heritage, and rising-country energy in Orlando during tournament week.
The concerts, staged at Boxi Park near Lake Nona, are positioned as a core part of the experience, turning the season opener into a festival-style weekend. Mark Wang, CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations, said, “The HGV Tournament of Champions is where elite competition and world-class entertainment come together in a way that’s truly unique to HGV…In 2026, we’re raising the bar even higher, creating an unforgettable showcase for our members and guests, and celebrating the extraordinary talent and rising momentum of the LPGA Tour.”
HGV Ultimate Access And Experience-Led Membership
The tournament sits under HGV Ultimate Access, Hilton Grand Vacations’ exclusive experience platform that offers members thousands of events each year, spanning major sports, concerts, and curated travel moments. From F1 in Las Vegas to golf at Lake Nona, the program is designed to layer once-in-a-lifetime experiences on top of traditional vacation ownership.
Hilton Grand Vacations, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, serves more than 720,000 Club Members across a system of branded vacation ownership resorts, positioning the Tournament of Champions as both a marketing showcase and a loyalty driver. By aligning with the LPGA, the company taps into a global tour that now features 33 events across 13 countries and over 200 athletes, with broadcasts reaching more than 220 countries.
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