Seven Michigan Golfers Part of Field in Third Tullymore Classic

TULLYMORE CLASSIC – Seven Michigan Golfers Part of Field in Third Tullymore Classic

CANADIAN LAKES — The Symetra Tour is the official qualifying tour for the LPGA, but it also serves as a tour of the Great Lakes State’s rich golf resources and includes several Michigan golfers in its stop at the award-winning Tullymore Golf Resort.

The third Tullymore Classic, which will be played Friday through Sunday at Tullymore Golf Resort, is one of three tournament stops for the tour in Michigan, and seven Michigan golfers are in the field.

It appears to be their favorite stop.

Laura Kueny of Whitehall, the golfer on the Tullymore posters and billboards, heads the group of seven. The former Michigan State star is joined in the field of 144 future LPGA stars by Christine Meier of Rochester, Lindsey McPherson of Flushing, Sarah Hoffman of Saline and Liz Nagle of DeWitt.

Those five Symetra Tour players are joined by the two Tullymore sponsor’s exemptions, which went to two-time defending Michigan Amateur champion Allyson Geer of Brighton and Tullymore’s own membership director Misia Conklin of Mount Pleasant, who is a former Symetra Tour player.

Kueny said Tullymore treats the tour players well, the course is great, the house hosts are friendly and gracious and the crowds are among the biggest they play in front of all season.

“I think everybody enjoys coming here,” she said. “Tullymore is a beautiful resort. It’s a great place to spend some time, not to mention play a tournament.”

Kueny, McPherson, Hoffman and Nagle spent the early part of this week playing in the Michigan Women’s Open at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville. They fit the open state championship in what is northern U.S. swing for the Symetra Tour.

“There was no way I wasn’t going to play every tournament in Michigan,” said McPherson, who was among the leaders heading into today’s final round. “Tullymore is next.”

The Tullymore Classic is the 12th event of the 2017 season and the fifth tournament in a six-week swing north. There are now 11 events remaining in the 2017 season, and the most recent tournament was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where the Island Resort Championship wrapped up on Sunday in Harris.

The Tullymore Classic is the second of three events in the state of Michigan. The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek is in late July. The only other state that has more tournaments is Florida, which has four.

The current six-week stretch started in the first week of June with the Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY in Albany, and the tour has also stopped in South Bend, Ind., and Decatur, Ill.

Play starts on Friday, and each day of the Tullymore Classic at 7:30 a.m. A cut is made to the low 60 and ties following second-round play Saturday.

The 144 players hail from the United States and 27 countries, and will play for the $100,000 purse. The winner will earn $15,000 and move up the Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the final money list following the Symetra Tour Championship in October will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2018 season.

Defending Tullymore champion Paola Moreno of Colombia is currently No. 8 on the Volvik list, and Detroit native Daniela Iacobelli, the winner of the first Tullymore Classic, is No. 10. The five Michigan players on the tour could use a good week at Tullymore. They are currently well down the list.

Admission is $10 at the gate, and a pass for all three tournament days is $18.

Today and Thursday are pro-am days. The Canadian Lakes Property Owners Corporation and SpartanNash, on behalf of its Our Family® and Spartan® exclusive private brands, teaming up with Tullymore Golf Resort to present the pro-am events. Admission is complimentary.

VISIT: Visit www.tullymoregolf.com for resort information.

Via Greg Johnson