(FRENCH LICK) – Women’s professional golf returns to the historic French Lick Resort as future stars of the LPGA Tour compete in the Symetra Tour’s third annual Donald Ross Classic July 11-13, 2019. The acclaimed Donald Ross Course at French Lick Resort will host 150 of the top rising talents in women’s golf as they compete for a share of the 54-hole stroke-play tournament’s $225,000 prize purse (The winner’s share is $33,750). After 36 holes of championship play, the top 60 players and ties will compete for a share of the third-highest purse on the 2019 Symetra Tour schedule.
The three-round tournament is the signature event of a week-long celebration of women’s golf hosted by Resort Charities, the charitable foundation of French Lick Resort, with proceeds from the festivities benefiting the Orange County Habitat for Humanity. The week kicks off with a pairings party Tuesday, July 10 followed by the popular Symetra Tour Pro-Am on Wednesday July 11.
Two young players with local ties received a special exemption into the field. Second-year professional Taylor Howerton, a standout player at Indiana University and the University of Southern Indiana and 18-year-old Duke University golf commit Erica Shepard, the 2017 US Girl’s Junior Champion and 2019 US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Champion will be vying for the top prize and a step closer to playing on the LPGA Tour. Defending champion Stephanie Kono (Honolulu, Hawaii) will not be in this year’s field, having earned Priority List Category 14 status for this LPGA Tour season.
“It’s exciting when Symetra Tour and its field of talented players comes to French Lick, continuing the rich legacy of women’s golf which began with the LPGA’s 1958 French Lick Open,” says French Lick’s director of golf Dave Harner. “To be able to celebrate women’s golf and support an outstanding organization like Habitat for Humanity that will impact so many families in our region is a huge honor for our staff and all involved.”
The Orange County Habitat for Humanity provides a major impact on the French Lick community and the surrounding region by providing home ownership opportunities to low income families through the building of new single-family dwellings using donated materials and labor. Since 1992, the organization has developed and constructed 27 new homes for Orange County residents.
Mark your calendar and join Indiana’s premier resort destination for an exciting event that will have a major impact on the community. Below is the schedule of events.
- Tuesday, July 9– Symetra Tour Pro-Am Pairings Party
- Tuesday, July 9– Donald Ross Classic Youth Clinic – Valley Links Course
- Wednesday, July 10– Symetra Tour Pro-Am – Donald Ross Course
- Thursday, July 11 – Championship Round 1 – Symetra Tour Donald Ross Classic
- Friday, July 12 – Championship Round 2 – Symetra Tour Donald Ross Classic
- Saturday, July 13 – Championship Final Round – Symetra Tour Donald Ross Classic
Pro-Am and Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information email or call:
Call Tyler Jordan: tjordan@frenchlick.com or call 812-788-1550 or Dave Harner: dharner@frenchlick.com or call 812-639-6857
