DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 18, 2008 – The Duramed FUTURES Tour announced today 16 confirmed tournaments on its 2009 tournament schedule. The complete 2009 tournament schedule will be announced after the first of the new year.
The LPGA’s Developmental Tour continues to elevate event venues and boost tournament purses with an unprecedented 14 events on the 2009 schedule offering purse amounts of $100,000 and over, including three events with purses of $125,000.
“We are delighted with today’s announcement as we continue to showcase strong, stable and valuable events that provide our players with the opportunities they need to move on to the LPGA,” said Zayra F. Calderon, CEO of the Duramed FUTURES Tour. “Given the current economic environment, we view this as a positive testimony to the commitment from our tournament organizers and host communities who see our events as a way to inject optimism into their communities, while at the same time, raising valuable funds for local charities.”
The Tour brings five new tournaments on board in 2009, kicking off the season in Winter Haven, Fla., at the inaugural Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic. Two new Texas stops in Brownsville and San Antonio, set for April 24-26, and May 1-3, respectively, also will take the Tour to a new venue in the Rio Grande Valley region, as well as to one of the Lone Star State’s most thriving sports cities.
With an already strong “Midwestern Swing” through the nation’s central region, the inaugural Ladies Titan Tire Challenge will be staged June 5-7, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. And toward the conclusion of the 2009 schedule, the Tour will showcase a new event in the in the capital city of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa., for the inaugural Southeast Pennsylvania Classic, set for Aug. 21-23.
The 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour’s tournament schedule brings top young women professionals to 16 tournaments in 14 states and will offer nearly $1.7 million in prize money.
Key highlights of the 2009 schedule include:
* Total season purse of nearly $1.7 million.
* Total average purse of nearly $106,000, compared to $96,945 for 18 events in 2008.
* A total of 14 tournaments with purses over $100,000, and three with purses equal to or more than $125,000.
* Four tournaments in 2009 boosted purse size by $10,000, while three events elevated purses by more than $15,000.
* Schedule contains 16 tournaments in 14 states.
* Schedule includes five new tournaments in Winter Haven, Fla., Brownsville, Texas, San Antonio, Cedar Rapids,Iowa, and Harrisburg, Pa.
* Return of tournament cities hosting the Tour for 10 or more years, including Decatur, Ill., for the 25thconsecutive years and the region of Greater Albany, N.Y., for the 25th (non-consecutive) year.
* Three tournaments with direct ties to the First Tee program. They are: Winter Haven, Fla., Hammond, Ind., andHarrisburg, Pa., each working with the program in their respective cities and counties.
About the Duramed FUTURES Tour
The LPGA’s official developmental tour, the Duramed FUTURES Tour has become the world’s largest international women’s developmental tour. In its 29th competitive season in 2009, the Tour has remained committed to developing LPGA stars of tomorrow and creating viable role models for youth today. The top 10 money winners each season earn automatic exemptions for the LPGA Tour. With more than 300 alumnae as current members of the LPGA, through 2008, former Duramed FUTURES Tour players have won a total of 345 LPGA titles, including 37 major championships. Duramed FUTURES Tour events have contributed more than $4 million to charitable organizations throughout the nation since 1989. For more information, visit www.duramedfuturestour.com.
Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour, 386-274-6216 or lisa@duramedfuturestour.com and Tracy Kerdyk, vice president of new business development at tracy@duramedfuturestour.com and 305-794-2538.
2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour Tournament Schedule
March 20 – 22 $100,000
Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic
Lake Region Yacht and Country Club
Winter Haven, Florida
April 3 – 5 $100,000
iMPACT Enterprises Invitational
LPGA International Golf Club
Daytona Beach, Florida
April 17 – 19 $ 90,000
Louisiana Pelican Classic
Lafayette, Louisiana
April 24 – 26 $110,000
Historic Brownsville Open
Rancho Viejo, Texas
May 1 – 3 $125,000
Texas Hill Country Classic
San Antonio, Texas
May 15 – 17 $100,000
Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City Championship
Leawood, Kansas
June 5 – 7 $110,000
Ladies Titan Tire Challenge
Marion, Iowa
June 11 – 14 $125,000
Michelob ULTRA Duramed FUTURES Players Championship
Decatur, Illinois
June 19 – 21 $125,000
The Duramed Championship
Mason Ohio
June 26 – 28 $100,000
Horseshoe Casino Classic at Lost Marsh Golf Course
Hammond, Indiana
July 17 – 19 $100,000
The New England Golf Classic
Bloomfield, Connecticut
July 24 – 26 $ 90,000
USI Championship
Concord, New Hampshire
August 7 – 9 $100,000
Commonwealth Crooked Creek Classic
London, Kentucky
August 14 – 16 $100,000
Greater Richmond Duramed FUTURES Classic
Richmond, Virginia
August 21 – 23 $110,000
Southeast Pennsylvania Classic
Greater Harrisburg Area, Pennsylvania
September 4 – 6 $110,000
ILOVENY Championship
Albany, New York
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