Longbow Golf Club and Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon to host first two of expected record number of events

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., January 13, 2015 – The Epson Tour, the Road to the LPGA, is excited to announce that the 2015 season will once again begin with a two-week west coast swing. The first event will be the third annual Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club the week of February 16-22 in Mesa, Arizona. Then, the Tour shifts to Beaumont, California the week of February 23 through March 1 for the Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon.

Both events are 54-hole stroke play formats beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday.

The fields will consist of the top 120 aspiring LPGA Tour professionals. They will compete both weeks for separate $100,000 total tournament purses with the winners taking home $15,000 and moving into the top 10 on the Epson Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the year-end Volvik Race for the Card money list earn LPGA Tour cards for the 2016 season.

“Arizona and California are both rich in golf tradition so we’re excited to open the year with a west coast swing again,” said Chief Business Officer of the Epson Tour, Mike Nichols. “The Epson Tour has grown tremendously and the 35^th year of the Tour will provide up-and-coming professionals with a great opportunity to grow and prepare for the LPGA Tour.”

The full Epson Tour schedule, which will be released in the coming weeks, will feature at least 23 tournaments, the most in 27 years. The 2014 schedule totaled 20 events, an increase of five tournaments from 2013. The last time the Tour had more than 20 events was 1989 when the schedule totaled 21 events.

In 2014, LPGA Tour member Alena Sharp opened with rounds of 67-66 and held off eventual Epson Player of the Year Marissa Steen to win the Visit Mesa Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. Former Arizona State Sun Devils golfer Jaclyn Sweeney won the inaugural event at Longbow Golf Club in 2012.

“Longbow Golf Club is pleased to host the LPGA Epson Tour’s season premier tournament for the third year in a row,” said Bob McNichols of Longbow Golf Club. “Our convenient travel destination, perfect winter climate, excellent course conditions and support of women's amateur and professional golf are unsurpassed by any other possible location. Our professional and dedicated staff, sponsor hospitality and community support make this the best possible experience for players and patrons alike. The Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club will be an exceptional experience and a challenging test of golf to start the season as "The Road to the LPGA Starts in Mesa" again in 2015.”

Kim Kaufman, who finished 2014 on the LPGA Tour, won the Volvik Championship in 2014. Hannah Yun won the inaugural Volvik Championship in 2013.

“There's a lot of excitement brewing for the third annual Volvik Championship," said Don Shin, President of Volvik USA. “It's the second event of the Epson Tour season, which means it really is the starting line for the Volvik Race for the Card, in which ten players will earn their LPGA Tour cards at the end of the season. The event is taking place at Morongo Casino's Tukwet Canyon golf course in California, a new venue that is adding even more excitement to this year's Volvik Championship. We look forward to a strong field of the world's brightest up-and-coming women professional golfers.”

Longbow Golf Club was ranked “One of the Top 20 Golf Courses You Can Play in Arizona” by Golfweek Magazine. Meanwhile, Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon currently hosts regional events such as the Southern California PGA and the McGladrey Section Championship.

For more information on the Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club, contact tournament director Ryan Ronk at ryan.ronk@lpga.com or call 386-341-2972.

For more information on the Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, contact tournament director Tim Forbes at timforbes@outlook.com or call 424-228-4949.

2015 Epson Tour Season Opens in Arizona and California

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