LAKE WALES, Fla., April 5, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, returns to action after a five-week hiatus with the 8th annual Florida’s Natural Charity Classic at Lake Wales Country Club from Friday, April 8 through Sunday, April 10. The field of 156 players will compete for a total purse of $175,000, the largest in tournament history. The winner will earn $26,250 and likely move into the top spot on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.

Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. all three days of the tournament. There will be a cut to the top 60 and ties following Saturday’s second round. The expected finish time on Sunday is approximately 5:00 p.m.

The Florida’s Natural Charity Classic begins a three-week Florida swing for the Epson Tour. The Tour heads to Fort Myers for the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial April 14-17 and closes the stretch in Sarasota with the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay April 22-24. With no scheduled events in March, the Tour will play eight of the next nine weeks.

BELGIUM’S GONZALEZ ESCALLON REACTS TO RECENT TERROR ATTACKS: Laura Gonzalez Escallon is here in Lake Wales this week, but her heart and mind are back home after the terrorist attack on March 23 at the Brussels Airport, which is just one hour from her home of La Hulpe, Belgium and the airport she uses to fly to the states to compete on Epson Tour.

“When they hit Paris, it was really close, but then they hit Belgium and the heart of it in Brussels,” explained Gonzalez Escallon. “I was worried, I am still worried about going there but we cannot be afraid. The whole country is really shaken up because they really hit us hard.”

Due to the wreckage from the bombings, Gonzalez Escallon had to drive to Düsseldorf Airport in Germany and fly out from there instead of Brussels Airport to get to Florida.

“No international flights were leaving Brussels,” explained Gonzalez Escallon. “The day I flew, only three flights took off from Brussels.”

While security has increased and many search for answers, Gonzalez Escallon is proud to return to golf and represent Belgium.

“I have always represented Belgium and I carry the Belgium flag on my bag,” said Escallon. “It is a hard situation for everyone in the country, something you never want to live again. So many innocent people were affected.”

Gonzalez Escallon did not know anyone directly affected, but her sister, who lives in Brussels, did. Escallon is heading home on Monday after the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic to attend her sister’s wedding. She will again have to fly to Düsseldorf Airport.

FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE’S STOELTING COMFORTABLE HERE: Jackie Stoelting (Vero Beach, Florida) is just comfortable in Lakeland and Lake Wales. She went to college at Florida Southern from 2004-2008 and has always done well in the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. She finished T2 in 2014 and finished 2nd in 2011.

“I’m comfortable here and the course sets up well for me,” explained Stoelting after a First Tee clinic in

Lakeland. “It’s always nice playing near home and playing near college. Bermuda grass isn’t easy to play on, but I’m used to playing on it so that helps.”

Stoelting is staying at her former teammate’s parents’ house this week in Lake Wales.

“It’s just fun to be around people that I have spent a lot of time with over the years.”

JEAN CHUA SWITCHES TO SE RI PAK’S COACH: Se Ri Pak, who recently announced her retirement from the LPGA after 2016, had a marvelous career that included five major championships and 25 total victories. Many South Korean golfers were inspired by Pak and her influence can be felt this week in Lake Wales. Jean Chua recently switched coaches to Tom Creavy, Pak’s coach.

“It really helped that he has the same concepts as my previous coach so we didn’t have to start from scratch,” said Chua. “He has made my ball striking a lot more solid and consistent.”

Chua has eight career top 10 finishes on the Epson Tour.

QUICK NOTES

Sebring High School golfer Kendall Griffin will tee at 9:30 a.m. on Friday and start from the tenth tee. Current Florida Southern College golfer Abbey Williams will also tee at 9:30, but is playing in the group starting from the first tee. Former Ridge Community High School golfer Erica Popson will tee at 2:10 p.m. and start from the first tee.
There are two 2015 First Team All-Americans in the field (Madelene Sagstrom - LSU, Dana Finkelstein - UNLV) and two ‘15 Second Team All-Americans (Hayley Davis - Baylor, Ally McDonald - Mississippi State).
Former teammates at Tulane, Gemma Dryburgh and Maribel Lopez Porras are back together competing on the Epson Tour. Dryburgh just graduated last May and is making her debut this week while Lopez Porras has played on Tour for two years. They will both also play on the Ladies European Tour as well.

Florida's Natural Charity Classic Pre-tournament New & Notes

Related Articles