Symetra Tour Announces 2016 Preliminary Schedule with FireKeepers Casino Hotel Tournament Winner to Receive Automatic Entry Into LPGA’s Evian Championship
Battle Creek, MI (November 20, 2015) –The Symetra Tour, Road to the LPGA, announced the 2016 preliminary schedule today along with two major initiatives to connect the Symetra Tour with the LPGA Tour. The 2016 preliminary schedule, which will begin the week of February 15 in Beaumont, Calif., currently features 23 events and the highest individual tournament purse, total and average purses in the 36-year history of the Tour. The season will once again conclude with the Symetra Tour Championship the week of October 10 in Daytona Beach.
The Symetra Tour also announced a new initiative that includes two all-expense paid exemptions into The Evian Championship for the top two finishers at the Symetra Tour’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship at Battle Creek Country Club in Battle Creek, Mich. (July 22-24). This is the first time that the Symetra Tour has offered exemptions into an LPGA Tour major championship.
“This is the earliest we’ve released our schedule and it’s another example of how far this Tour has come in an effort to truly mirror the LPGA,” said Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols. “By partnering with Symetra and our tournaments, we have been able to grow average purses and allow our members a better opportunity to earn more money while chasing their LPGA dreams.”
The new Symetra purse matching program that was announced in October along with Symetra’s extension through the 2021 season as the entitlement partner of the Tour has been instrumental in growing returning tournaments purses. Of the 14 tournaments that have announced their purse level for 2016, half have taken advantage of the purse matching program.
“The best way to prepare our members for the next stage of their career is giving them first-hand experience,” said Nichols. “This is huge for the Symetra Tour to provide two of our players the occasion to measure their game against the best on a big stage and also get their feet wet traveling internationally to compete. We are grateful to our friends at The Evian Championship for extending this unique experience.”
The Tour’s final schedule will be released in early January once all tournaments and purses are finalized.
The Symetra Tour — Road to the LPGA is the official developmental tour of the LPGA and completed its 35th competitive season in 2015. With the support of its umbrella partner, Symetra, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7M in prize money to $2.8M in prize money awarded over the course of 23 tournaments — the most events in 27 years (1988). With more than 500 alumnae moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 371 LPGA titles, including 40 major championships. Follow the Symetra Tour on the web at www.SymetraTour.com, Facebook.com/RoadtotheLPGA, Twitter.com/Road2LPGA, and YouTube.com/Road2LPGA.
Media Contacts Bret Lasky, Media Coordinator, LPGA Symetra Tour, bret.lasky@lpga.com, 386.679.1292
FireKeepers Casino Hotel is located just off Interstate 94 at Exit 104 in Battle Creek, Mich. The property features a 111,700-square foot gaming floor with 2,900 slot machines, 70 table games, a live poker room and bingo room. FireKeepers offers a AAA-rated Four Diamond resort-style hotel with 243 rooms, a functional multi-purpose event center capable of seating up to 2,000 guests, six distinctive dining destinations, multiple lounges and entertainment venues. FireKeepers is the title sponsor of the June Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, the FireKeepers Casino 400. For more information visit www.FireKeepersCasinoHotel.com.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel is owned and operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi.
