SOUTH BEND, Ind., June 14, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, returns to South Bend for the 5th annual Four Winds Invitational at Blackthorn Golf Club. The first-round begins on Friday, June 17 and the final-round is scheduled for Sunday, June 19. This is the 10th event of the 2016 season, which will conclude Oct. 13-16 with the Epson Tour Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The field of 144 players from the United States and 26 countries around the globe will compete for a $150,000 purse and the winner will earn $22,500 and likely move into or near the top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.

The top 10 at the end of the season will earn LPGA Tour membership for 2017.

FORMER NOTRE DAME GOLFER READY
Becca Huffer is used to the attention this week at the Four Winds Invitational. It’s her third return trip to South Bend since graduating from Notre Dame in 2012.

“It’s always nice to come back and see familiar places,” said Huffer, who is also eager to visit Fiddler’s for some good Irish food and CJ’s for burgers. “I’m staying with my former coach again so it’s just always nice to be here.”

Huffer said she is going to mix in a trip to campus and the football stadium.

The Colorado native missed the cut in 2015, but finished T19 in 2014 with a final-round 68 at Blackthorn.

“I like the golf course and I hear it is in good shape again this year,” said Huffer, who just arrived on Tuesday afternoon. “When I’m in town, I love to check in with the team still and see how they are playing. All my teammates are gone now, but this place still brings back the memories.”

Huffer, who has started the season slow with just four cuts made in eight starts, realizes that this could be the week that sparks the turnaround.

“I’m trying to get everything put together,” said Huffer. “I did take some time off in the winter and I think I got the rust off by now. This would be a fun one to play well at being back at the Midwestern courses and having comfort on the greens. It would be great to have a good showing in the next few events, especially here.”

JAMES SAYS HENDERSON WIN INSPIRES “ALL CANADIAN GOLFERS”
Augusta James has known Brooke Henderson for a long time and over the last five years, she has played a lot more golf with Henderson, who won the 2015 Four Winds Invitational and the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this past Sunday.

“Her win is a huge boost for all Canadian golfers in this position and aspiring professionals and young girls watching her play,” said James. “I know her game and it is a lot different than mine and I know I have a long way to go to get my game where I can compete for majors on the LPGA Tour. It is very encouraging to know that she can do it and I think a lot of us can.”

James currently ranks 10th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. She has three top 10 results and seven total top 20 finishes in nine starts. James won the 2015 Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial. She missed the cut at the Four Winds Invitational last year.

QUICK NOTES

2014 Four Winds Invitational winner Nicole Vandermade got into the field on Tuesday and would make her season debut.
Former Indiana golfer Elizabeth Tong also got into the field on Tuesday afternoon. She set an IU single-season scoring record in 2014-15 as a senior. Tong has made three starts as a rookie this year on the Epson Tour.

Former Notre Dame Golfer Ready; James Says Henderson Win Inspires

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