Symetra Women’s Golf Tour Hits Osceola County
Competitive professional golf returns to Osceola County this weekend as the Volvik Championship, part of the Symetra Tour, takes place at Reunion. The three day event is part of the official development tour for the LPGA Tour (The U.S. based professional women’s golf tour). The Symetra Tour was previously known as the LPGA Futures Tour and is open to professional women golfers, qualified amateurs and players from around the world.
The Tour was founded in 1981 in Florida as the “Tampa Bay Mini Tour” and it officially became the Futures Golf Tour in 1983. Grace Park, Marilyn Lovander and Audra Burks were the first players to receive automatic LPGA exempt status by finishing first, second and third on the Futures Golf Tour Money List.
The minimum age for participation was lowered to 17 prior to the 2006 season and on July 18, 2007, the LPGA announced that it had acquired the Futures Tour effective immediately, “bringing women’s professional golf under one umbrella.” Previously the Futures Tour had operated as a licensee of the LPGA.
In 2008 the process for promotion to the LPGA Tour was changed. The top ten leading money winners at the end of the season gain membership on the LPGA Tour for the next season, with those finishing in the top five positions gaining higher priority for entry into events than those finishing in positions six through ten. Finishers in positions sixth through ten still have the option to attend LPGA Qualifying School to try to improve their membership for the following season. In 2011, the promotion process was changed slightly to allow the next 12 players, excluding current LPGA members, after the top ten qualifiers to automatic entry into Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament.
In 2012, Symeta, a United States-based insurance provider, became the title sponsor of the tour and tour’s name was changed to “Symetra Tour”.
Futures Tour graduates include LPGA tournament winners Laura Davies, Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb, Grace Park, Meaghan Francella, Christina Kim, Loren Ochoa, Stacy Prammanasudh and Sherri Steinhauer and this weekend offers the opportunity for visitors to see some of the upcoming future stars of women’s golf as they battle it out over 54 holes. The weekend schedule is as follows:
Saturday, September 21
7.30 am Second Round (Wave Start – 1st & 10th Tee)
12.10pm Second Round (Wave Start – 1st & 10th Tee)
Sunday, September 22
7.30 am Final Round (1st Tee)
Tickets to the Volvik Championship are available at the main gate by following signs to the Parking Lot at Reunion. Shuttles are available to bring guests to the Main Gate.
Gates open at 7:00am each day and each spectator is required to have a ticket.
The Volvik Championship is also happy to be a part of the Symetra Tour “Kids in Free” program. Kids 17 and Under Get in Free!!!
Single Day admission is $10 for adults and a three day pass is just $25. Payment is by cash only.
