Tag: Symetra Tour

Why no five-year LPGA exemption for Sophia Popov? Commissioner Mike Whan explains

Sophia Popov’s status as a non-member winner – and the current COVID climate – affects her perks associated with winning AIG Women’s Open.

Sophia Popov became perhaps the best Cinderella story of the month — even the year? — when she won the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon on Aug. 23.

She was a Symetra Tour member, having missed out on earning her full LPGA card by one shot at last fall’s Q-School. She gained late entry into the Women’s British Open courtesy of a top-10 finish at the Marathon LPGA Classic.

Popov rode it all the way to a trophy and career-changing perks. Her status as a non-member winner – and the current COVID climate – limits those, however.

When Popov won at Royal Troon, she was granted instant LPGA membership. According to Category 3 of the LPGA’s priority status document, any player who wins a major as an LPGA member secures status for the next five years.

Therein went the overlooked detail of Popov’s situation. She was not an LPGA member when she won, thus she went into Category 7 on the tour’s Priority List, which is for non-member wins. If she had been an LPGA member, she would have gone into Category 3, which is for major winners.

Thus, Popov will hold full LPGA membership through the completion of the 2021 season.

Sophia Popov
Sophia Popov holds up the trophy after winning the 2020 AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon. (Photo: R&A via Getty Images)

In addition to LPGA membership, another perk associated with winning the Women’s British Open comes in the form of major exemptions. Popov now has an unlimited exemption (at least through age 60) into the Women’s British Open and a five-year exemption into the tour’s other four majors.

But here’s the asterisk: She is not in the field at next month’s ANA Inspiration or the U.S. Women’s Open in December. Her five-year exemption into those events begins in 2020. That’s largely because the majors are out of order in 2020.

Popov is in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in October. That five-year exemption runs from 2020 through 2024.

LPGA commissioner Mike Whan addressed the Popov status issues on Friday in a video shot at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

The ANA Inspiration field was finalized in March to make to sure that players who qualified into the ANA were secure. In doing so, anything that happened after the field was set would be addressed in later years.

“You don’t have to like that, you don’t have to agree with me on that,” Whan said. “But that way, from the very beginning we knew that a winner there was going to qualify for the 2021 ANA.”

As for limited membership, Whan points out it has happened before – and recently.

“I’ve been commissioner 11 years. I’ve seen plenty of non-member wins at majors,” Whan said. “And I’ve seen almost all of those non-members go onto long and storied careers on the LPGA.”

According to the LPGA, In Gee Chun (2015 U.S. Women’s Open) and Hyo Joo Kim (2014 Evian Championship) are among recent players who won a major championship and received a two-year LPGA membership. Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women’s Open) would have received the same if she had accepted LPGA membership.

Whan said he would think harder about that situation in the off-season and whether it’s a regulation that needs an update. He would not, he said, change a regulation mid-season, “the Monday after an emotional win.”

Popov’s situation initially was reported by Golf.com on Friday. According to writer James Colgan, Popov was contacted by an LPGA official shortly after the trophy presentation at Royal Troon and informed she would not receive the five-year membership exemption.

“I definitely got a little bit frustrated about the whole thing,” Popov told Golf.com a couple of days after the Women’s British Open. “It’s tough because I feel like I deserve the full five years of exemption from the LPGA, but at the same time, I understand the regulations and the fact that they can’t change the rules for a certain player.”

Popov could potentially appeal the rule, an option other players have exercised in similar situations. Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson both used that avenue to gain LPGA membership after winning an LPGA event before they reached 18, the tour’s required age for membership.

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Lucy Li returns to competition on Symetra Tour

On Thursday, at the Symetra Tour’s Founders Tribute in Arizona, Lucy Li hit her first shot in a competitive round of golf since March 8.

She turned pro last November and she’s only played one tournament as a professional.

The global COVID pandemic put her career on hold, as it did for many others.

