The 2020 Symetra Tour’s “preliminary” schedule released Thursday features 20 tournaments with prize money totaling $3.6 million.
While that’s down from last year’s 23 events with $4 million in total prize money, the tour expects to add yet more events to its “Road to the LPGA” schedule.
“Even though we anticipate still adding another event or two, it is important for our players and fans to have the preliminary schedule to plan their upcoming season accordingly,” Symetra Tour chief business officer Mike Nichols said.
As is, the schedule features increases that will boost the average purse size to $180,000, the largest in tour history.
A minimum of six events will feature purses of $200,000 or more, including two new events, the Circling Raven Championship in Worley, Idaho, Aug. 28-30, and the Copper Rock Championship in Hurricane, Utah, Sept. 3-5.
The season is scheduled to open March 6-8 with the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in Winter Haven, Florida.
For a seventh straight year, the tour will feature the Potawatomi Cup, with the four Potawatomi tribes that serve as tournament hosts offering $40,000 in unofficial bonus money for the top finishers through the tournament series. The events are:
- The Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, June 12-14.
- The Island Resort Championship in Harris, Michigan, June 19-21.
- The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan, July 24-26.
- The PHC Classic in Glendale, Wisconsin, Aug. 7-9.
Notably, the Island Resort Championship will again serve as a U.S. qualifier for the Evian Championship. The top two finishers will earn spots in the LPGA’s major championship in France.
The Insurance Office of America will once more title sponsor three tournaments, one in California, one in Georgia and one in Florida.
The Zimmer Biomet Championship in Auburn, Alabama, will feature the largest purse on tour ($300,000).
Symetra, the tour’s entitlement sponsor, is again hosting two events, including the season-ending Symetra Tour Championship at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida (Oct. 1-4). The top-10 players on the official Volvik Race for the Card money at the conclusion of the season finale will earn promotions to the LPGA for 2021. The Symetra Tour purse is $250,000.
Click here for the full Symetra Tour schedule.