Thursday, October 20, 2016

2016 Island Resort Championship Winner at Sweetgrass Golf Club Earns LPGA TOUR Card

(HARRIS, Mich.) - Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong – winner of the Island Resort Championship in June – is one of the top 10 finishers on the Symetra Tour’s “Volvik Race for the Card” money list this season and will play full-time on the LPGA Tour in 2017.

“I’m excited to play on the LPGA Tour because I’ve never played on [it] for a whole year,” Santiwiwatthanaphong said upon securing her coveted playing status for next season after the Symetra Tour Championship at Alaqua Country Club on Sunday, Oct. 16.

This was the 19-year-old’s first full season on the Symetra Tour as she missed three months of the 2015 season due to visa issues. Santiwiwatthanaphong’s victory at the 2016 Island Resort Championship was the second win of her young career.

“Everyone at Island Resort and Casino, Sweetgrass Golf Club and the many volunteers and fans who support our Symetra Tour event are thrilled for Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong,” said Tony Mancilla, Island Resort & Casino general manager and event co-chair. “This is the second year in a row that the winner of the Island Resort Championship has earned status on the LPGA Tour at season’s end. We can’t wait to see if next year’s winner continues the streak. We’re already looking forward to 2017, our seventh consecutive year hosting the event.”

Last year’s IRC winner, Dani Holmqvist of Sweden, earned her LPGA Tour card.

Island Resort Championship has consistently ranked as a Symetra Tour player favorite on end-of-season surveys. All proceeds from the tournament go to local non-profit organizations.

The Island Resort Championship is part of the Potawatomi Cup, a collection of four Symetra Tour events sponsored by Potawatomi nation tribes, which awards cash bonuses to players based off performance in the four tournaments.

For more information visit www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com, or call 877-ISL-GREEN.

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