But on Thursday, Lucy Li hit her first shot in a competitive round of golf since March 8.

Even though the high temperature at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, for the Symetra Tour’s Founders Tribute is expected to reach 115 during Thursday’s first round, Li, 17, isn’t sweating the small stuff.

“It’s been fun,” she said after Wednesday’s pro-am regarding her extended time off from competition. “I started taking some college courses online. I took a few of those over the spring and summer and that’s kept me occupied.”

Many LPGA and aspiring LPGA players took to the mini tours over the summer. The Cactus Tour in Arizona had several events with good fields. But Li chose to work on her game at home.

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“I was practicing and studying and just doing random stuff to keep myself occupied,” she said. “Cooking, playing video games with my brother. I’ve actually been really busy.

“I make this really good pan pizza. My dad is obsessed with it. I was making it like every two, three days and my dad would always be asking for more. It was funny.”

Li shot 75-73-77 to post a T-43 finish in the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in March, earning her the first $627 of her pro career.

She did not play in the Symetra Tour’s restart at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan, two weeks ago.

So are there any extra nerves after more than five months away from competition?

“Not really, I mean, I haven’t played in so long, so who knows what’ll happen. But it’ll be fun to get back out and back in the groove.”

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Symetra Tour back in action with new event in Arizona

The LPGA Symetra Tour returns to action this week with the inaugural Founders Tribute, an event new to the schedule this season.

The Symetra Tour returns to action this week with the inaugural Founders Tribute, an event new to the schedule this season.

Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, is host of the event. It was on that course in 2015 that Hannah O’Sullivan at 16 years, 9 months, 11 days old became the youngest winner in Symetra Tour history, a distinction she still holds.

The Founders Tribute, a 54-hole event that starts Friday, is the second tournament of the Symetra Tour’s return to play following a four-month hiatus due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament is named in honor of the 13 women who established the LPGA in 1950.

Notables in the field

Sophia Popov, who won three times on the Cactus Tour in Arizona, is in the event.

Leigh Chien defended her title at the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational earlier this summer, earning an AJGA sponsor exemption in the process. The 14-year-old will cash it in this week in Arizona.

For Janie Jackson, the Symetra Tour season was called off at a bad time in March. She had just won the season-opening Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, and thus spent the off-season atop the Volvik Race for the Card standings. She finished third at the tour’s restart event in Michigan last month.

Gigi Stoll was a member of Arizona’s 2018 NCAA title team while in college. She memorably defeated UCLA’s Lilia Vu in the quarterfinals to help the Wildcats keep advancing.

Sierra Brooks is just starting her professional career, having earned Symetra Tour status at last fall’s Q-School. The former Florida player was T-11 at last month’s Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship.

Frida Kinhult is in a similar position to Brooks. She authored a strong freshman season for Florida State, finding herself in the conversation for player-of-the-year honors, and left last fall to pursue her professional career.

Ana Belac is a former Duke standout who was part of the Blue Devils’ 2019 NCAA title team. She will be making her second Symetra start this week after turning professional earlier in the spring.

Sophia Schubert is coming off a notable TV gig after offering analysis and commentary during last week’s U.S. Women’s Amateur broadcast on the Golf Channel. Schubert won the Women’s Amateur in 2017 while playing for the University of Texas.

Local sponsor exemptions

Sydney Bryan and Ariana Macioce, two golfers with Arizona ties, are in the 144-woman field on sponsor exemptions. Macioce played at Xavier College Prep in Phoenix before attending Georgia Southern and the University of Tennessee. Bryan is a senior at Mesa Red Mountain High School and is set to attend UNLV in 2021. Her mother Stacie Bryan and step-father Jeff Fisher are the co-founders of the Fisher Bryan Golf Academy at Longbow.

