Insurance Office of America Expands Partnership with Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour

Partnership includes sponsor exemption into LPGA Symetra Tour IOA Invitational

(Greensboro, N.C.) — The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour has expanded its partnership with the Insurance Office of America and the Symetra Tour’s IOA Invitational for 2020 to include sponsorship of both the PKBGT regional series in Florida for 2020, as well as a sponsor exemption into May’s 2020 IOA Invitational in Georgia.

Sponsor exemption into the 2020 IOA Invitational, May 7-9 in Milton, Ga., will be awarded to a top PKBGT player. IOA is currently the presenting sponsor of PKBGT regional series in Central Florida (Greater Orlando) and Central Gulf Coast (Pensacola Region) to provide more developmental opportunities for aspiring girls golfers. These two series will include a combined 14 events in 2020.

“It is with great pleasure that we announce IOA’s continued partnership with the Symetra Tour as the sponsor for the IOA Invitational hosted at The Atlanta National Golf Club,” said Robert Hamilton, IOA SVP, IOA Invitational Tournament Director. “Based on our mission set forth to promote women’s golf, IOA’s founder John Ritenour is pleased to partner with The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour in allowing their elite players to compete for an exemption to their 2020 event. It is our hopes this will continue to create competition and exposure to women’s golf and excited to welcome the qualifying player to our event.”

IOA has sponsored the PKBGT Central Florida Series since its inception in 2018. This is the first season for the PKBGT Central Gulf Coast Series.

“The IOA Invitational is a great opportunity for junior female golfers in the region to be exposed to the professional game and future stars of the LPGA,” says PKB Girls’ Golf Tour Director and Co-Founder Mike Parker. “We are excited to partner with Insurance Office of America and the LPGA Symetra Tour to have an elite PKBGT member compete against the best, including many PKBGT alumni.”

PKBGT alumni represent 23 members of the LPGA & LPGA Symetra Tour in 2020, including an expected 10-12 alumnus who will tee it up at the IOA Invitational in May.

IOA previously provided the PKBGT with a sponsor exemption for the 2018 IOA Golf Classic at Alaqua Country Club in Longwood, Florida. Sophie Guo, now a standout performer at the University of Texas, won the junior qualifier to represent the PKBGT. Guo made the cut and finished tied for 55th.

PKBGT also had a two-year partnership with the now defunct LPGA Symetra Tour Self Regional Healthcare Classic at the Links at Stoney Point in Greenwood, South Carolina. A PKBGT member participated in 2018 — Penn State freshman Lauren Freyvogel — and 2019 — University of Chapel Hill freshman Kayla Smith.

PKBGT will select a top performer from the 2020 PKBGT National Series to represent the tour as the sponsor exemption. The PKBGT National Series features 44 events across the East Coast, culminating with the 2020 PKBGT Tour Championship at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina August 14-16. The player will be announced in early April.

Learn more about the PKBGT and About Insurance Office of America at pkbgt.org and ioausa.com.