Eighth annual event returns to Lake Wales Country Club April 8-10

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., March 16, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, is returning to Lake Wales for the eighth annual Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, held April 8-10 at Lake Wales Country Club from April 8-10. First-round play begins on Friday, April 8 and the final-round is Sunday, April 10.

The field of 156 players will compete for $175,000 - the largest purse in tournament history. The winner will earn $26,250, the highest winner’s payout in the history of the event. The tournament purse is up $50,000 from last year’s total of $125,000. The purse has grown by $75,000 since the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic’s inaugural year in 2009.

“We’re thrilled with the growth the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic has shown over the years. The increase signals strong long term stability,” said Epson Tour Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols. “The Florida’s Natural Charity Classic is also highly committed to giving back to the local Lake Wales community, as evident by the impressive amount that the tournament has raised for charities in Polk and surrounding counties.”

Through the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, the event has helped to raise over $1 million in grants to charitable organizations over the last seven years. In 2015, nearly 80 local charitable organizations benefitted from the foundation grants. Proceeds from the 2016 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic will once benefit the Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation.

The 2016 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic will feature the top 144 Epson Tour professionals and 12 of the top professionals from the Taiwan LPGA. The 12 professionals from the Taiwan LPGA will also play in the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial the following week and the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in San Francisco April 21-24.

In 2015, Canada’s Sue Kim earned her second career Epson Tour victory at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. She edged sisters Brittany and Brooke Henderson by three shots. Other past winners of the event include Cindy Feng (2014), Melissa Eaton (2013), Megan McChrystal (2012), Tzu-Chi Lin (2011), Angela Oh (2010) and Jean Reynolds (2009).

“The Florida’s Natural Charity Classic is a great event for our cooperative,” said Nikki Hayde, President of Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation. “It has evolved into a company and community event that impacts the Central Florida area through the efforts of our Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation.”

For more information about the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic including playing in the pro-am, contact Tim Kramer at tim.kramer@lpga.com.

Florida’s Natural Charity Classic Purse Grows to $175,000

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