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Nurse Sarah Hoffman returns to pro golf for Symetra Tour restart

Sarah Hoffman, a Symetra Tour player, returned to her job on the course after working as a nurse during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sarah Hoffman has traded her scrubs for clubs as the Symetra Tour restarts its season this week in her native Michigan. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and golf stopped, Hoffman returned to her career as a nurse at Michigan Medicine.

Now, the 30-year-old Grand Valley State grad is one of 144 players teeing it up this week at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan.

“Sometimes it felt like higher praise than what I necessarily deserved,” said Hoffman of the attention she received for going back to work in the medical field, “but I felt like I was just doing what I could do.”

The Symetra Tour hosted one event in March before the season was shut down due to the spread of coronavirus. There are eight events remaining on the schedule. The top five money leaders at the end of the season, down from 10 due to COVID-19, will earn an LPGA card for 2021. This week’s 54-hole event has a purse of $175,000 and a winner’s check of $26,250.

There are 30 Symetra Tour rookies in the field including former Florida standout Sierra Brooks. Several LPGA players are gearing up for next week’s event in Toledo by playing in Michigan.

Hoffman tees off at the Symetra Tour’s season-opening event in Winter Haven, Florida (courtesy Symetra)

Former Michigan State player Sarah Burnham has won four times during the COVID-19 break, with her first coming in late March on the Cactus Tour in Arizona, where tour owner Mike Brown presented her with a roll of toilet tissue in addition to her trophy and check. Burnham won again on that tour in April and then picked up another title on the Eggland’s Best Tour in Florida with a career-low round of 63.

Burnham, 24, then matched that 63 at the Michigan PGA Women’s Open in early July, ultimately lapping the field by 10 shots.

“It was great to boost my confidence a little bit,” said Burnham, who is still looking for her first win on the Symetra and LPGA.

Other notables in the field include former Alabama player Janie Jackson, who won the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic by eight strokes in March. Alexa Pano, a 15-year-old amateur, played in last year’s Firekeepers event on a sponsor exemption and qualified for this week via a runner-up finish on the Women’s All Pro Tour.

Alexa Pano watches her tee shot at the 11th hole during the third round of the 44th Girls Junior PGA Championship at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Connecticut. (Darren Carroll/PGA of America)

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Shipley sisters poised for Symetra Tour return in Michigan

The Shipleys return to the Battle Creek Country Club — together. Both were given a sponsor’s exemption for this week’s tournament

When Gabrielle Shipley and her sister Sarah Shipley teed off at the Symetra Tour’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship last year, it was special.

It was special because they were playing a professional tournament together for just the second time — on their home course.

But it was extra special because of the year they were having.

Gabrielle, a former NCAA champion at Grand Valley State, was coming off of her first LPGA event, the Meijer LPGA Classic, while Sarah had just won the Western Amateur and the Golf Association of Michigan’s Women’s Championship.

Gabrielle Shipley (left) and Sarah Shipley share a moment after last year’s FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek. [Dan D’Addona/Sentinel Staff]
Now, the Shipleys return to the Battle Creek Country Club to compete again — together. Both were given a sponsor’s exemption for this week’s tournament that begins Friday.

“The opportunity again is a blessing. With the year being so unknown and not having a lot of status to reach some of these events, it comes at a really great time. It is another chance to go represent my community,” Gabrielle said. “I want to go out and prove I can do this and I want to keep fighting for it.”

Gabrielle had that fight last year, needing two birdies in the final three holes to make the cut, which she did, sparked by a 30-foot birdie putt.

“I knew where I was and knew I had to get something going. I drained a 30-footer on 16 and I made it happen. It was a huge finish,” she said. “It just shows that anything is possible. I can do it and I did it before. I put myself in position where I had to fight.”

While Sarah didn’t see Gabrielle’s finish, since she was still playing her round, she was still inspired by it.

“It was so exciting to hear. I was so happy for her. I know she had been to do what she did in past years. You are just so excited as a sister to see her be clutch and accomplish a goal,” Sarah said.

