Epson Classic
Raintree Country Club
Charlotte, N.C.
May 19, 2015
Tuesday Pre-Tournament Notes
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 19, 2015 – The Epson Tour, the Road to the LPGA Tour, will wrap up its Carolina Swing, a three tournament in three week stretch, at the Epson Classic. The three-round event will begin on Thursday, May 21, and run through Saturday, May 23, at Raintree Country Club.
The 144 player field will be competing for a share of a $110,000 purse with a top prize of $16,500. The top-10 on the year-end Volvik Race for the Card money list will receive their LPGA Tour cards for the 2016 season.
Play will begin off the first and tenth tees starting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday.
LLANEZA QUALIFIES FOR U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN: Volvik Race for the Card Money List No. 1 Alejandra Llaneza got her week off to a great start when she qualified for the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open by shooting a 36-hole 138 at the Manakin-Sabot, Va., qualifier at Hermitage Country Club on Monday.
“This is the first time I’ve qualified,” Llaneza said with a smile. “When I finished I thought I was going to miss it by one or be in a playoff but when I found out I made it I was so excited. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in a U.S. Open.”
Qualifying for the Open is part of a whirlwind few weeks for Llaneza, who has been competing on both the LPGA and Epson Tours this season. Two weeks ago, Llaneza became the third Mexican to ever win a Epson Tour event when she captured the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic Championship in Greenwood, South Carolina. Last week she made the cut at the Kingsmill Championship on the LPGA Tour.
“It’s been a roller-coaster but a good one,” Llaneza explained. “It’s been a lot of fun. I knew it was going to be a lot of golf but that’s what I love to do so I’m just trying to have as much fun as I can on the golf course and luckily I’ve been able to have some good results.”
Llaneza has been playing well and racking up the miles.
“I’m still recovering,” Llaneza admitted. “I haven’t really had a day off. This is my sixth or seventh week in a row playing tournaments. Right after South Carolina I drove to Virginia to look at the Open qualifier courses and then I played every day at Kingsmill. Played 36 in the qualifier yesterday and then I got in at 2 in the morning last night and the quick turnaround for the pro-am this afternoon.”
Despite the busy schedule don’t expect Llaneza to slow down anytime soon.
“I’m glad I’m playing in the pro-am today so I can see the golf course and then tomorrow I will take it easy, play nine or just practice. It’s been very busy but it’s been a lot of fun.”
SHORT DRIVE TO THE TOP-5: One of the unique prizes that will be given out at this week’s Epson Classic is a $1,000 cash prize for the player who finished in the Top-5 with the shortest average driving distance for the tournament. The prize, which has been named Short Drive to the Top-5, was generously donated by Bob Mayberry Hyundai.
PLAYERS VISIT LOCAL ELEMENTARY TO SURPRISE TICKET DESIGN WINNERS: A pair of Epson Tour players, Emily Gimpell and Christina Vosters, took some time out of their schedules on Monday to visit a local Charlotte elementary school, Olde Providence Elementary, and help reveal the ticket design winners for the Epson Classic.
“What a wonderful opportunity to see so many smiling faces and experience the enthusiasm the youngsters had for sports, education, success and learning,” Vosters said. “It was a fantastic event and I feel blessed and honored to have been a part of it.”
“It was so much fun seeing all of the designs the kids came up with. We’re excited for them to be a part of this event,” Gimpell said. “It was such a great experience talking with those kids and helping to grow the game.”
The golfers took time for Q&As with the students and stayed around for pictures and autographs.
ROCK THE PUTT RETURNS: 16 members of the Epson Tour will be competing against 16 members of the general public in the third edition of Rock the Putt, a winner-take-all, single-elimination putting contest.
Local party band, Hot Sauce, will be performing while competitors navigate rock-themed obstacles for putting dominance and a $500 cash prize. Last year Shannon Fish took home the title.
The 16 Epson players who will look to take home the title are:
Lili Alvarez
Catherine O’Donnell
Kendall Wright
Laura Kueny
Joanna Coe
Jean Chua
Brianna Do
Sara Maude Juneau
Stephanie Kenoyer
Selanee Henderson
Shannon Fish
Mary Narzisi
Ginger Howard
Stephanie Connelly
Jessi White
Carolin Pinegger
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