Page 5 - El Dorado Shootout

El Dorado uniquely suited to host tourney
This week, El Dorado will have the unprecedented opportunity to host an LPGA-qualifying tourna- ment, when the Symetra Tour— Road to the LPGA arrives at Mystic Creek Golf Club with the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout.
While the Tour plays a wide ar- ray of internationally recognized locations and golf courses across the country, El Dorado proved to have the magical combination of
a welcoming community, world- class golf facilities and an enthusi- astic corporate partner that made it an ideal location.
The LPGA and the Symetra Tour were first introduced to El Dorado by Tina Barnes-Budd, an El Dorado native and the LPGA senior director of social media marketing/communications, who touted its friendly folks and great golf amenities.
After the success of an LPGA
Tour event in Northwest Arkan- sas, they immediately saw the potential to replicate that achieve- ment with a qualifying event in El Dorado.
“The city of El Dorado will be a great stop for the Symetra Tour because of the volunteer support and community involvement,” said Chase Young, LPGA and Symetra Tour representative. “With Murphy USA being head- quartered in El Dorado, it was a no brainer for us to partner and produce a first-class event in their own backyard.”
A world-class golf course is
also an essential element to the tournament’s success, and Mys- tic Creek Golf Club proved more than up to the task, thanks to
its challenging, but fair layout, designed by acclaimed golf course architect Ken Dye to highlight and enhance the natural landscape of
the property.
“One of the major goals of the
Symetra Tour has been to provide the 132 professionals with the op- portunity to compete on a cham- pionship caliber golf course every week and in conditions that they will see at the next level,” said Young. “Mystic Creek undoubted- ly covers both criteria.”
The team at Mystic Creek has risen to the challenge, working overtime to get the course into peak condition for players, specta- tors, sponsors and media.
While they strive to maintain tournament conditions year round, an event of this magnitude is an opportunity to demand the best of both players and course.
“This event will not only pro- mote Mystic Creek, but it will also promote golf, and more impor- tantly, women’s golf,” said head golf professional Dillon Malcolm-
son. “We hope that female golfers of all ages and all skill levels come out and watch or volunteer in this inaugural event, and that it helps south Arkansas produce some great junior golfers in the future.”
The tournament will include a field of competitors who are all trying to make the transition to LPGA Tour player, vying for a $100,000 total purse and an auto- matic exemption onto next year’s LPGA Tour.
Tournament play will begin Friday, with the final round scheduled for Sunday and $15,000 awarded to the winner.
A relatively new course, Mystic Creek will get its chance to prove its mettle. Players are expecting
a challenge, and course officials predict they will get one.
El Dorado becomes the first city in South Arkansas to host a pro- fessional golf event.
Follow the Symetra Tour on the Web at:
www.SymetraTour.com facebook.com/RoadtotheLPGA twitter.com/Road2LPGA YouTube.com/Road2LPGA
El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Sunday, September 20, 2015 – 5
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