PRATTVILLE, Ala. — The 21st stop on the 2019 “Road to the LPGA” takes the Epson Tour to the Senator Course at Capitol Hill on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in the Heart of Dixie for the third annual Guardian Championship from September 20-22. It is the third tournament in the Million Dollar March, the stretch of five events to end the season with a cumulative purse of $1 million.
“As we get closer to the finish line of the season, the Volvik Race for the Card really starts to heat up in Alabama with another purse increasing,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Epson Tour. “The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has been so welcoming and also instrumental in helping grow the women’s professional game, as this is our second stop on the collection of courses across the state. They provide a true championship feel and test for our players.”
Greeting the 120-player field in Prattville is a total purse of $175,000. Individuals are set to compete in a 54-hole stroke play format with a cut to the low 60 players and ties after 36 holes. The winner’s share for the event is $26,250.
“Between the Guardian Championship and Korn Ferry Tour competing here earlier this year, the Senator Course is the only facility in North America to host both a professional men’s and women’s golf event in 2019,” said John Cannon, the President of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. “We’re thrilled the Epson Tour will be in the greater Montgomery area through at least 2022, led by outstanding sponsor Guardian Credit Union. Their efforts in the community for more than 60 years now have been simply spectacular.”
Defending champion Kendall Dye (Edmond, Oklahoma) is not among the competitors, as she was a 2018 Epson Tour graduate. The win in central Alabama was the second of two victories last season for the University of Oklahoma alumna and helped her finish at No. 7 in the Volvik Race for the Card.
“What a special week the Guardian Championship was for me last year because it really sealed my path back to the LPGA Tour,” Dye said. “I’m a Southern girl and Alabama is such a great host state filled with awesome golf. I’ll always remember the time spent in Prattville and being able to raise the Guardian Championship trophy. Best of luck to the field, do well and enjoy that great player dining buffet.”
Action gets underway at 7:00 a.m. CT in the first and second round with play starting off No. 1 and No. 10 tees all three days. Meanwhile, final round action will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a trophy presentation to follow on No. 18 green.
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