FORT MYERS, Fla., April 12, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, and the Legends Tour are in Fort Myers this week for the 2016 Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial at Cypress Lake Country Club. First-round play for the Epson Tour events begins on Thursday, April 14 and runs through Sunday, April 17. The Legends Tour event will begin on Saturday, April 16 and conclude simultaneously with the Epson Tour. Players from the two Tours will be paired together on Saturday and Sunday.
The Epson Tour field, highlighted by 20 LPGA Tour members, features 156 players vying for a purse of $200,000 with the winner earning $30,000 and likely moving towards the top of the Volvik Race for the Card money list. This is the third event on the Epson Tour schedule of 23 total for the season. The top 10 on the final money list will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2017 season.
The Legends Tour field of 30 former LPGA greats will compete for a total purse of $150,000 and the winner will earn $19,500.
OLYMPIC HOPEFUL STEPHANIE MEADOW EXCITED TO PLAY WITH LEGENDS: If the 2016 Olympic Games started today, Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland would qualify. Meadow, who played in the ANA Inspiration on the LPGA two weeks ago, will play in the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial this week.
“The Olympics is something you watch on television when you’re going up,” said Meadow, before playing a practice round at Cypress Lake Country Club. “All the major sports are there so for golf to be in now is huge. To represent my country and walk side-by-side with other athletes would be great.”
Meadow expects to play a mixture of LPGA and Epson Tour events to try and improve her Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Meadow is currently No. 309 in the world and the only player from Northern Ireland ranked. The top 60 on the International Golf Rankings as of July 11 will qualify.
“The Olympics is a goal, but the major priority is the LPGA,” said Meadow, who has partial status. “If I play well, both will happen.”
Meadow made a splash in 2014 when she finished third at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Meadow is excited to play with Legends Tour players this week.
“I don’t think we appreciate them (Legends Tour players) enough because they have done some pretty spectacular things,” said Meadow. “To play a round with them and pick their brain is pretty special.”
There are three other players in the field that would qualify for the Olympics if they started today - Nicole Broch Larsen (Denmark), Liv Cheng (New Zealand) and Paz Echeverria (Chile).
LEGENDS TOUR PLAYERS TALK ABOUT CHICO’S PATTY BERG MEMORIAL: Here are some quotables from Legends Tour players.
“I always enjoy playing with my peers, but playing with the young Epson Tour players is also a treat. I just have to stop trying to out drive them!” --- Nancy Lopez, LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame
“Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial is a great tournament. It brings together the old and the new golfers so the gallery can see the best of both worlds. As a Legends Tour player, I look forward to meeting and playing with the stars of the future. Good job Chico’s for putting this all on display.” --- JoAnne Carner, LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame
“The Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial is a great opportunity for the players of the future to learn from the players who have helped build the LPGA. Names like Carner, Haynie, Sheehan, Lopez, Bradley are just a few that have really done the heavy lifting for the LPGA. We congratulate Chico’s for helping us celebrate Patty Berg and all she did for women’s golf.” --- Lorie Kane
“I’m looking forward to playing the event in memory of Patty Berg, supporting a company like Chico’s who is so supportive of women and mentoring the young women who are the future of the LPGA.” ---Sherri Turner
“It is special to be invited to play in the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial. I look forward to playing, and visiting with the young players on the Epson Tour.” --- Sandra Haynie, LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame
“Being from Minnesota, I was always a huge fan of Patty Berg. Home State pride! I’m also a huge fan of the Epson Tour. I was one of the first three players (on the then Futures Tour) to earn my LPGA Tour card. It will feel a bit like returning to my beginnings. Looking forward to playing with the best young talent! Thanks to Chico’s for the opportunity.”--- Marilyn Lovander
SEVEN EPSON TOUR PLAYERS VISIT GOLISANO: Seven Epson Tour players - Jordan Britt, Luciane Lee, Michelle Piyapattra, Noemi Jimenez, Brogan McKinnon, Madchen Ly and Dana Finkelstein - visited Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida on Monday. The players interacted with the children and then took a Tour of the hospital. Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida is the official beneficiary of the next two Epson Tour events
)
)
)
)
