SOUTH BEND, Ind. — After a week off, the Epson Tour picks back up with the seventh tournament on its 2018 schedule, as the road to the LPGA Tour rolls into Blackthorn Golf Club for the 7th annual Four Winds Invitational from June 8-10.

The 144-player field will battle for a purse of $150,000 in a 54-hole stroke play format. A cut will be made to the low 60 individuals and ties after 36 holes.

“From the venue, to the surrounding community and local sponsors, the Four Winds Invitational is once again a bright spot on the Epson Tour schedule,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Epson Tour. “Back for a seventh year to showcase the future stars of the LPGA, we truly have been fortunate to connect with a golf-rich area in the Midwest, from both a support and development perspective.”

Brooke Henderson After Finishing a Putt in Hawaii Since the inaugural event in 2012, the Four Winds Invitational has produced an impressive list of winners. Three of the six currently compete full-time on the LPGA, including 2013 winner Cydney Clanton (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 2015 champion Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ontario) and 2016 medalist Jackie Stoelting (Houston, Texas).

Clanton has produced a strong year so far, having made the cut in five of her last seven events. She is currently No. 74 on the LPGA Tour official money list with $76,408 earned in 11 starts. Meanwhile, Stoelting sits just outside the top-100 at No. 101, capturing $40,131 through nine tournaments played.

Furthermore, Henderson has quickly become one of the biggest stars on the LPGA. Since her win at the Four Winds Invitational three years ago, she has 30 top-10 finishes on the biggest stage in women’s professional golf, including six wins.

“Still to this day, winning the Four Winds Invitational was a very memorable experience because of how welcoming the people of South Bend were,” said Henderson, currently No. 16 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. “The tournament has great support and I'm proud to be a past champion. I wish the best of luck to all players in the field this week.”

As for those looking to join the list of tournament winners, 20 total states are represented. However, only two players competing call the Hoosier State home in Kelly Grassel (Chesterton, Indiana) and Carleigh Silvers (Martinsville, Indiana).

“I am so excited to be back in my home state. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Indiana golf,” Silvers said. “The competitiveness and talent that I grew up around in Indiana is like no other. I would love nothing more than to win in my home state, so there is definitely a little extra motivation.”

In addition, several individuals with collegiate ties have made their way to South Bend, including Becca Huffer (Denver, Colorado), a University of Notre Dame alumna.

Indiana University will see two former Hoosiers don the Crimson and Cream starting Friday, when Elizabeth Tong (Thornhill, Ontario) and Camille Chevalier (Aix en Provence, France) tee it up. Another Big Ten Conference school in Purdue University, located just 117 miles from Blackthorn Golf Club in West Lafayette, will be represented by August Kim (St. Augustine, Florida). She was named a Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) First Team All-American her senior year.

“It’s funny coming back to a course that you know in a tournament setting, instead of learning it blind,” said Kim, who made her first professional Epson Tour start at the 2017 Four Winds Invitational. “I got out of the car and it smells like Purdue, just because it’s Indiana. It is nice to be back.”

A total of 31 different nations have at least one player in the field this week. First and second round action will get underway at 7:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively. As for the final round, it will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The Epson Tour Rolls into South Bend for the Four Winds Invitational

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