Mission Health Wellness Classic
Country Club of Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
May 14, 2015
Thursday Pre-Tournament Notes
ASHEVILLE, N.C., May 14, 2015 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, tees off on Friday, May 15 at Country Club of Asheville for the third annual Mission Health Wellness Classic presented by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
The top 144 players will compete for a $100,000 total tournament purse with the winner earning $15,000. There will be a cut made to the top 70 and ties following second round play on Saturday.
Players will tee off from the first and tenth tees starting at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.
DUNCAN AND CADDIE DONATING MONEY TO WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT: Lindy Duncan (Jupiter, Florida) and her volunteer caddie in Albany last year met for the first time on the morning of the first-round. Almost one year later, they have developed a friendship and connection that will military veterans in need.
“You never know what you’re going to get when you have a volunteer caddie,” said Duncan with a smile. “I got Vinny in Albany and I thought he was a really good caddie.”
“Vinny” is Lieutenant Vincent P. Fiscaletti. After he caddied for Duncan in Albany and Syracuse in 2014, the two kept in touch and now that Fiscaletti is retired, they are working together again during the Carolina swing and have plans to partner up during the Northeast stretch.
For every birdie that Duncan makes while Fiscaletti is toting the bag, he will make a $10 donation in her name to the Wounded Warrior Project, which is near and dear to both.
“I’m a veteran, I was in the service from 1985 to 1988 right out of high school when I was 17-years-old,” said Fiscaletti. “I come from a family of veterans, my dad was in Korea and my brother was in the service. I have great respect for veterans and I thought it would be a great idea to make a donation in her name.”
Another reason why he decided to do this was because Duncan’s sister, McKenzie, is a rising senior at The Citadel and she has an Army contract to be an officer upon graduation.
“It’s a really positive force knowing that my birdies mean a donation,” said Duncan. “When I’m playing, I’m trying to make as many birdies as I can, but knowing it will be a nice donation is even more of a driving force.”
By 2017, $96 million in benefit entitlements will be secured for warriors and their families because of the Wounded Warrior Project.
Last year, the LPGA Tour raised over $250 thousand through the Wounded Warrior Project Weekends, which was a season long promotion tied to the Race to the CME Globe.
“I became a fan of Dancing with the Stars because their is a wounded warrior on the show,” explained Fiscaletti on Thursday in Asheville. “He lost one arm and one leg and he is still out there dancing every week and it is those types of things that motivate you to give money to charity. I know Lindy believes in the same philosophy that I do that the Wounded Warrior Project is a great charity to donate your money to.”
Fiscalleti says that when Duncan wins, he plans to make an even bigger donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.
“I don’t know how much, but when Lindy wins, I am going to make a nice donation,” said Fiscaletti. “It is a great cause and something I really believe in.”
SHEILS TRAINED WITH PGA/NFL/MLB ATHLETES IN OFFSEASON: Maddie Sheils (Boise, Idaho) trained at Exos in north Scottsdale this offseason where she had the chance to workout with the likes of PGA Tour player Graham DeLaet, quarterback Colin Kaepernick and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
“I got a lot stronger and had some fantastic coaches that really pushed me and developed a great golf program and I’ve seen results,” said Sheils. “I met some other great athletes and it was really cool to see their work ethic and knowing that mine kept up with theirs was motivating, inspiring and really drove me to work harder because they are living the life that I want to lead.”
Sheils posted a 5-under 67 on Sunday to Greenwood to shoot all the way up the leaderboard to fifth, her best finish on the Epson Tour.
“I’ve been waiting for a big breakthrough to come out here and for it to finally happen and to play four really good days of golf was very encouraging and it builds my confidence,” said Sheils. “It reminds me that I can be in the hunt out here (on the Epson Tour).”
Now, Sheils is hungry for more.
“It absolutely makes me want to see my name on the leaderboard every week,” said Sheils, who now ranks 21st on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. “That is what motivates me, having the chance to win.”
Sheils is excited for another opportunity to take aim at her first career win.
“I really like this golf course and it is fun to be back on bent grass,” said Sheils. “The par-5 holes are very scoreable out here so I look forward to taking advantage of those.”
The newfound confidence is in part due to a conversation with former LPGA greats Rosie Jones and Val Skinner in Greenwood last week.
“Rosie gave me a good piece of advice about how she used to visualize what was going to happen before she played a round,” said Sheils. “Although I had heard that from coaches and sports psychologists, to hear it from a 13-time LPGA Tour winner was really cool and was incentive to get myself to do that as well.”
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