The Island Resort Championship Returns for Year 9

Harris, MI – May 29, 2019 – The Island Resort Championship will return to the Upper Peninsula and Sweetgrass Golf Course at the Island Resort and Casino June 21-23.

The Island Resort Championship is part of the Symetra Tour, which since 1999 has been the official developmental tour of the LPGA Tour. The Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass is consistently considered one of the best, if not the best tournament on the Symetra Tour by both players and Tour workers alike.

This year, the event will be even more special. The winner and runner-up of this year’s Island Resort Championship at Sweetgrass will receive automatic qualification to participate in one of the LPGA Tour’s 5 majors – The Evian Championship – in Evian, France. Along with an upgraded $200,000 purse, the best golfers on the Symetra Tour, and the future stars of the LPGA, will be competing June 21-23 at Sweetgrass.

At the Island Resort Championship media event held Tuesday at the Island Resort & Casino, Luke Ghiardi and Mark Evans of the Sports Drive talked with different individuals involved in the tournament.

Casey Danielson, who will be competing in the event as a full-time member of the Symetra Tour, chatted with Luke and Mark about what makes this event special. For Casey, it was a catalyst for her career. Last year as a member of the Ladies European Tour, Casey received a special exemption into the Island Resort Championship. Danielson finished in a tie for 4th place, 2 strokes off the lead, which got her reshuffled into the final 8 Symetra Tour events. She parlayed that into 5 Top-10’s and full time status on the Symetra Tour this year. Danielson currently sits 21st on the money list and has 2 Top-10 finishes to her name.

Luke and Mark also sat down with Tim Kramer, Symetra Tour Director of Tournament Business Affairs, Island Resort & casino General Manager Tony Macilla, and Dave Douglass – Director of Golf at the Island Resort, to talk about what makes this event special.

You can hear audio from all interviewees below.

Click here for more information on the event, tickets, and lodging.

Casey Danielson talks Island Resort Championship and Career
Tim Kramer on the Island Resort Championship and Growth of Symetra Tour
Tony Mancilla on bring the Island Resort Championship back for a 9th year
Dave Douglass on the challenges of Sweetgrass