Both players still have big goals in the sport of golf with Sarah hoping to join Gabrielle in the professional ranks next year after her fifth-year season at Kentucky.

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“If I didn’t have a fifth year (because of COVID-19), I would be out there trying to make a living at this,” she said. “It is huge. Now, it is an even bigger deal. It is more special with the situation with professional golfers. They are banking on exemptions, so it was even harder for us to get. The fact that my sister and I were given the exemption is even more special.”

The sisters trained together for some of the pandemic, living together in Lexington, where the cases were low and courses were open.

It allowed them to take some time and work on fine-tuning some details in their games.

“For me, it is adjusting small swing things here and there. I have been focusing on my putting a lot,” Gabrielle said.

Sarah agreed.

“My putting has improved a lot. The couple of tournaments I played in, my putting has been my strong suit. I am continuing to work on the other parts of my game, but I still have to keep narrowing down on my putting,” she said.

The duo is hoping that short-game work will pay off this week.

“Both of us love to compete. Sarah has been scoring really low and always seems to give herself the opportunity to have a low round,” Gabrielle said. “To both be in the field and representing where we grew up playing is really cool. That doesn’t get to happen very often.”

— Follow Holland (Mich.) Sentinel Sports Editor Dan D’Addona on Twitter @DanDAddona and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.

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Symetra Tour announces July restart; nine tournaments remain

The Symetra Tour will return at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship at Battle Creek Country Club in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 24-26.

Professional golf slowly is coming back to life. With the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour a week into their restart for the men, the LPGA and now the Symetra Tour have both announced firm plans for their return to action.

A day after the LPGA announced it would return with back-to-back events in Ohio in early August, the developmental tour has said its first event back after a three-month hiatus will be the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship at Battle Creek Country Club in Battle Creek, Michigan, from July 24-26.

Only one tournament in the 2020 Symetra Tour season has been played, and that was the tour’s kick-off event, the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in mid-March. Now, the Symetra Tour will actually return to action a week earlier than the LPGA, which is slated to begin the LPGA Drive On Championship on July 31.

“We are extremely grateful to our partners and host venues for continued flexibility and support,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “They have worked tirelessly to keep all hopes and dreams alive for the next generation of LPGA Tour stars. In addition to Symetra Tour sponsors, the ANNIKA Foundation recently showcased an unparalleled form of generosity with their Crisis Relief Fund providing $50,000 in grants to Symetra Tour players financially affected by the coronavirus.”

The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship will be the first of nine tournaments on the remaining 2020 Symetra Tour schedule, making an even 10 tournaments for the 2020 campaign. Purses are still being finalized, but players on the Symetra Tour will be competing for more than $1.5 million during the shortened season. Five LPGA cards – down from the usual 10 – are also available to the top money earners.

In addition to the tour’s restart announcement, two Symetra Tour events have changed dates. The Founders Tribute at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, a recent addition to the schedule, was bumped up from Aug. 27-29 to Aug. 14-16. The IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa will follow from Aug. 21-23. Meanwhile, the Four Winds Invitational at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend, Indiana, will now be played Sept. 4-6 instead of July 31-Aug. 2.

The revised 2020 Symetra Tour schedule now looks like this:

July 24-26 FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship
Battle Creek Country Club; Battle Creek, Michigan
Aug. 14-16 Founders Tribute
Longbow Golf Club; Mesa, Arizona
Aug. 21-23 IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon; Beaumont, California
Sept. 4-6 Four Winds Invitational
Blackthorn Golf Club; South Bend, Indiana
Sept. 18-20 Guardian Championship
Senator Course at Capitol Hill (RTJ Golf Trail); Prattville, Alabama
Sept. 25-27 IOA Classic brought to you by RP Funding
Alaqua Country Club; Longwood, Florida
Oct. 1-4 Symetra Classic
Jones Course at LPGA International; Daytona Beach, Florida
Oct. 28-31 Carolina Golf Classic
Pinehurst No. 9; Pinehurst, North Carolina
Nov. 3-6 Symetra Tour Championship
River Run Country Club; Davidson, North Carolina

 

The Big Listen: Racial injustice and golf

Golfweek reached out to a group of thoughtful individuals in the golf industry to further the dialogue about racial injustice in America.

