Inova Championship

Epson Tour Returns May 26th-28th for the Inova Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship

Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. — The Epson Tour returns for the fourth consecutive year as the Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship will take place from May 26-28th at the El Campeón Championship Course, about a 35-minute drive northwest of Orlando.

A field of 144 players will compete in a 54-hole, stroke-play format for $200,000 and a winner’s share of $30,000. A cut will be made to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes.

“The track at Mission Inn Resort and Club has proven to test our players and get them ready for the next level on the LPGA Tour,” said the Epson Tour’s Chief Business and Operations Officer, Jody Brothers.

Australian Gabriela Ruffels will be chasing her third Epson Tour victory of the season at Mission Inn while Agathe Laisne, Miranda Wang, Gigi Stoll, and Savannah Vilaubi plan to tee it up on the El Campeón championship course in pursuit of their second win in 2023.

On the heels of a well-attended clinic with LPGA Rookie and Mission Inn ambassador Kiira Riihjarvi, the resort will welcome junior sensation and sponsor exemption Yana Wilson on Sunday, May 21st, at 11:45 a.m. on the first tee box of the resort’s other championship course, Las Colinas. The event is open to the public with first come, first served seating available.

Mission Inn Ambassador Kiira Riihjarvi Yana Wilson

All three of the past champions at Mission Inn have spent time on the LPGA Tour, playing amongst the best in the world. Last year’s winner Gina Kim, graduated from the Epson Tour at the end of last season, earning full membership on the LPGA Tour in 2023. Kim says the victory here bolstered her confidence to continue playing her best golf on both tours.

“[The win] was a bit unexpected, but it was the turning point of my career. I took that confidence, and I went out and put up some good scores at the LPGA ShopRite Classic presented by Acer and LPGA Meijer Classic for Simply Give,” said Kim. “That gave me a chance to play in two majors – the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and The Amundi Evian Championship – so I just want to give a huge shoutout [to the Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship] for making this girl’s dreams come true. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for them; they really made a change in my career.”

Mission Inn Resort & Club – El Campeon

Epson Tour standouts Kim Kaufman, Gabby Lemieux, and Lindsey McCurdy are also slated to tee it up in Howey-in-the-Hills this year. McCurdy received the 2022 Heather Wilbur Award; an end-of-season recognition voted on by peers honoring the player that best exemplifies dedication, courage, perseverance, and love of the game.

Other notable players include Cydney Clanton and Silvia Cavalleri. Clanton was a 2012 Epson Tour graduate who has won once on the LPGA Tour. She’s made over $1.5M in career earnings. Cavalleri has made over $1.3M in career earnings on the LPGA Tour and like Clanton, also recorded one victory and nine top-10 finishes.