Photo: Robert Laberge, Getty Images
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 23: Lydia Ko of New Zealand makes a tee shot on the fourth hole during round one of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic presented by CTBC at the Lake Merced Golf Club on April 23, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
lessSAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 23: Lydia Ko of New Zealand makes a tee shot on the fourth hole during round one of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic presented by CTBC at the Lake Merced Golf Club on April 23, 2015
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Lydia Ko wins the championship at the 2015 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic golf tournament at Lake Merced Golf Course in Daly City, Calif., on Sun. April 26, 2015.
Lydia Ko wins the championship at the 2015 Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic golf tournament at Lake Merced Golf Course in Daly City, Calif., on Sun. April 26, 2015.
Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle
Lydia Ko (l to r) and Mayor Ed Lee stand together as Carol Su, IMG managing director Taiwan, organizes them and Yani Tseng (not shown) for a photo opportunity during media day for next month's Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic at Lake Merced Golf Club on Monday, March 10, 2014, in Daly City, Calif.
lessLydia Ko (l to r) and Mayor Ed Lee stand together as Carol Su, IMG managing director Taiwan, organizes them and Yani Tseng (not shown) for a photo opportunity during media day for next month's Swinging Skirts
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Mayor Ed Lee (right) speaks during a press conference during media day for next month's Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic at Lake Merced Golf Club as Johnson Wang (left) chairman Swinging Skirts Golf Team applauds on Monday, March 10, 2014, in Daly City, Calif.
lessMayor Ed Lee (right) speaks during a press conference during media day for next month's Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic at Lake Merced Golf Club as Johnson Wang (left) chairman Swinging Skirts Golf Team applauds
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It’s official: LPGA will return to Lake Merced in April
The LPGA made it official Wednesday: Its tour event at Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City will return in April, as The Chronicle reported last month.
Next year’s full schedule was released, with the Lake Merced tournment set for April 26-29. The new sponsor will be L&P Cosmetic, a Korean skin-care company. The event’s official name will be announced early in 2018.
Lake Merced hosted the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic for three years (2014-16). But then the title sponsor — Swinging Skirts, a Taiwan-based non-profit organization seeking to grow the game worldwide — decided not to renew its contract. The group now sponsors an LPGA event in Taipei.
Lydia Ko won the tournament at Lake Merced in 2014 and ‘15, and Japan’s Haru Nomura won in 2016.
Bay Area golf officials had a notable ally in trying to persuade the LPGA to return: Late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. Lee, who died Tuesday morning, was an avid supporter of women’s golf and lobbied LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan to bring the tournament back to Lake Merced.
Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick
