Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon
Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon - Champions Course
Beaumont, California
Pre-Tournament News & Notes

BEAUMONT, Calif., February 26, 2015 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, opens the 2015 Volvik Championship on Friday at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon. First-round play begins at 7:00 a.m. from the first and tenth tees.

The field of 119 professionals and one amateur are competing for their share of the $100,000 total tournament purse.

The winner will earn $15,000 and take a significant step towards an LPGA Tour card. The top 10 players on the year-end Volvik Race for the Card money list earn 2016 LPGA Tour cards.

The field will be shortened to the top 70 and ties following second-round play on Saturday. Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon has hosted several big events including Web.Com Tour Qualifying School and
the Southern California PGA.

“There are a couple holes that I had a 4-iron or a hybrid into the hole so I think those will be game changers this week,” said second year player Caroline Powers. “If you can make a par, that is good, but if you can make birdie then you can probably pick up one on the field. Taking advantage of the par-5 holes will also be critical.”

Tiffany Tavee (Tempe, Ariz.) agrees that length off the tee may very well decide the Volvik Championship.

“There is a hole on the back nine where I had a pretty good hybrid in and it’s not a very big green,” said Tavee. “I have a note in my book saying if it is a tucked pin bail out right and just take a par.”

Brianna Do, who played college golf at UCLA, feels that finding the fairway will be paramount and also difficult at times.

“I think hitting off the tee boxes is going to be key because some of these holes have blind landing spots,” said Do, who finished in a tie for fourth last week. “On 18 for example, you have to aim at something off in the distance and you have to know how the fairways kick. You just have to pick a good line and go from there.”

Every player in the field this week is trying to better her standing on the early Volvik Race for the Card money list. With only ten spots on the LPGA Tour up for grabs at the end of the year, each week is another opportunity to better your position.

“It is stressful, I mean if you don’t earn your card it is quite a bit of money to go to Qualifying Tournament so there is a financial aspect,” said Tavee. “However, you can’t keep thinking about it week in and week out because in my mind you need to play the course one shot at a time and have your best finish possible.”

“Your position on the Volvik Race for the Card money list will take care of itself if you’re just focused on having good tournaments,” said Powers. “If you really start thinking about the money list, that 3-footer is going to look a bit longer.”

JUNIOR CLINIC FUN: Epson Tour professionals that play Volvik hosted two junior clinics on Wednesday. Casey Grice, Marina Choi, Alice Kim and Michelle Shin hosted the first clinic while Stephanie Kono, Becca Huffer and Laura Kueny worked the second clinic.

Junior golfers from Beaumont attended the first clinic and kids from the Morongo Boys and Girls Club were at the second clinic.

FORMER MLB PICTURE PLAYS IN PRO-AM: 17 years in the major leagues and one of the best amateurs in this weeks pro-am at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon. Former Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park, who is close to the Volvik brand, played in both Wednesday and Thursday pro-ams. He won the long drive contest on Thursday.

Park spent the first eight years of his big league career with the Dodgers.

His best season came in 2000 when he posted an 18-10 mark with a 3.27 ERA. Park made an all-star appearance the following season and collected 124 career victories.

STEPHANIE KONO VISITS KMIR STUDIOS: Stephanie Kono, who played golf at UCLA, is the face of the Volvik Championship. Her picture is on billboards, pull up banners and the VIP hospitality passes this week. She also paid a visit to the KMIR News studios on Thursday morning to talk about the tournament. The Volvik Championship trophy also found its way onto the news desk.

Kono was interviewed by KMIR contributor Julie Buehler.

Volvik Championship at Morongo Golf Club Pre-tournamnt News & Notes

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