LAKELAND, Fla., Dec. 6, 2005 — The FUTURES Golf Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA, released its 2006 tournament schedule today, which will feature 18 tournaments with prize money equaling $1.35 million — the highest ever in Tour history.
"Next year’s schedule is the strongest schedule in the Tour’s 26-year history and it reflects strategic expansion into key markets, such as the Dallas Metro area, the beautiful Lake Geneva resort community in Wisconsin and the active golf community of Tucson," said Zayra F. Calderon, president and CEO of the FUTURES Golf Tour.
"The momentum of celebrating our 25th anniversary this past season with a 16-percent increase in tournament attendance, an increase of 120 percent in page views and 135 percent in visitors to futurestour.com, as well as 14 different winners in 18 tournaments demonstrates that we are set for a dynamic and record-setting 2006 season," added Calderon. "Our schedule reflects the energy and optimism of our players, sponsors and tournament organizers, and it shows sustained growth while maintaining the partnerships that have brought us to this point."
Next season, the average tournament purse jumps from just over $68,000 in 2005 to $75,000. The Tour will once again launch the season in its home state of Florida in March and conclude the competitive calendar year in a new early-September date and at a new season-culminating site in Albany, N.Y. Over the course of the season, the Tour will visit 13 different states.
In addition to elevated purses in 2006, the FUTURES Golf Tour will launch its first-ever major championship at the Michelob ULTRA FUTURES Players Championship presented by Ameren and Miles Chevrolet. The $100,000 tournament will be staged at the Tour’s longest-running event in Decatur, Ill., where it will be held for the 22nd year. This tournament will be contested over 72 holes and will have special eligibility requirements. The last 72-hole event played on the FUTURES Tour was the 2001 FUTURES Tour Championship.
"Creating a major championship is another important step in providing our players with competitive opportunities similar to those they will face on the LPGA Tour," said Calderon. "Having to earn the right to enter the highest-purse event on the schedule will be a great challenge for our players and creating such a high-profile event is a fitting reward for longevity and unwavering commitment to the FUTURES Tour from the Decatur community."
Key highlights of the 2006 schedule include:
A total of 18 tournaments in 13 different states;
An increase of 9.7 percent in total prize money from 2005;
Addition of four new tournaments in: Lafayette, La., Frisco, Texas, Tucson, Ariz., and Lake Geneva, Wis.;
Three tournaments featuring $85,000 or more in prize money;
Ten tournaments increasing purse amounts from 2005. Eight tournaments have increased purse size by $5,000; Albany, N.Y., increased its purse by $15,000; and Decatur, Ill., raised its purse by $30,000;
Two new title sponsors — Mary Kay Cosmetics in Frisco and Aurora Healthcare in Lake Geneva. Aurora Healthcare sponsored a Tour event from 1995 to 2003 in the Milwaukee area;
A return to the Dallas Metroplex area for the first time since 2001 with the $75,000 Mary Kay FUTURES Golf Classic in Frisco;
The Tour will play three events in the Lone Star State, starting in Frisco, moving south to McAllen, and then traveling west to El Paso;
For the first time, the FUTURES Tour will stage an event in Tucson. The LPGA held a tournament in Tucson for 26 years through 2004, and the same organizers, the Tucson Parks Foundation, will host the FUTURES Tour; and
The FUTURES Tour returns to the state of Louisiana for the first time in 13 years. The last time the Tour played in the Pelican State was in 1993 in Florien, La.
About the FUTURES Golf Tour
Celebrating 25 competitive seasons in 2005, the FUTURES Golf Tour has remained committed to developing the skills and dreams of women golfers, establishing role models for youth and creating LPGA stars of tomorrow. With more than 250 alumnae as current members of the LPGA Tour, former FUTURES Tour players have won a total of 295 LPGA titles, including 31 major championships through 2005. Designated as "the official developmental tour of the LPGA," the FUTURES Golf Tour has become the largest international developmental tour and the second largest women’s golf tour in the world. At season’s end each year, the top five players on the Tour’s Money List earn automatic LPGA Tour exemptions for the following year. Throughout its first quarter century, membership has increased from approximately 150 North American players to more than 300 players from 27 different nations. The Tour conducts 18 tournaments in 13 states and has raised more than $3.4 million for charitable organizations since 1989. For more information, please visit www.futurestour.com.
Contact:
Tracy L. Kerdyk
FUTURES Golf Tour
863-709-9100 ext. 3
e-mail: tracy@futurestour.com
Lisa D. Mickey
FUTURES Golf Tour
863-709-9100 ext. 2
e-mail: lisa@futurestour.com
