Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic
The Links at Stoney Point
Greenwood, South Carolina
May 4, 2015
Storylines
GREENWOOD, S.C., May 4, 2015 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, swings into South Carolina for the 2nd annual Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic at The Links at Stoney Point. This is the sixth of 23 total events on the 2015 Epson Tour schedule.
The second 72-hole event of the season begins on Thursday, May 7 and concludes with final round play on Sunday, May 10. There will be a cut made to the top 70 and ties following second-round play on Friday, May 8.
The field of 144 professionals will compete for their share of the $200,000 total tournament purse, the highest purse on Tour. The winner will earn $30,000, the highest payout in Tour history. The winner could also jump to No. 1 on the Volvik Race for the Card list regardless of their current standing. Lee Lopez leads the money list with $26,698 earned through five events. The top 10 on the end of the season Volvik Race for the Card money list will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2016 season.
The field is strong this week with eight of the top ten and 18 of the top 20 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list scheduled to play along with 22 LPGA Tour members. The LPGA members in the field are Chie Arimura, Julia Boland, Cydney Clanton, Lindy Duncan, Casey Grice, Candy Hanneman, Celine Herbin, Daniela Iacobelli, Haley Italia, Nicole Jeray, Jimin Kang, Mindy Kim, Jennifer Kirby, Cindy LaCrosse, Alejandra Llaneza, Liz Nagel, Jane Rah, Jean Reynolds, Natalie Sheary, Victoria Tanco, Caroline Westrup and Julie Yang.
There are 27 countries (including the United States) represented in the field and 60 total international players in the field.
Last year, Wei-Ling Hsu posted a final-round 68 to win the inaugural Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic by five shots at 8-under 280. Hsu finished sixth on the Volvik Race for the Card money list and is now playing full-time on the LPGA Tour. Hsu has made the cut in seven of eight LPGA Tour events thus far with her best finish a tie for 25th at the LOTTE Championship.
The Links at Stoney Point played tough last year as only seven players finished under-par. Hsu and Min Seo Kwak, who finished tied for second, were the only two players that finished par or better all four days. The hardest hole last year was the par-4 third while the easiest hole was the par-5 18th. There were 127 total birdies on the finishing hole. The course seems to be a good barometer for top talent as four 2014 Epson Tour graduates finished in the top 10 in Greenwood (Hsu - 1, Kwak - T2, Min Lee - T6, Marissa Steen - T8).
PLAYERS TALK IMPORTANCE OF THIS EVENT: It’s no secret that this tournament established itself in 2014 as a premier tournament on the Epson Tour schedule in part because of the high purse and also because of player hospitality.
Players talked about the Greenwood event and their excitement to play.
Ashley Tait (Littleton, Colo.)
“Jim and Denise Medford have organized parties, concerts and fireworks show to make this a unique and memorable week for everyone. I’m most looking forward to the atmosphere on the par-3 13th hole. It is the only hole on Tour where the majority of the spectators are on boats and jet skis. I’ve never had so much fun playing professional golf than at that hole. I’m looking forward to an exciting week competing for the biggest purse of the year.”
Brianna Do (Lakewood, Calif.)
“I am really excited to play in the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic because of the great golf course and the Greenwood community. The course is a great test of our games and the community is so welcoming of us and are so excited to have us here. It makes for a much more fun and memorable event.”
Caroline Westrup (Baerum, Norway)
“It means a lot when an entire community comes together and supports a big event like this. The atmosphere around the course is a little different for this event with tents. Hole number 13 is probably the most fun hole for the entire week. Of course there is always a little more excitement with a big purse like this. It makes it more important like a major.”
Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Jersey, Channel Islands UK)
“This is our most exciting event of the year. Not only is it our biggest purse, but it is a great golf course and the community is so welcoming. I’m so happy to be back playing this event.”
Rachel Rohanna (Waynesburg, Pa.)
“We’re all so excited to be back in Greenwood. Not just because of the large purse, but we get to have fun in the small town with some great people! Most of us get to go fishing or boating and experience this part of South Carolina with our host families. We can’t say we have that opportunity at every event.”
Ginger Howard (Bradenton, Fla.)
“Along with the enthusiasm from crowds on hole 13, the community really comes together for this event and that’s what makes the week so enjoyable. Their hospitality and support towards the Epson Tour really means a lot! The bigger purse means more excitement and a better opportunity for players and that’s always great to look forward to.”
STACY LEWIS HEADLINES UNIQUE MONDAY PRO-AM WITH LPGA/LEGENDS/EPSON: Six high profile LPGA players including the top American in the world, Stacy Lewis, will play in the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic pro-am on Monday, May 4 at The Links at Stoney Point. Recent ANA Inspiration winner Brittany Lincicome will also play on Monday and will be joined by Brittany Lang, Lizette Salas, Brooke Pancake and Jennifer Song. LPGA Hall-of-Famers Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley are part of a group of 18 legends that will also play in the pro-am.
