CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 11, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, begins the fifth annual Epson Classic on Friday, May 13 at 7:30 a.m. The top 144 aspiring LPGA Tour players from the United States and 23 countries around the globe will compete for a $150,000 total tournament purse.
FORMER CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY STAR IN EPSON CLASSIC
The Charlotte native and former Charlotte Country Day (class of ‘09) star Laura Wearn will play in her second Epson Classic. She played in 2014 on a sponsors exemption just a month after turning professional and missed the cut with rounds of 77-76.Wearn ranks 69th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. After missing the cut in the first three events this year, she finished in a tie for 45th at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay and a tie for 25th last week at the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic.
13 IN EPSON CLASSIC PLAYED IN ‘06 U.S. GIRLS’ JUNIOR IN CHARLOTTE
In 2006, nearby Carmel Country Club in Charlotte hosted the prestigious U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, which was won by Jenny Shin, who is a Epson Tour graduate and won her first career LPGA event two weeks ago at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout.There are 13 players in this year’s Epson Classic that played in the USGA event ten years ago in Charlotte: Mindy Kim, Kate Scarpetta, Lisa McCloskey, Jennifer Kirby, Natalie Sheary, Becca Huffer, Madison Pressel, Haley Millsap (now Italia), Anne-Catherine Tanguay, Shannon Fish, Jessica Wallace, Emily Childs and Casey Kennedy.
Sheary, who advanced to the round of 32 before losing to current LPGA player Lindy Duncan, has fond memories.
“It is such a well run event,” said Sheary before her pro-am on Wednesday. “Having the opportunity to play in Charlotte, which has such great golf courses, is part of the reason why I chose to play college golf at Wake Forest. It gave me a chance to see that North Carolina has a lot of great courses. Having the chance to play a national championship in the state was the icing on the cake for my decision.”
Sheary said one of the nice things about playing on Tour, where you spend so much time away from home, is that you create lifelong friendships at a young age.
“What is nice about being out here is that we all know each other from junior golf,” explained Sheary. “I played three of my four rounds that year with Mindy Kim, who I have now known for ten years.”
Sheary is excited to back in Charlotte this week.
“Charlotte hosts so many sporting events, it is such a cool town,” said Sheary, who was born and raised in West Hartford, Conn. “I love coming here because I feel like even though this is a big town with the Panthers and the Hornets, we’re still a big event in town.”
Sheary currently ranks 29th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. She has one top 10 finish and has placed inside the top 35 in the last four events.
In 2006, Kate Scarpetta stayed with Dr. Attori and his wife, former WSOC news anchor Debi Faubion. They’ve stayed in touch and both are going to attend the Epson Classic to follow Scarpetta on Friday.
QUICK NOTES
- There are six players in the 2016 Epson Classic that finished T7 or better at the 2015 event (Augusta James - 2, Victoria Elizabeth - T5, Katie Kempter - T5, Ani Gulugian - T7, Marina Choi - T7 and Haley Italia - T7).
- There are players from eight different countries in the top 20 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list (Sweden, Canada, Thailand, United States, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Denmark).
- No. 1 Madelene Sagstrom is 16-under-par in first rounds this year (five events) including an 8-under 64 at the IOA Championship.
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