Kwak received $18,000 over course of Potawatomi Cup
MAYETTA, Kan., September 8, 2014 – The Epson Tour, the Road to the LPGA, recognized Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) on Sunday during the award ceremony at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort Charity Classic as the overall winner of the inaugural Potawatomi Cup. Kwak received a check for a total of $18,000.
The Potawatomi Cup included the four Epson Tour events sponsored by Potawatomi nations’ casinos; FireKeeper Casino Hotel Championship, Four Winds Invitational, Island Resort Championship and Prairie Band Casino & Resort Charity Classic.
Kwak finished with 586 points, just 39 more than Nicole Vandermade (Brantford, Canada), who won the Four Winds Invitational and finished with 547 points. Kwak slipped inside the cut line on Saturday in Mayetta and finished in a tie for 38th. Meanwhile, Vandermade entered Sunday in a tie for fourth and had a chance to overtake Kwak. However, she made bogey on three of her final four holes and stumbled to a tie for 24th. Vandermade still collected $6,500 through the Potawatomi Cup.
Olivia Jordan-Higgins, who won the Prairie Band Casino & Resort Charity Classic, finished third with 542 points while Molly Aronsson, who won the FireKeeper Casino Hotel Championship, placed fourth with 523 points.
“The Potawatomi Cup added extra excitement to all four events sponsored by Potawatomi nations’ casinos and therefore we are thankful to each for helping with the vision and execution of this first-year cup,” said Chief Business Officer of the Epson Tour, Mike Nichols. “Min Seo Kwak has performed well all year long and will take her Potawatomi Cup trophy onto the LPGA Tour next year.”
Kwak, who ranks second on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with $68,552 in earnings, won the first Potawatomi Cup event, the FireKeeper Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Mich. She also won the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial earlier in the season, her first win on the Epson Tour.
“I am thankful to all four Potawatomi nation events for giving us great places to play and stay,” said Kwak. “The Potawatomi Cup events were my favorites this season.”
Kwak finished in a tie for 25th at the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind. and a tie for 55th at the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich.
“I’ve played well this year and I’m excited to get back to the LPGA Tour full-time next year.”
Kwak currently ranks fourth on Tour in scoring average (71.33), seventh in putting average (29.92) and fifth in total number of birdies (162).
The Potawatomi Cup awarded a total of $40,000 over the course of the four events. At each event, $8.500 was available to the top five cumulative finishers.
Kwak’s total of $18,000 includes an additional $6,000 for collecting the most cumulative points.
| Final Potawatomi Cup Standings |
|||||
| Player | Battle Creek | South Bend | Harris | Mayetta | Total |
| Min Seo Kwak | 500 | 42 | 14 | 30 | 586 |
| Nicole Vandermade | 0 | 500 | 1 | 46 | 547 |
| Olivia Jordan-Higgins | 0 | 42 | 0 | 500 | 542 |
| Molly Aronsson | 23 | 0 | 500 | 0 | 523 |
| Lee Lopez | 44.5 | 300 | 96.25 | 36.5 | 477.25 |
| Daniela Iacobelli | 300 | 57.14 | 42.5 | 51 | 450.65 |
| Sara-Maude Juneau | 0 | 21 | 162.5 | 208.33 | 391.83 |
| Jean Reynolds | 190 | 49.5 | 96.25 | 36.5 | 372.25 |
| Potawatomi Cup Money Earned |
|
| Player | Total Money Earned |
| Min Seo Kwak | $18,000 |
| Nicole Vandermade | $6,500 |
| Daniela Iacobelli | $4,500 |
| Molly Aronsson | $3,500 |
| Lee Lopez | $2,500 |
| Jean Reynolds | $2,000 |
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