NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics is excited to host the first ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour (WAPT) in the Twin Cities when Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University holds the Redbird Championship from June 18-20 in Normal.
"We are grateful for the collaboration and support of Illinois State University as we bring the ANNIKA WAPT experience to Illinois for the first time," Gary DeSerrano, CEO of K&G Sports, said. "The beautiful Weibring Golf Club, nestled in the heart of the Prairie State, is the ideal setting for our inaugural event. The return of professional women's golf in Illinois is a momentous occasion, and we anticipate a memorable Redbird Championship. The tournament promises to showcase exciting golf and a glimpse into the future of the LPGA Tour. The partnership between the ANNIKA WAPT and Illinois State University is a testament to our shared commitment to empowering women and promoting the growth of women's golf."
The Redbird Championship will consist of a Pro-Am Day on June 17 before the field of 90 ANNIKA WAPT professionals and 36 Collegiate Series players take the course for the three-day, 54-hole tournament beginning on June 18. The Redbird Championship is an official event of the ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour, and the top two players in the open field will receive an exemption into the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic, August 9-11 on the LPGA Epson Tour. Net tournament proceeds will benefit the ANNIKA Foundation, the ANNIKA WAPT, and Redbird Athletics.
"We are thrilled to welcome the ANNIKA WAPT to our campus and the Weibring Golf Club in June for the inaugural Redbird Championship," ISU Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. "Bringing professional golf to our community is very exciting for everyone involved. Undoubtedly, all the players and staff will enjoy their time at our beautiful course and facilities. The continued growth of the game of golf has been remarkable in recent years, and we look forward to helping bring more attention to the women's game and its talented players and provide an opportunity for the many golf enthusiasts in our community to enjoy championship golf right in their backyard."Â
The Redbird Championship will be the seventh event on the Callaway Race To Stage 2, a season-long points race beginning at the first regular season event and concluding at the ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour Championship. The top five finishers of the points race will earn exemptions into stage two of LPGA Qualifying and an Epson Tour card.
"It is great to see the game of golf continue to grow and develop, specifically on the women's side," ISU women's golf head coach Breanne Hall said. Â More opportunities are arising, but that doesn't come without the hard work of ambassadors such as Annika Sörenstam and D.A. Weibring. Â I am thrilled that Illinois State University and Weibring Golf Club will be a part of this growth as we offer a June tour stop for the Annika Women's All Pro Tour. It will be a great week of golf, and I encourage the community to come out and support these women as they showcase their talents and skills in our championship course."
The ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour (WAPT) was established in 2019 to provide a premier developmental opportunity for female golf professionals to hone their competitive skills while preparing for a life on the Epson and LPGA Tours. Through its partnership with the LPGA's Epson Tour, the ANNIKA WAPT provides weekly opportunities for players to earn exemptions to select Epson Tour events. At the end of each season, the top five points winners on the Callaway Race To Stage 2 earn advancement directly to Stage 2 of LPGA qualifying.Â
Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sörenstam created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) to develop and empower the next generation of women worldwide through golf. More specifically, it provides opportunities in women's golf at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
"We are excited to welcome the ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour to Weibring Golf Club this June," Weibring Golf Club General Manager Tom Szymoniak said. "The Redbird Championship will feature skilled professionals, some of which may very well be the LPGA stars of tomorrow. Our team is looking forward to working with the ANNIKA WAPT team in making this event a success for Weibring Golf Club, Illinois State Athletics and the Bloomington-Normal community."
Sponsorships and pro-am teams are now available for purchase at the official tournament website - Redbird Championship. Several volunteers will be needed to run the event. Those interested in volunteering may register at the Redbird Championship Volunteer Portal.Â
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos, and more.
ABOUT THE ANNIKA FOUNDATION
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) to develop and empower the next generation of women worldwide through the game of golf. Â More specifically, it provides opportunities in women's golf at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of personal development, including living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
The ANNIKA Foundation annually conducts several "Share My Passion" grassroots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game. Â It also conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex in the U.S.; ANNIKA Invitational Asia; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; the Women's Amateur Latin America with The R&A in Argentina; and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand. Since 2014, the Foundation has annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a women's college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools. Moreover, with the support of the Haskins Foundation, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. In 2022, the ANNIKA Development Program was created to support recent college graduates pursuing their dreams of playing professional golf. The Foundation will also be the primary beneficiary of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, a new tournament tradition that will begin on the LPGA Tour November 6-12, 2023.
About the ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour
The ANNIKA Women's All Pro Tour (WAPT) was established in 2019 to provide a premier developmental opportunity for female golf professionals to hone their competitive skills while preparing for a life on the Epson and LPGA Tours. Through its partnership with the LPGA's Epson Tour, the WAPT provides weekly opportunities for players to earn exemptions to select Epson Tour events. At the end of each season, the top five points winners on the Callaway Race To Stage II earn advancement directly to Stage II of LPGA qualifying.
Follow the WAPT online at www.wapt.golf, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Â
Media Contact
Marissa McCardell, Digital Producer, WAPT
marissa@kgsportsco.com
559-862-6850 cell
