- LINEUP: Action is Friday-Sunday at 7:30 a.m. at Battle Creek Nation Club
The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship returns to Battle Creek for an eighth summer this 7 days.
For the duration of a hectic 2020 season, the Struggle Creek function was the 1st just one back for Symetra after COVID-19 problems shut down the tour.
This period, the developmental skilled golf tour is managing at comprehensive pace. The 14th stop on the 2021 “Road to the LPGA” delivers the Symetra Tour to Fight Creek Nation Club Friday-Sunday. Action starts each day at 7:30 a.m.
“We are extremely grateful for our partnership with the FireKeepers Casino Resort this season. Last calendar year, their team labored tirelessly as the 1st event back again soon after our break thanks to COVID-19,” said Mike Nichols, Main Business enterprise officer of LPGA Qualifying Excursions. “Our workers and athletes search ahead to returning when once again to Battle Creek Nation Club that on a yearly basis provides a unique obstacle for our gamers.”
Greeting the 144-player discipline in Battle Creek is a full purse of $175,000. Men and women are established to compete in a 54-gap stroke engage in structure, cut to the reduced 60 and ties just after 36 holes. The winner’s share for the occasion is $26,250.
“We are so enthusiastic to when yet again host the FireKeepers Casino Lodge Championship this summer season,” said Kathy George, Match Director and FireKeepers Casino Hotel CEO. “Bringing this caliber of an event to the Battle Creek Region Club delivers a fantastic chance for our group to assist these young golfers although bringing website visitors from close to the environment to the Battle Creek space.”
Defending champion Ruixin Liu is among the the opponents. The gain last summer in Battle Creek was the fourth of her professional career and a person of 15 career top-10 results. This calendar year Liu has claimed two tournament titles – the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Vintage and Casino Del Sol Golf Typical. She currently is No. 4 in the Race for the Card with period earnings of $74,442.
“I am definitely enthusiastic to tee off at Fight Creek once more this 12 months as a defending winner. This will be a first-time experience for me. I haven’t played any Symetra Tour events as defending winner before,” mentioned Liu. “Of system, I hope I can do as well as 2020 at Struggle Creek Country Club, but the principal goal is to go out there and have some enjoyable and also boost my sport.”
Players from all around
A total of 27 countries will be represented this 7 days at the FireKeepers event, led by the United States with 76 players, followed by the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and Canada each having the next greatest of eight competitors.
“It is awesome to play on a tour loaded with so numerous specialist golfers from all over the earth,” said Symetra player Samantha Wagner (Florida). “The Symetra Tour requires us to so several unique destinations and communities in this fantastic country. Traveling to all of these tournaments will make me respect getting ready to engage in this game and signify the United States every week.”
Men and women from 25 different states are also established to tee it up at Battle Creek Place Club. Six players hail from the host state — including Sarah White (Grand Rapids) —while Florida boasts the most with 13.
“I am pretty fired up to contend so near to residence. I am essentially remaining at residence, and I am obtaining as many of my relatives associates, buddies and other men and women I can discover to appear out and view the Symetra Tour this 7 days,” stated White. “Michigan is these types of a beautiful place, and I simply cannot hold out to enjoy at Fight Creek State Club.”
Olympics crack boosts field
With the women’s golfing event getting put at the Olympics this 7 days, the LPGA Tour is having the weekend off.
That brings numerous Symetra Tour associates, who experienced been shelling out most of their time on the LPGA Tour, back again to Battle Creek. Included in that group are Kyung Kim, Min Search engine optimization Kwak, Jaclyn Lee and Janie Jackson.
Contact Monthly bill Broderick at [email protected]. Stick to him on Twitter @billbroderick.