ALBANY, N.Y. — The Memorial Day week stop on the 2020 “Road to the LPGA” will take the Epson Tour to Capital Hills at Albany in the Empire State for the second edition of The CDPHP Open from May 29-31. Title sponsor Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP) once again brings women’s professional golf to the greater eastern New York area.
Greeting the 144-player field in the capital of New York is a total purse of $150,000, up 20 percent from 2019. Individuals will compete in a 54-hole stroke play format with a cut to the low 60 players and ties after 36 holes. The winner’s share for the event is $22,500.
“Now going on 36 years in the Capital Region, our stop in Albany keeps growing and is now the longest running active tournament on Tour,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Epson Tour. “Jimmy Miller and his team do a great job of ensuring the week runs smoothly and the addition of title sponsor CDPHP last year has only helped to expand opportunities for the next generation of LPGA Tour stars.”
From 1984-1998, the event was contested at Town of Colonie Golf Course in Schenectady before a one-year hiatus. It then spent two years each at Western Turnpike Golf Course and Orchard Creek Golf Club, before settling in at Capital Hills at Albany Golf Course for good in 2004.
“We are once again thrilled to support The CDPHP Open, which showcases our Capital Region as a great place to live, work and be entertained,” said John D. Bennett, MD, president and CEO of CDPHP. “I’m also thankful that CDPHP The Foundation will be the event’s beneficiary, as it enables us to further promote health and wellness in our community.”
In addition, the “Concert on the Course” returns for a fourth straight year with headliner Carly Pearce. A country artist with Big Machine Label Group, her debut single “Every Little Thing” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay charts in 2017. Pearce will perform the night of Saturday, May 30, once second round play concludes. Past performers of “Concert on the Course” at The CDPHP Open include Frankie Ballard, Chase Rice and Scotty McCreery.
“Having the support of corporate sponsors to host a tournament starts with a title sponsor and CDPHP is a tremendous partner,” said Jim Miller, the Tournament Director for The CDPHP Open. “This year, in particular, we increased the tournament's purse, just one small step to closing the gap in prize money between women's and men's professional golf. We are also bringing back ‘Concert on the Course’ after the second round of competition. It is only fitting our featured artist is a female and one of the most promising up-and-coming artists on the country scene. The last weekend in May is going to be a great time to watch fantastic golf and see a lively, entertaining concert.”
Action gets underway at 7:30 a.m. ET all three days with play starting off No. 1 and No. 10 tees in the first and second round. Meanwhile, all groups will head off No. 1 tee in twosomes for the final round with a trophy presentation to follow on No. 18 green.