BATTLE CREEK, Mich., July 20, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, swings into Battle Creek Country Club for the 3rd annual FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship from July 22-24. First-round play begins on Friday, July 22 and the 54-hole tournament concludes on Sunday, July 24.

The field of 156 players will compete for a $100,000 total tournament purse. The winner will earn $15,000 and move up the Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the money list at the end of the year earn LPGA membership for the 2017 season.

Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. all three days of the tournament. Players will tee from the first and tenth tees on Friday and Saturday with a single-tee start scheduled for Sunday. Play on Sunday is expected to conclude at approximately 5:00 p.m. and the trophy ceremony will take place on the 18th green immediately following play.

New this year, the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship will also serve as the United States qualifier for The Evian Championship, the fifth major on the LPGA Tour schedule played in Evian-Les Bains, France from Sept. 15-18. The top two finishers will earn automatic spots into The Evian Championship. If need be, there will be a playoff to determine the final spot.

NO. 2 JACKIE STOELTING TALKS ABOUT WEEK AHEAD: The No. 1 player on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, Madelene Sagstrom, is not in the field this week so No. 2 Jackie Stoelting is the highest ranked player. She has two wins this season and three total top 10 finishes. Stoelting said this week is an “amazing opportunity” for all Epson Tour players.

“To be able to qualify for an LPGA major is an amazing opportunity, our (Epson Tour) only other opportunity is the U.S. Women’s Open,” said Stoelting. “It’s great that it is within a tournament so we don’t have to pay extra or travel anywhere so it’s such an awesome opportunity.”

Stoelting is also looking to leave no doubt on an LPGA card.

“If I can win or get second, I think that would help me lock up my card,” said Stoelting. “It would be an extra bonus to be able to travel to France. Last year on the LPGA, I played one major (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship) so it would be really exciting to get to play another.”

Stoelting also wanted to thank Evian and the tournament committee for believing in the Tour and giving the players the opportunity.

ONLY FRENCH PLAYER IN FIELD HOPEFUL TO HAVE HOME GAME: Fiona Puyo (Hendaye, France) started playing golf in the Southwest portion of France at junior schools. In France, you represent your home golf club in junior tournaments. Now, she has a chance to gain entry into The Evian Championship with a top two finish in Battle Creek.

“Being French, of course it would be cool to play at home,” said Puyo. “I’d love the opportunity to go back so it makes it even more exciting to play here.”

Puyo said that six or seven years ago, she went to The Evian Championship and followed her friend, Anne-Lise Caudal, who plays on the Ladies European Tour.

“The course was really, really nice so it would be nice to go this time and play it.”

TOUR PROS MAKE VISITS IN THE COMMUNITY: Epson Tour professionals made a visit to the South Central Humane Society on Wednesday afternoon to spend time with the cats and dogs and learn more about the facility in Battle Creek.

Professionals Shannon Fish, Ericka Schneider, Katerina Bruner, Amy Ruengmateekhun, Kristi Cardwell and Kristina Merkle paid a visit to the humane society.

Six Tour professionals also volunteered at S.A.F.E Place on Wednesday, the beneficiary of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. Marita Engzelius, Amber Hensley, Elizabeth Tong, Mackenzie Puryear, Liz Wendt and Allison Emrey got a Tour of the facility, learned about what S.A.F.E does and helped organize newly donated items.

S.A.F.E. Place provides programs designed to increase the safety and well-being of domestic violence survivors and their children.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship Wednesday Pre-tournament Notes

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