Garden City Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course
Garden City, Kansas
September 17, 2015
Thursday Pre-Tournament News & Notes

GARDEN CITY, Kan., September 17, 2015 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, tees of the 2nd annual Garden City Charity Classic on Friday, September 18 at 7:45 a.m. The top 132 professionals from the United States and 23 countries around the globe will compete for a $100,000 total tournament purse.

Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, New Mexico), No. 21 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, is the biggest baseball fan on the Tour. In fact, she already has plans to attend games two and five of the World Series wherever they end up. Kempter recently heard Houston Astros skipper A.J. Hinch speak and is borrowing his mental approach for the final four tournaments of the season.

“He was asked about his team losing games and how the guys were taking it and A.J. said that the energy in the clubhouse is great because these guys all want to be here,” said Kempter. “It’s the same with us, we all practice and play starting in February because we love being out here competing so you’ve got to embrace the last four events and not let the pressure get to you.”

Kempter won the Volvik Championship earlier in the year and has three total top 10 finishes. However, in her last six starts her best finish is a tie for 20th at the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge.

“I’m looking forward to every round I have left out here this year,” said Kempter. “Four events means a lot of golf. When I made the cut in Sioux Falls, I looked at my dad and told him I figured out why I hate missing cuts. It’s not so much about the money, although the money can be great, I just love playing golf.”

Kempter made the cut at the Garden City Charity Classic last year and finished in a tie for 54th. She said the winner this week will be forced to play three strong rounds.

“I like this golf course, I think it has some real variety off the tee,” said Kempter, who played on the LPGA Tour through Q-School in 2010. “The course has a lot of different dog legs, the greens are fair and the course is in great shape.”

Like a lot of players who played in Garden City last year, Kempter only remembered how cold it was.

“When I got back out here this year and played yesterday, I thought to myself ‘man, I forgot how much I liked this golf course’," said Kempter. “It reminds me of some of the courses I’ve played in New Mexico and I think it is a great set up.”

Kempter, who tees on Friday at 9:02 a.m. from the tenth tee, is currently $17,028 outside of the top ten. A win or a strong finish would put her in striking distance with three events left.

CAROLINE POWERS MEETS HER PIN PALS: Caroline Powers (Bowling Green, Ohio) met her Epson Tour Pin Pals this morning at Plymell Elementary in Garden City. Powers has been exchanging letters with the kids, now in second grade, throughout the season.

“I had a great time seeing all the kids and putting faces to all the letters we sent back and forth,” said Powers. “It was a great opportunity to get connected in the community here in Garden City and share stories with them about golf and life on the road. I loved hearing all their stories as well and we just had tons of laughs. I look forward to staying connected with them now.”

The former Michigan State star answered questions ranging from her favorite animal at the zoo to the snacks she eats while on the golf course. The “Pin Pals” also chatted about the Kansas State Fair and the Garden City Zoo.

ROOKIES CHILDS AND SHUTLER VISIT KENNETH HENDERSON: While Powers went back to second grade, Epson Tour professionals Emily Childs (Alameda, California) and Julie Shutler (Manteca, California) visited Kenneth Henderson Middle School to talk to the female student athletes about life as a professional.

Childs and Shutler also demonstrated different golf shots outside in the big field.

“We had a great time talking with the girls today,” said Childs. “So many of them had really wonderful questions and they were so polite. It was our privilege to be invited to talk to a group of young girls who will be future female athletes.”

OF NOTE: The Epson Tour has never had four players earn more than $60,000 in a single-season. Giulia Molinaro ($67,250) and Annie Park ($66,125) have already eclipsed the mark. No. 3 Lee Lopez ( $56,078) and No. 4 Alejandra Llaneza ($54,690) are both within $6,000 of reaching $60,000. There is a strong likelihood that the top 10 players at the end of the year will all earn over $50,000 for the first time in Tour history.

Garden City Thursday Pre-tournament News & Notes

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