MIDLAND, Mich., November 11, 2019 – The 2020 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational will become the highest paying non-major, non-tour championship tournament on the LPGA Tour. With a $2.3 million purse, the first-place team payout will be $559,000, according to tournament officials. The 2020 tournament will take place July 13-18, 2020, in Midland, Mich., and offers a format unique to the LPGA Tour, with two-player teams competing in both foursomes and four-ball in a 72-hole tournament.
“I applaud Dow for their efforts with this tournament,” said Dow ambassador and retired LPGA Tour star Suzann Pettersen, who competed in the 2019 tournament. “You wouldn’t know it was a first-year event in 2019, and they are taking all the right steps to keep attracting the most talented golfers and creating a one-of-a-kind competition on the tour.”
“We were incredibly proud to bring the best female golfers in the world to the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational,” said Jim Fitterling, chief executive officer of Dow. “As a company and as an LPGA tournament host, we look forward to continuing our efforts to make this one of the premiere stops on the LPGA Tour and hosting visitors from around the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond.”
The inaugural Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, held July 15-20, 2019, brought more than 35,000 visitors to the Great Lakes Bay Region throughout the course of the event. A partnership with The First Tee program introduced more than 5,500 local students to the game of golf through their values and character-building curriculum. Additionally, more than $500,000 was donated to nonprofits throughout the region through a variety of charity initiatives during the tournament.
“It was an incredible first year,” said Chris Chandler, executive director of the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. “We saw a huge response and support from the Great Lakes Bay Region, and 2020 will see a continued focus on providing an amazing experience for the athletes, sponsors, spectators, visitors to the region, and more than 1,000 volunteers.”
The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational also included more than 30 supplementary events, including the Eat Great Food Festival, the LPGA Leadership Academy, a hands-on STEM education center for youth and families, free tickets for active duty and veteran military members. Planning for the events surrounding the 2020 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational is currently underway.
For more information about the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, visit DowGLBI.com.
About the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational
The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (Dow GLBI) is an official LPGA Tour event that will be held in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region July 13-18, 2020 at Midland Country Club. The Dow GLBI, striving to become the first fully GEO Certified® Tournament on the LPGA, offers an innovative format, unlike any other event. The 72-hole, stroke-play tournament features two-player teams competing in both foursomes and four-ball with a $2.3 million purse.
The week-long event features more than golf, including Eat Great, a two-day food festival featuring restaurants and breweries throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region, an official LPGA Tour Pro-Am Tournament, STEM in Sports youth-related programming and leadership events. This inclusive event offers free daily youth opportunities, affordable ticket prices, and free admission for kids 17 and under as well as past and present Military personnel.
Follow @DowGLBI on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or online at www.DowGLBI.com. About Midland Country Club
Midland Country Club has maintained a standard of excellence through its heritage since its founding in 1928. The Club was established to provide golf and other recreational and social activities for its members—which continues today! Located in the center of Midland, Michigan, the Club provides beautiful scenery, superb facilities, and top quality service. Midland Country Club is thankful for each of its more than 750 members and the community for continuing to support the Club and is excited to host the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational! Learn more about Midland Country Club by visiting www.midlandcc.net.
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