In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic death, Golfweek reached out to a wide-ranging group of thoughtful individuals within the golf industry to further the dialogue about racial injustice in America. You’ll find pain in their voices but also courage and hope.

We hope this will serve as a reality check and a starting point for meaningful conversations and change within the golf industry.

Related words: Eamon Lynch | Harold Varner III | Tiger Woods

JuliaKate E. Culpepper and Julie Williams contributed reporting

Mariah Stackhouse, LPGA player

What’s at the forefront of my mind? The raw answer to that question is just frustration, a heavy heart and just a constant questioning of how many times does this have to happen before something actually changes? That’s the raw feeling.

Mariah Stackhouse (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

But then when I sit in that for a little while and I take a step back and kind of pay attention to the national conversation that’s at play, it’s combined with a bit of, I would say encouragement, because the response is so much more widely felt this time around than I’ve ever seen, and I feel like voices are being heard, and that’s good.

I don’t experience (racism) daily, but I experience it enough. A small example of that could be when I was at a tournament once and I was going into the clubhouse to get to the player locker room and the security guy asked for my ID, and I show it, and he looks closely to see the word “Player” and then verbally exclaims “Player!” And he takes a look at me and says, “Huh,” like that’s a shocking fact.

Those experiences that I’ve had are very real, which continue to show there is more room for growth and diversity. That would just be a concrete example that yes, I do experience racism on a day-to-day, sometimes in the golf world, sometimes in the grocery store. It’s not always direct or violent. It can be subtle.

The affirmation that my parents wrote for me as a kid is huge. Now, as a grown woman, it’s mindboggling to contemplate the amount of foresight they had when they wanted me to memorize it. When I read it now, it was worded in a way that would prepare me for life experiences I would definitely have as a young black woman in America and on the golf course. While the shock of that encounter with the security guard is like woah, it didn’t sour my mood to the point where I can’t go forth and have a good round, have a good day etc., and I’ll never allow it to, because I have that affirmation to remind me of who I am, my value in this world.

An action that I think everybody could rather easily participate in is acknowledging and participating in the conversation that’s going on right now and thinking about the fact that, while the conversation is dealing directly with George Floyd, the deeper part of that is where does it come from; and why have black people had so many of these experiences; and what can I do on a small level to combat racism.

When you recognize how loud this conversation is in America right now, it’s not loud to the black community because we’ve always had this conversation with each other, and we’ve always spoken up. It’s loud because other people are speaking up with us, and that’s incredibly important.

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Former Symetra Tour player Brittany Kelly ready to return after ovarian cancer battle

Brittany Kelly played for Ball State and on the Symetra Tour. She’s battling ovarian cancer, but hopes to return to golf soon.

At first, the signs of ovarian cancer were easy to ignore for former Symetra Tour golfer Brittany Kelly.

The bloating, fatigue, frequent need to urinate and abdominal pain are symptoms many women learn to tolerate, so cancer didn’t initially cross her mind.

The 2019 Indiana PGA Women’s Player of the Year started to experience the symptoms last November during a tournament in Florida. The discomfort didn’t affect her play, as she battled her way to a 15th-place finish among other top assistant professionals.

When the former Ball State University star and two-year Symetra Tour player returned home to Indiana and the symptoms continued, she knew she had to see a doctor.

“I didn’t know much about ovarian cancer,” Kelly said. “Ovarian cancer is what they consider a silent killer. It happens so fast and as soon as you get it it’s typically a later stage and the survival rate isn’t very high.

“The symptoms are the biggest thing. You can’t just go and get a test for it. It’s based off of how your body is feeling. It’s normal symptoms, I think women kind of brush them off.”

