Top college sophomore and top KLPGA professional added to field

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., February 19, 2015 – The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, is excited to announce four sponsor exemptions into the field for the Volvik Championship, which will be contested at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont, California the week of February 23.

Volvik, the Official Golf Ball of the Epson Tour and the title sponsor of the event, has chosen two Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) players Yoon Kyung Heo and Li-A Kang along with Epson Tour professional Michelle Shin as sponsor exemptions. Meanwhile, Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon has selected University of Arizona sophomore Wanasa Zhou to play in the Volvik Championship.

"It is very exciting to have these great players from different tours around the world, said Don Shin of Volvik. "Having these world class players at the Volvik Championship will provide great opportunities for them to learn more about the road to the LPGA and it will bring more excitement and a very competitive field to the third annual Volvik Championship."

The four exemptions will be part of the 120-player field that will compete for a $100,000 total tournament purse from Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1.

Kyung Heo is one of the top players from Korea. She finished second in 2014 on the KLPGA money list with two wins. The 24-year-old has played on the KLPGA since 2009.

"I am very excited about playing my first event at the Volvik Championship," said Heo. "I think it will be a very valuable experience for me to play a Epson Tour event, the road to the LPGA. I hope to play well and experience what it would take to compete on the LPGA tour as well."

Kang, who is just 21-years-old, played in 12 events on the KLPGA in 2014. She turned professional in 2013.

Shin, who has played full-time on the Epson Tour since 2012, finished 36th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list in 2013. Shin was an NGCA Honorable Mention All-American at Wake Forest in 2011.

Zhou, who graduated from Mesa Grande Academy in Calimesa, posted two top 10 results in 2013-14 as a freshman at Arizona. She led the Wildcats with three top 20 results. As an amateur, she finished fifth at the Kraft Nabisco Junior Challenge. Zhou placed second at the 2012 SCPGA Desert Tournament.

“I want to thank Morongo Golf Club for giving me the amateur exemption into the event,” said Zhou. “It will be a great opportunity for me to play in the field of a professional event. I'm really looking forward to representing The University of Arizona with the support of family, friends and coaches.”

For more information about the Volvik Championship, contact tournament director Tim Forbes at 424-228-4949 or email timforbes@outlook.com.

Four Players Earn Exemptions into Volvik Championship in Beaumont

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