(HARRIS, Mich.) – Native American Cheryl Mitchell of Strongsville, Ohio has accepted one of two local exemptions for the Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass, competing among 150 LPGA Futures Tour golfers, June 24-26.
The 32-year-old mom of two turned pro in 2004, but has focused her energies in the past seven years off to raise her two children. She plans to rekindle her career by playing in the ladies professional tournament, as she represents the Potawatomi Nation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
“It feels wonderful to play in this tournament,” said Mitchell. “To be chosen because I am Native American is an honor, and to accept it for our People will show children that it can be done – you can follow your dreams.”
The Potawatomi, who own Sweetgrass Golf Club and the Island Resort & Casino, were proud to extend a special invitation to Mitchell. Known as the Firekeepers, they named Sweetgrass after the spiritual herb that brings healing and peace.
“Cheryl not only represents the eight bands of the Potawatomi Nation, she’s representing all Native Americans,” said Tony Mancilla, Championship Co-Chair and a member of the Potawatomi. “It was only fitting that she play a part in our inaugural year.”
Mitchell is a native of Walpole Island First Nation in Ontario, Canada, also known as Bkejwanong, meaning “where the waters divide.” The Island is home to the Potawatomi, Ojibwa and Delaware. She is currently a member of the Canadian Women’s Tour.
She started playing golf at the age of seven, when her father converted her from a left to right-handed player because beginner clubs were more plentiful. In a family of athletes, Mitchell and brother Stephen Tooshkenig took to the game together, playing after school at their nearby club.
Tooshkenig will serve as Mitchell’s caddie in this month’s tournament.
“He introduced me to competitive play,” said Mitchell. “I saw through his events that several girls were playing, and it gave me the drive to compete.” Tooshkenig now serves as a golf coach and teacher to kids on Warpole Island.
Mitchell would later focus her athletic skills to golf in high school, winning the Canadian Junior Optimist three times, among several tournament achievements. Her playing record earned a full scholarship to Kent State University, where she joined the Mid-Atlantic Conference team.
Mitchell’s amateur career was highlighted by winning the Ontario Women’s Amateur in 2003. She was named to the All- MAC First Team two years in a row while playing at Kent State, and would serve on the Mid-Continent Conference First Team twice while attending Michigan’s Oakland University for her graduate studies.
After turning to a professional career in 2004, Mitchell placed fifth in the 2005 Royal Canadian Golf Association Women’s Tour Championship, tied for third at the 2006 Canadian PGA Women’s Championship, and qualified for the LPGA Canadian Women’s Open at London Hunt Club.
Since that time, Mitchell has been refining her skills and focus on key weaknesses in her game – primarily putting.
“I can now say it’s a strength,” she says of her short-game skills. “I’ve played in LPGA Futures Tour events before, and you have to be ready to shoot your best. You must commit to uninhibited play at that level. I feel ready to compete.”
Mitchell hopes to have strong support from the Potawatomi in the gallery as she vies for her first LPGA Futures Tour win, which carries a $110,000 purse. There are currently 20,000 Native Americans in the U.P., and more than 50,000 Native Americans in the greater Michigan/Wisconsin region.
“To win at Sweetgrass would top everything,” she says. “I want to show kids of our Nation that anything is possible, and you can feel great about being Native American. It would be a dream come true.”
Three-day ticket passes for the Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass are being sold for $10 at the Island Resort & Casino in Escanaba, Michigan, via phone at 906-723-2005 or by supporting over 80 Michigan and Wisconsin charities who are selling tickets to raise funds for their causes.
For more information, see http://www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com/championship.
About the Championship
Welcoming the world’s brightest new talent in women’s professional golf, the Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass is an LPGA Futures Tour event held at Sweetgrass Golf Club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The inaugural 54-hole stroke-play event will be held June 20-26, 2011, the first of a three-year commitment by the LPGA. Located in Harris, Michigan, Sweetgrass is situated at the Island Resort & Casino, and is owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian Community of the Potawatomi Nation. See sweetgrassgolfclub.com for more information.
About Sweetgrass and the Island Resort & Casino
The Sweetgrass Golf Club, site of the 2011 Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass (an LPGA Futures Tour stop), was designed by Michigan-native Paul Albanese and opened in 2008. It was named a Top 20 Courses You Can Play in Michigan by GOLF Magazine in 2010, and Best New Course by Golfweek magazine in 2009. For more information, see http://www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com or at facebook.com/sweetgrassgolfclub
Boasting more than 1,400 slot machines and 24/7 Vegas-style gaming, the Island Resort & Casino (www.islandresortandcasino.com) offers Craps, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker and more. The Island hosts top musical acts from a variety of musical genres. Dining options include the Firekeeper’s Restaurant, Beachcomber Restaurant & Bar, Coral Reef Grille and Bingo Snack Bar. Live music in the lounge, the Club Four One nightclub, a swimming pool and conference center are other popular resort offerings. The property is easily accessible via a pair of regional airports in Escanaba and Marquette.
Contact:
Dan Shepherd
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3320
dshepherd@buffalocommunications.com
Janeen Driscoll
Buffalo Communications
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jdriscoll@buffalocommunications.com
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