Michigan PGA Women’s Open June 23 – 25 at Crystal Mountain

Epson Tour’s Jessica Welch to Defend in Michigan PGA Women’s Open at Crystal Mountain

  THOMPSONVILLE – Jessica Welch of Thomasville, Ga., has it on her calendar.

  The 31-year-old LPGA Epson Tour player will be in the field for the 32nd Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship presented by Coca-Cola next Monday through Wednesday, June 23-25, at Crystal Mountain.

   “I put a big circle on the calendar every year for Crystal Mountain,” said last year’s wire-to-wire winner who has made the Michigan PGA Women’s Open a regular stop in her golf travels.

  “It’s my favorite week of the year. I know I’ve said it before, but everything about the week is perfect. It’s in a beautiful place, on a golf course that’s fun to play and there’s just something very relaxing about being at Crystal Mountain. They love women’s golf, too. What’s not to like?”

  Welch will make the trip from Harris in the Upper Peninsula after Sunday’s final round of the LPGA Epson Tour’s Island Resort Championship and be ready to go on Monday.

  “It’s a drive, but it’s worth it,” she said. “It is almost like a break even though you are competing. You don’t have to worry about the Tour stuff, all that. I just relax and play. Winning last year was icing on the cake in the biggest way.”

  Once again, the Michigan PGA Women’s Open and women’s golf will be celebrated, and in addition to the tournament a special reception for tournament players has been played for Monday night featuring LPGA Hall of Fame golfers Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel as speakers.

  This year will mark the 23rd consecutive year at Crystal Mountain for the championship, and for the second year will include a Senior Championship division and competition for players over the age of 50. The Michigan Section PGA also holds its Michigan Women’s PGA Professional Championship for section professionals in conjunction with the Open.

    The field will once again include touring professionals from across the country like Welch, as well as some international players and top amateur golfers from the state and elsewhere. The championship is played on the signature course at the resort, Mountain Ridge, and the professionals play for a $40,000 purse.

    In addition to Welch defending, Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor, will defend her Senior Division title. Roebuck is a three-time overall champion with titles won in 1994, 1999 and 2016.

  Also playing is the state’s most decorated amateur player, Hall of Famer Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, the head women’s golf coach at Michigan State University. Her daughter Olivia, who plays for Grand Valley State University, is among the many collegiate amateur golfers who are entered. Former LPGA standout Elaine Crosby of Jackson is playing in the Senior Division. Crosby won back-to-back overall titles in 2001-02.

  Noted Michigan architect Bill Newcomb designed the Mountain Ridge course. It features some dramatic elevation changes, natural sand areas, and holes cut through towering tunnels of trees.