An MRI in early December revealed a mass on her ovary. She returned for more tests on Christmas Eve and surgery to remove the mass was scheduled Jan. 9.

The tumor was removed and sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to determine if it was cancerous. After a grueling three-week wait, Kelly learned that the tumor was cancerous.

She was diagnosed with Stage I clear cell ovarian cancer. Stage I means the cancer is limited to the ovary/ovaries or Fallopian tubes and has not spread, but it was also Grade III, meaning the cancer cells were abnormal, making them more likely to spread and come back.

Chemotherapy was the recommended plan of action. She had her first round of treatment Feb. 28.

“I’m doing a lot better,” she said. “It’s usually a week right after treatment that I don’t feel very well. Other than feeling a little tired and not being able to do what I used to do, it’s not too bad.”

The stagnation and days spent on the couch recovering have been hard for Kelly. The former three-sport star is used to being active and spending hours on the golf course perfecting her craft. Her weakened immune system, coupled with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic created added responsibility to not push her recovery too hard.

She listens to her body and does what she can on a given day. The extra time inside has allowed her to focus on cooking — she’s a whiz on the grill — she’s also spent more time reading. She enjoys self-help and motivational books like “Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World” by Bob Goff and Donald Miller.

One unexpected side effect of chemotherapy has been weight gain. The steroids she’s taking for recovery can lead to increased appetite and added water weight.

“I’m used to being up and doing stuff constantly,” she said. “I have to keep reminding myself I need to take it a lot slower than usual. I’m trying to do workouts and go on walks and runs when I feel well, but I notice my body can’t take as much. Even when I’m practicing my golf game at home, I can’t do the typical long practices, I get a little winded, out of breath.

“It’s a little bit harder knowing that I have to take it slower to work myself back up to where I used to be. I know that’s not going to happen until a few weeks after my last treatment, I’ll work my way there eventually.”

Kelly underwent her penultimate chemo treatment May 22. Her final treatment is scheduled for June 12. If her blood count numbers look good, she’s hoping to be back at work at Woodland Country Club in Carmel within three weeks.

“I always saw the end date as June 12th. I guess (I’ll feel) excitement that it’s over,” she said. “I’ll be able to finally ring the bell, but cancer is always going to be a part of my life. Whether or not you’re thinking about the possibility of it coming back or reoccurring.”

Returning to work will be a big milestone for Kelly. She considers the Woodland staff one big team, and she’s eager to return to her role as assistant golf pro.

She’s been able to stay involved remotely via video calls. Other daily duties include answering emails, setting up tournaments, and working with the PGA and other organizations.

Head golf professional Patrick White calls Kelly the glue that holds the club together.

“She has her hands in everything, whether that’s merchandising or tournament operations,” White said. “She’s always the one that understands where everybody is and what the game plan is.

“It speaks volumes to her personality and her drive to be successful in everything, whether it’s golf, life, beating cancer. It’s who she is, she’ll never give anything but 110% in whatever she does. … It’s awesome to see her have that mindset and mentality with everything that’s going on right now.”

Another milestone Kelly is hoping to achieve is her return to competitive golf.

She helped Team USA top Team Canada in the PGA Cup at Barton Creek in Austin, Texas, last year. She hopes to return there in July to play the PGA Professional Championship. By then, she’ll be just more than a month removed from her final treatment.

Every participant must get tested for coronavirus before coming to the event and each participant will get tested upon arriving at the event. Still, the looming uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic could force Kelly to alter her plans.

She’s preparing herself for the wave of emotion she’ll feel once she’s finally able to tee off at a tournament again. She credits her family and partner Gretchen Lulow, a former Ball State field hockey player and current ICU nurse, for giving her strength through the difficult parts of her journey. She knows returning to the course is bigger than just pars and birdies.

