ALBANY, N.Y., June 1, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, closes a five-week stretch with the 2nd annual Fuccillo Kia Championship at Capital Hills, which has hosted the Tour since 2004. First-round play begins on Friday, June 3 and the final-round is scheduled for Sunday, June 5. The winner of the Fuccillo Kia Championship will drive away in a brand new 2016 Kia Forte.

The field of 144 professionals from the United States and 27 different countries around the globe will compete for a purse that has increased to $125,000, up $25,000 over 2015. The winner will earn $18,750 and move up the Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the final money list after the Epson Tour Championship (Oct. 13-16) in Daytona Beach, Fla. will earn LPGA membership.

Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. all three days of the tournament. There will be a cut to the low 60 and ties after second-round play on Saturday. The final-round will be a single-tee start and the estimated finishing time is 4:45 p.m. The trophy ceremony will take place on the 18th green immediately following the final putt.

This is the ninth event of 23 total on the 2016 schedule. The five-week stretch started in Greenwood, S.C. and has since moved to Charlotte, N.C., Milton, Ga. and Brockton, Mass. The Fuccillo Kia Championship is one of two events in the state of New York. The Tour returns to the Big Apple state in mid-July for the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic from July 14-17 in Rochester.

UALBANY COACH READY TO GO

Colleen Cashman-McSween, the UAlbany head women’s golf coach, lives just a couple blocks from Capital Hills and is eager for a second crack at the Fuccillo Kia Championship.

“I feel more ready this year than I was last year,” said Cashman-McSween, who referenced the time of year as why she is more ready. “I played nine holes yesterday, I’ve got the pro-am today and then nine holes tomorrow and then I’ll be ready.”

The Great Danes season recently ended and Cashman-McSween said she played quite a bit with her team towards the end of the season.

“When the tournament is later in the summer (last year), my summer is crazy with recruiting,” explained Cashman-McSween, who goes by Coach Cash. “I’m never at one place at one time in the summer so it is harder to put consistent rounds together. I’ve had a good chunk of time this year where I am able to play golf and go to Florida.”

Cashman-McSween said she misses competing on Tour, but she doesn’t miss the time demands of practicing and preparing.

“I’ve been around here the last few days and I see the effort that the girls put in each and everyday and I can honestly tell you that it isn’t for me anymore,” explained Cashman-McSween. “I did it for seven years and while I was doing it I loved it, but I hit a point where I didn’t want to do it anymore. Coaching college golf is just about everything I used to do without playing.”

Cashman-McSween missed the cut by just one shot in 2015, but feels her game is in a good spot to have better fortune in 2016.

“I still hit the ball pretty far,” said Cashman-McSween. “I played nine holes yesterday and I had a wedge in my hand into the hole on six so if I hit my driver well I should be fine. My wedge game has always been my strong point.”

DANA FINKELSTEIN LIKES THE CHANGE IN ELEVATION
Dana Finkelstein of Chandler, Ariz. is used to flat courses, but is actually excited about the drastic changes in elevation that Capital Hills at Albany presents.

“I really like the golf course, it is very cool,” said Finkelstein. “It is pretty cool how drastic some of the changes in elevation are, we definitely don’t get that in Arizona. It is interesting to see a hole drop 20 yards from the last one.”

Finkelstein had her best finish of the year last week at the W.B. Mason Championship (T3) to move up to 11th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. Finkelstein said she won’t deviate from her weekly strategy with the different style course in Albany.

“There are a couple holes that you have to be careful with out here,” said Finkelstein, who played a practice round on Monday and Tuesday. “It is not an overly long course and I think it suits my game.”

Finkelstein ranks 126th on Tour in average driving distance (231.40), but ranks ninth in driving accuracy and ninth in greens in regulation.

KEEP AN EYE ON OLIVIA JORDAN-HIGGINS
Perhaps nobody in the field has a better history at Capital Hills at Albany than Olivia Jordan-Higgins. She finished in solo second in 2012 and in a tie for second in 2013.

“I love coming back to Albany, I have a great host family here that I am very comfortable with,” said Jordan-Higgins. “I love the golf course, it really suits me and there are a lot of birdie opportunities out there.”

Jordan-Higgins fell one shot short in 2012 and finished two shots back in 2013.

“I shot 64 on this golf course and finished second twice so I definitely have a lot of good memories,” said Jordan-Higgins. “There are so many positive things that I can take into this week.”

Jordan-Higgins has made three cuts in six starts this year. She finished in a tie for 39th last week at the W.B. Mason Championship.

TALLEY MAKING DEBUT, BUT NOT NERVOUS

Emma Talley (Princeton, Ky.) will make her professional debut, but it won’t be her first professional golf tournament.

“I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve played in nine professional events and I had the chance to learn from the best golfers in the world,” said Talley. “My nerves are not really that bad, it is more transitioning into professional golf. It is more about figuring out the travel and how the Epson Tour operates.”

Talley played in a U.S. Open qualifier on Tuesday and did not qualify, but said it is a blessing in disguise because she likely would have had to miss a Epson Tour event or two.

“I’ll be able to play in almost every Epson Tour event from here forward and I am really excited,” said

Talley. “This is just the next step in the process for me.”

Talley played nine holes on Wednesday morning and likes the course.

“It’s a little hilly, but it is in really good shape,” said Talley. “It is definitely a good course for a championship event.”

QUICK NOTES

A second New York native, Aimee Caligiore, of Lake Placid got into the field on Wednesday. Caligiore will make her Epson Tour debut this week. She is a 2013 graduate of Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.
There are a season high 15 Canadians in the field this week.

Fuccillo Kia Championship Wednesday Pre-Tournament Notes

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