Battle Creek, MI. (WOOD TV8) – The 144-player field for the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship has been finalized by the Epson Tour. The “Road to the LPGA” makes a one-week stop in the Great Lakes State from July 29-31 at Battle Creek Country Club in Battle Creek, Michigan. This is the ninth year of the tournament.
Individuals will compete in a 54-hole, stroke-play format for $200,000 and a winner’s share of $30,000. A cut will be made to the top-60 and ties after 36 holes. Tournament admission is free, and donations to the South Michigan Food Bank are accepted.
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Eight of the top-10 Epson Tour players will compete for this week’s title, as well as 2022 champions Lucy Li, Grace Kim, Kum-Kang Park, Gina Kim, Gabriella Then, Dottie Ardina, Linnea Strom and Ssu-Chia Cheng.
Fernanda Lira returns to Battle Creek to defend her title. The defending champion says the event is special because of how the players are treated during the week. She especially loves the pro-am party.
“I am very excited to come back to Battle Creek,” said Lira. “It’s a very special place for me. It’s definitely going to be fun to go back and remember all the great shots I hit. I am very grateful to be able to come back to this amazing course and an amazing event.”
In addition to Lira, three other past champs will tee it up in Battle Creek. FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship’s first victor (2014), Min Seo Kwak, 2018 champion, Marta Sanz Barrio, and 2019 champion, Ssu-Chia Cheng look to secure another victory in Michigan this week.
ABOUT EPSON TOUR
The Epson Tour (formerly the Symetra Tour) is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour and enters its 42nd competitive season in 2022. With the support of entitlement partner Seiko Epson Corporation, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best female professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. In the last decade, the Epson Tour has grown from 15 tournaments and $1.6 million in prize money to $4.41 million awarded across 20+ events in 2022. With more than 600 graduates and alumnae moving on to the LPGA Tour, former Epson Tour players have won 459 LPGA titles.