Kelly hopes her return to the course can help spread awareness about ovarian cancer. She sports a teal band on her wrist for ovarian cancer awareness with the phrase “BK Strong” on it.

She stresses the importance of early dedication and hopes her story can help women who may be experience symptoms but or not sure what they cause may be.

“It’s not the score I shoot or anything like that. I just want to play competitive golf,” she said. “I enjoy playing the game, my perspective has changed tremendously.

“I still have high expectations but my body has been through a lot, so I can’t expect too much at this point other than to get back and compete again. I’ve got four or five other tournaments on my radar that I’d like to compete in as long as my body lets me and COVID doesn’t get involved too much.”

Akeem Glaspie works for the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA Today Network. Follow Akeem on Twitter at @THEAkeemGlaspie.

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Annika Sorenstam’s foundation to award $50,000 in grants to Symetra Tour players

Annika Sorenstam will award $50,000 in grants to current Symetra Tour players through her foundation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new ANNIKA Foundation Crisis Relief Fund plans to give 100 players grants in the amount of $500 each. …

Annika Sorenstam will award $50,000 in grants to current Symetra Tour players through her foundation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new ANNIKA Foundation Crisis Relief Fund plans to give 100 players grants in the amount of $500 each.

There are currently 146 players on the Symetra Tour that have competed in Sorenstam’s junior and college events and more than 60 LPGA pros.

The Symetra Tour held one event in March before the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tour has 10 tournaments left on its schedule with a couple of events pending. The total number of LPGA cards on offer has been cut in half from 10 to five. The 2020 Q-School has been canceled.

“You think of all the players – a lot of alumni – they are just starting out their dreams,” Sorenstam told Golfweek, “and it’s been cut off. We wanted to figure out a way that we can help. This is one way that we thought can help them.”

Annika Sorenstam puts on a coaching clinic at the 2018 Annika Australiasia Invitational Junior-Am at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand. Photo credit: Dave Lintott

Applications for the initial round of funding are due June 12 and foundation organizers expects to distribute funds around July 1.

Players will be asked to share basic earnings information to demonstrate financial need.

That shouldn’t be difficult given the lack of playing opportunities.

Other individuals wishing to help can also make a 100 percent tax-deductible contribution by visiting annikafoundation.org/crisisrelief.

Symetra Tour rookie Bethany Wu and Annika Sorenstam (Photo credit: ANNIKA Foundation)

Last year, more than 600 girls from 60-plus countries competed in Sorenstam’s events. Her foundation annually hosts six girls-only invitational tournaments on five continents. The LPGA icon has gotten to know so many players of the players on a personal level through her events and clinics.

“Many of them need some support, and also for them to know that we’re thinking of them,” she said. “We had a little extra money. We said we can we do that, and tell them we’re thinking about them, and continue to inspire them and make sure they’re ready when we do open up again.”

Symetra Tour cancels two more events, further pushing back possible restart

The next two events in July have come off the Symetra Tour calendar, further pushing the 2020 season.

Two more events are gone from the Symetra Tour schedule, pushing a possible restart for the developmental tour back to late July at the earliest. The tour announced Friday that it was canceling the Prasco Charity Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio (July 8-10) as well as the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic in Rochester, New York (July 16-19).

Both tournaments will return in 2021.

“While it was a difficult decision to cancel these events for 2020, there is a silver lining in that each will be back next year,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “We are grateful to work with such outstanding partners as Prasco and the credit unions of the greater Rochester area, and look forward to working with everyone involved for years to come.

Only one Symetra Tour event has been played in 2020, the season-opener in Winter Haven, Florida, in March. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has put the tour on hold.

The next event on the schedule is now the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan, to be played July 24-26.

The LPGA announced earlier in the week that it would allow players on both tours to retain their 2020 status for the 2021 season and also that Q-School and Q-Series will be canceled. Normally the top 10 money winners on the Symetra Tour would earn an LPGA card for the next season, but this year that number will be reduced to five.