Island Epson Tour Preview-6/21/2023

THINGS TO KNOW

• The Island Resort Championship is the 11^th tournament of the 2023 Epson Tour season
• A 156-player field will be competing for a $225,000 purse in a 54-hole, stroke-play format with a cut to the low-60 players plus ties after 36 holes
• This is the 12^th annual event
• Sweetgrass Golf Club was voted the 2021 Michigan Golf Course of the Year and the 2022 Jemsek National Course of the Year

COURSE SETUP
36-36—72; 6,476 yards (white line yardage subject to change through start of tournament)

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS

SOCIAL MEDIA
Hashtags: #IslandResortChamp, #EpsonTour, #Road2LPGA

Instagram: @EpsonTour, @islandresortandcasino

Twitter: @EpsonTour, @IslandResortMI

LIU TAKES CONTROL OF POTAWATOMI CUP STANDINGS AFTER FIRST EVENT

The first of three Potawatomi Cup events is complete, and the Epson Tour is moving on from the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship to the Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich. The long-standing tournament takes place at Sweetgrass Country Club from June 23-25, giving 156 players a new opportunity to earn bonus money.

To recap, the Potawatomi Cup is a point-based ranking, sponsored by Native American tribes in the Potawatomi Nation, that awards bonus money to Epson Tour athletes. Taking place during the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, Island Resort Championship and Four Winds Invitational, the top finishers at each event will earn points with the cumulative winner being crowned after completion of the Four Winds Invitational in August. The point breakdown for each event is as follows:

After the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, champion Siyun Liu leads the way with 500 points. Thanks to the victory, Liu locks down $3,000 in bonus money and has the opportunity to earn more.

“I’m excited to have a fast start on the Potawatomi cup, and I really appreciate their continued support towards women’s golf,” said Liu. “Hopefully, I can continue my solid play heading into the upcoming events.”

Right behind Liu is Garvey, who finished the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in second place. The New Zealand native was one shot behind Liu and looks to continue the positive momentum at the Island Resort Championship. Rounding out the top three are Savannah Vilaubi and Lindsey McCurdy in a tie for third with 162.50 points.

Here’s a look at the current Potawatomi Cup leaderboard:

The opening event has proven to be instrumental in the past, with Ssu-Chia Cheng winning the first event in 2022 (Island Resort Championship). Cheng maintained her lead and took home a total of $8,000.

Sarah White is Back in Familiar Territory

The White family has been the one to beat when it comes to golf in the state of Michigan. Sarah White won the 2022 Michigan PGA Women’s Open while her brother Brett won the 2022 Tournament of Champions, hosted by the Michigan PGA at Boyne Mountain, and the 2020 Michigan Open Championship. Not only do the siblings win, but when they do, it’s always around the same time.

“It’s like every time my brother wins or I win, it is like the next tournament the other person wins,” explained White. “So last year I won the Michigan Open and then like a week and a half later, during his wedding week, my brother goes out and wins the Michigan Tournament of Champions. When I won the Founders Tribute in 2020 on the Epson Tour, he goes out a few weeks later and wins the Michigan Open. So, I am really hoping to win again soon because that means he will too.”

Now Sarah is heading into her second event in three weeks in Michigan after making the cut at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. White has massive support in her home state, with friends and family coming out to watch her play whenever they can. Of course, the Grand Rapids native is always looking to play well, especially in front of her loved ones, but there isn’t any added pressure when they are around. In fact, it’s almost the opposite.

“Obviously I want to play well every week, but I really want to do well when I come to Michigan. I kind of have homecourt advantage and I really want to play well with my family here supporting me,” said White. “They all support me in such a phenomenal way that I want to give back to them by playing well. I also know regardless of how I play they are going to love me so that helps keep the pressure off of you while you are playing.”

Now heading into the Island Resort Championship, it seems White is finding her groove back at home. The cut she made in Battle Creek, Mich. resulted in a top-25 finish, her first in six events. This week, she’s going back to a familiar course where she has made the cut the past two years, with her dad on the bag for his annual caddie appearance.

“(Sweetgrass) really favors my game. Then on top of that, I always have a good time up there,” said White. “There is something to be said about having fun on and off the golf course. Every year it is the one event that my dad caddies so that makes it a little extra special. He usually gets in a little Epson Tour Instagram time where he pretends to tell me what to do, which is really fun for us.”

White will look to keep the positive vibes rolling when she tees it up for her first round on Friday, trying to just take it all in.

“There are not many times when you’re on the road that you truly get to be at home. So, it is just a really nice stop for me,” said White. “It just feels so good to be back home.”

ABOUT THE EPSON TOUR

The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, the world’s leading competitive destination for female professional golfers. With the support of entitlement partner Seiko Epson Corporation, the Tour, entering into its 43rd competitive season in 2023, aims to prepare the world’s best female professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. In the last decade, the Epson Tour has grown from 15 tournaments and $1.6 million in total prize money to hosting more than 20 events and awarding $5 million in 2023. With more than 600 graduates and alumnae moving on to the LPGA Tour, former Epson Tour players have won 466 LPGA titles.

Follow the Epson Tour at www.epsontour.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.