New to the 2023 Epson Tour schedule, the Champions Fore Change Invitational celebrates the tour and its partners’ diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The mission is simple – provide the best opportunities to athletes chasing their dreams of playing on the LPGA Tour. For 22 weeks each year, the Epson Tour does just that. This week, however, three spots in the 144-player field were saved as special invitations. As a result, three young women, who prevailed at three different tournaments, were offered the opportunity to play amongst professionals and get a taste of what they aspire to be in a few years.
Contestants of the Mack Champ Invitational, National Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship, and the PGA Works Collegiate Championship will tee it up in New Bern, North Carolina, to test their game at the next level. Meet the talented amateurs who earned spots in the Epson Tour field this week:
Alona Avery (16) of Riverside, California:
- 6th, 2023 Mack Champ Invitational
- Champion, 2022 Mack Champ Invitational
- Sister of Amari Avery, 2021 Mack Champ Invitational winner and University of Southern California Trojan
- T11 at the American Junior Golf Association’s 2023 PING Heather Farr Classic
“I competed in the Mack Champ Invitational this year where they give an exemption for Epson Tour tournaments. It’s an event that gives access to minority golfers from around the US to be able to compete with one another at a high level. Being able to experience how it is to play out here with professionals will definitely help me learn some new things about my game, but I also want to enjoy myself and just play my game and see how far it takes me this week!”
Katie Robinson (20) of Aiken, South Carolina:
- Champion, 2023 National Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship
- Alabama State University
- 2021 Times-Herald Athlete of the Year candidate
Phu Khine (23) of Yangon, Burma:
- Champion, 2023 PGA Works Collegiate Championship
- University of North Carolina, Wilmington
- 2nd, 2023 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Championship
- 2019 CAA Rookie of the Year
“The PGA Works has provided me with tremendous experiences on and off the course. We got to explore all the historical events for minorities and opportunities to learn about working in the golf industry. I am excited to compete alongside professionals once again, see how I measure up and learn as much as I can from this tremendous opportunity. I am incredibly grateful for this experience provided by The Epson Tour. My goal is to prepare my game for the next level and the next step in my golf career.”
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