Tullymore Classic
Tullymore Golf Club
Canadian Lakes, Mich.
July 2, 2015
Thursday Pre-Tournament News and Notes

CANADIAN LAKES, Mich., July 2, 2015 – The Epson Tour, the Road to the LPGA Tour, begins its second half of the season this week at the Tullymore Classic. The three-round event will begin on Friday, July 3, and run through Sunday, July 5, at Tullymore Golf Club.

The 144 player field will be competing for a share of a $100,000 purse with a top prize of $15,000. The top-10 on the year-end Volvik Race for the Card money list will receive their LPGA Tour cards for the 2016 season.

There will be a cut to the top 70 and ties following second round play on Saturday, July 4.

Laura Kueny is the face of the Tullymore Classic: Laura Kueny, a Whitehall native, may be carrying the crown of the hometown favorite this week at the Tullymore Classic.

“It’s really really cool. I came up here for the media day and everyone was so welcoming and I’ve already been treated really well here,” Kueny said. “I’m very honored to be the face of the tournament and I hope I can represent well.”

As part of being one of the spokeswomen for the event, Kueny’s image has been featured all over the Tullymore and St. Ives resorts and the surrounding communities on everything from billboards, light post banners and cart signs. In fact, when patrons and golfers alike come into the resort they will be hard pressed to miss Kueny’s.

“Caroline Powers counted on the way in and she counted about 36 and that’s just in the entryway alone,” Kueny said with a chuckle. “It’s pretty cool. I like it. It’s given me good vibes for the week. I feel like I’m going to do well this week.”

Brooke Henderson WDS: Brooke Henderson has withdrawn from this week’s Tullymore Classic.

“Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from the Tullymore Classic this week on the Epson Tour following a minor car accident on Wednesday evening on my way to do laundry. While I did not sustain significant injuries, I am very sore and feel that I need to rest and recuperate prior to the U.S. Women’s invitation prior to becoming a member. I know it will play host to a great event this week.”

College Hockey Meets Professional Golf: Ferris State hockey coach Bob Daniels was able to take a break during the middle of the Bulldog’s summer camps to compete in the pro-am at the Tullymore Classic.

“For me, it was a cool experience,” Daniels said. “I’d never done this before and it was really eye opening as to how good these golfers really are.”

Daniels and his group were paired with Jessica Wallace (Langley, British Columbia) who is one of the biggest hockey fans on Tour.

“It was awesome,” Wallace said. “He was a really cool guy to get to know. We got to talk a lot about just hockey in general, players, free agency was happening so he was talking to me about Kevin Beiksa. It was a good time and it was really cool to play with someone who shares a passion that I have.”

Daniels echoed Wallace’s statements.

“I had just a terrific time,” said Daniels. “I played with Jessica and all I can say is ‘Wow what a great representative for the Tour.’ She was so fun and outgoing.”

A two-time Division I Men’s Ice Hockey STX/AHCA Coach of the Year, Daniels saw many parallels between some of his own players and the players chasing their dreams on the Road to the LPGA.

“It reminds me so much of our players with big hopes and big dreams and the journey of trying to make it to the NHL or LPGA,” Daniels said. “It’s a different sport but a similar story.”

So how did the longest serving coach in FSU history’s golf game stack up at Tullymore?

“I’m glad we were in a scramble,” Daniels said with a chuckle. “It’s a really nice course and you can tell they are very proud of it hosting a Epson Tour event. They have done an excellent job with the presentation and you can tell that they want this to be a first class event.”

Wallace had a kinder assessment of the Daniels’ golf game.

“He hit a few good shots out there,” Wallace said. “He loosened up and was ready to go so I was impressed. He downplayed his game but he threw in a couple of shots there. He had the little butter cut going and I was like ‘ok we can make this work.’”

Players Experience Pure Michigan: With three Epson Tour events in the Great Lakes State in the past five weeks, golfers on the Road to the LPGA have been able to experience a lot of Pure Michigan.

“I love nature and seeing different nature landscapes and Michigan certainly has some beautiful areas,” said Giulia Molinaro, who is originally from Italy and grew up in Kenya. “It’s fun to go out with friends and do different things and take a day off.”

The golfers began their Michigan adventure in Battle Creek for the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship back on June 1, played in two out-of-state events and then returned to the Mitten for the Island Resort Championship in Harris last week and will end their Midwest swing at this week’s Tullymore Classic in Canadian Lakes.

“I’m from California and I would have never thought that I would get to see more than one of the Great Lakes,” said Brianna Do. “We’re always around Lake Michigan but I went up to the Pictured Rocks and saw Lake Superior and then Mackinac Island is on Lake Huron so I saw three in one week and that was really cool.”

While some players are new to the whole Michigan experience, Michiganders such as Lake Orion’s Brittany Hamilton are happy to show off their home state to their fellow Tour pros.

“It was cool to be able to show everybody a little piece of my home,” said Hamilton.

Tullymore Classic Pre-tournament News and Notes

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