Symetra Tour announces revised schedule with late July restart

The Symetra Tour announced Wednesday it will restart its season July 24-26 at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan.

The tour, which staged one event before the coronavirus pandemic led to a three-month hiatus, has released a revised schedule that calls for nine events in the remainder of 2020.

The original schedule featured 20 total events.

“We are extremely grateful to our partners and host venues for continued flexibility and support,” said Mike Nichols, the tour’s chief business officer. “They have worked tirelessly to keep all hopes and dreams alive for the next generation of LPGA Tour stars. In addition to Symetra Tour sponsors, the Annika Foundation recently showcased an unparalleled form of generosity with a crisis relief fund providing $50,000 in grants to Symetra Tour players financially affected by the coronavirus.” 

Purses for the remainder of the year are still being finalized, but players are expected to compete for more than $1.5 million in total prize money in the revised schedule. The original full schedule featured $3.6 million in total purses.

The Symetra Tour will award five promotions to the LPGA at the end of the year, instead of the 10 that have been distributed each year since 2008.

Two Symetra Tour events are getting new dates. The Founders Tribute in Mesa, Arizona, is being moved up from the end of August to lead off the West Coast swing from Aug. 14-16. It will be followed by the IOA Championship at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa (Aug. 21-23) in Beaumont, California. The Four Winds Invitational at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend, Indiana., will now be played Sept. 4-6, instead of July 31 through Aug. 2.

The revised schedule will conclude with the Symetra Tour Championship at River Run Country Club in Davidson, North Carolina.