Wildhorse Resort Becomes New Destination on the "Road to the LPGA"

Wildhorse Resort & Casino announced that it will host the Epson Tour at Wildhorse Golf Course, September 2-4, 2022. Known as the “Road to the LPGA,” the Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

The Wildhorse Ladies Classic is the 17th stop on the Epson Tour’s 2022 schedule, welcoming professional female golfers from across the nation and over 30 countries around the world. The public is invited to come watch world class golfers compete. Tickets are on sale at wildhorseresort.com.

The Epson Tour enters its 42nd competitive season in 2022 and annually awards the top ten players on the season-long “Race for the Card” money list with LPGA Tour membership for the following season. Recent Epson Tour graduates include Olympic Gold Medalist and top-ranked American, Nelly Korda, as well as fellow Major Champions, Hannah Green and Patty Tavatanakit. The Epson Tour’s 2022 schedule features record-setting total purses and average purse size, as well as the largest single-event prize in Tour history.

The purse for the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic is $200,000.

“Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are excited to showcase and welcome some of the most talented young professional golfers from around the world to our Tribal and local communities,” CEO Gary George announced.

Wildhorse has committed to host the tournament for at least two years, bringing around 2000 visitors to the area for each yearly event. Epson and LPGA staff, volunteers, sponsors, spectators, and professional and amateur players will begin pouring into Pendleton a week before the tournament finals. 

The Wildhorse Ladies golf classic begins with two youth clinics and two Pro-Am tournaments that include participation by professional golfers from the Epson Tour. 

The first and second rounds for the professional women are played September 2-3 with the final round taking place on Sunday, September 4. 

When asked why Wildhorse joined the Epson Tour, George explained, “This event aligns with the Tribes’ efforts to provide meaningful opportunities for Tribal youth and to grow the game of golf in our region.”

The Epson Tour is hosted by other Tribal venues throughout the season including Circling Raven Golf Club in Idaho and Morongo Golf Club in California. The tournaments often feature events for young golfers who are interested in pursuing the game and many of the LPGA’s best players have come up through the LPGA USGA Girls Golf program.

The Wildhorse Ladies Classic will be seeking about 125 volunteers to help with a multitude of tasks during the event. Volunteers will assist with live scoring, help with parking and ticket distribution, act as marshals and spotters, help VIPs and vendors, provide housing for Epson Tour competitors, and much more. Interested volunteers can visit https://www.wildhorseresort.com/resort/golf/tournaments/ for information and to register.

The Epson Tour Championship to conclude the 2022 season takes place in Daytona Beach, Florida in October.