The format for the 7:30 a.m. shotgun is one current LPGA player or legend with one Epson Tour player and two amateurs.
The six LPGA Tour players have combined for 20 career wins.
“I’m thrilled that we were able to pull together a pro-am like none other where the past, current and future stars of the game will play together with amateurs from Greenwood and beyond,” said Jim Medford. “This is an amazing opportunity for golf fans in Greenwood and all of South Carolina to watch the best that women’s golf has to offer in one location.”
Lewis is the No. 3 ranked player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings while Lincicome recently won her second career major championship at the ANA Inspiration. The six LPGA Tour players have a total of 178 career top 10 finishes.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Epson Tour event pro-am this year in South Carolina,” said Stacy Lewis. “After spending part of my childhood in South Carolina, I’m really looking forward to coming back!”
The one-of-kind pro-am will also include former LPGA greats Pat Bradley, Jan Stephenson, Beth Daniel, Meg Mallon, Rosie Jones, Nancy Scranton, Kris Tschetter, Barb Mucha, Laurie Rinker, Sheri Turner, Val Skinner, Nancy Lopez, Dawn Coe Jones, Hollis Stacy, Cindy Figg Currier, Cindy Rarick, Barb Moxness andChrista Johnson.
Lewis will host an instructional clinic on the driving range at The Links at Stoney Point at 1:00 p.m. Lincicome will emcee the clinic.
“My agent told me about a pro-am where the Epson Tour players get to play alongside some of the Legends Tour players and they wanted some current LPGA players as well and I told him to count me in,” said Lincicome, who has six career wins on the LPGA Tour. “I look forward to being in Greenwood, South Carolina.”
Salas, who played in seven events on the Epson Tour in 2011, has become a rising star on the LPGA Tour. She ranks No. 31 in the world and last year won the LPGA Kingsmill Championship.
“I am very excited to participate in the unique pro-am event on May 4th preceding the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic,” said Salas. “I look forward to playing alongside some of the current and past LPGA greats.”
LPGA Tour players and the legends will also participate in a mentoring breakfast for the Epson Tour players and members of the media in Uptown Greenwood on Tuesday, May 5. The event will start at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast at the Greenwood Arts Center and then conclude at the Greenwood Community Theater where LPGA Hall-of-Famers Lopez, Daniels and Bradley along with current LPGA stars Salas and Lang will take part in a Q&A moderated by Epson Tour Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols.
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE CONNECTIONS: Although there are no Epson Tour members from the state of South Carolina, there are several players in the field this week that went to college in the state.
Brittany Henderson and Jessica Alexander played college golf at Coastal Carolina (Conway), Fiona Puyo played at the College of Charleston (Charleston), Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston) played at Charleston Southern University and Stefanie Kenoyer played at Furman (Greenville).
FIRST-TIME WINNERS IS THEME OF 2015: Four of the five winners this year have been first-timers. The only non-first time winner was Sue Kim, who won the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. The four first-time winners are Hannah O’Sullivan (Gateway Classic), Katie Kempter (Volvik Championship), Augusta James (Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial) and Rachel Rohanna (Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay).
Three of the five winners are in the field this week. O’Sullivan, who set the record for youngest to win at 16-years-old, is not a Epson Tour member, while Kim has played predominantly LPGA events since her victory.
TWO WINNERS TO MAKE SEASON DEBUTS: Two players that won in 2014, Madison Pressel and Marita Engzelius, will make their season debuts this week.
Pressel won the Decatur-Forsyth Classic and finished 22nd on the Volvik Race for the Card moeny list while Engzelius won the Epson Tour Championship and ended the year 15th on the money list.
Both missed the first five events recovering from wrist injuries.
SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS ARE FAMILIAR NAME: The two sponsor exemptions this week are Stefanie Kenoyer, who was the face of the tournament last year, and Taylor Collins. Kenoyer played in the last Epson Tour event in Sarasota, while Collins will make her season debut this week.
Kenoyer, who played college golf in South Carolina at Furman, was a contestant on Big Break Mexico and Big Break NFL Puerto Rico. Collins was the champion of Big Break Mexico.
Numbers to Know
5 - Lindy Duncan leads the Epson Tour with five rounds in the 60’s this year
7 - Alejandra Llaneza is playing in her seventh event of the year (4 Epson Tour, 2 LPGA). Llaneza finished in a tie for 52nd last week at the LPGA Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout
14 - 2006 Epson Tour graduate Inbee Park won her 14th career LPGA Tour event on Sunday
25 - Volvik Race for the Card No. 1 Lee Lopez celebrated her 25th birthday on Sunday
67 - Four players (Joanna Klatten, Min Lee, Stacey Keating and Cheyenne Woods) carded the low
single-round of the 2014 tournament at 5-under 67
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