(Natchez, MS) – The Women’s All Pro Tour starts their fourth series in the PXG Race to Stage II in Natchez, MS for the Merit Health Natchez Classic. Beau Pre Country Club has welcomed the APT and WAPT in the past, with this being the third year in a row the WAPT has been the main tour. Last year’s champion, Ana Paula Valdes, now has full Epson Tour status and will not be in Natchez to defend her title. Alice Duan was the highest place finisher from 2021 who is returning for 2022. Duan will look to draw off her previous success at Beau Pre as she heads into her round.
DATES: June 14-17, 2022
OFFICIAL NAME: Merit Health Natchez Classic
HASHTAGS: #WAPT #PXGRaceToStageII
SCHEDULE: Ninth event of the WAPT 2021 season
VENUE: Beau Pre Country Club
PAR/YARDS: 72 (36-36), 6,583 yards
PURSE MONEY: Estimated $55,000 (winner claims $10,000)
PAST CHAMPIONS: 2021 Ana Paula Valdes, 2020 Katherine Patrick
CUT: After 36 Holes to top 40% of starting field and ties
EPSON EXEMPTIONS : Winner & runner-up earn exemptions into the Epson Tour’s Twin Bridges Championship
FIELD OVERVIEW
SIZE: 70 players
FIELD LIST: https://bit.ly/3xpUYT4
WAPT WINNERS: 7 players
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Sunday, June 12th: Practice Rounds (AM), Shootout (2 PM)
Monday, June 13th: Pro-Am at Beau Pre CC
Tuesday, June 14th: Round 1
Wednesday, June 15th: Round 2 and cut day
Thursday, June 16th: Round 3
Friday, June 17th: Round 4 and award presentation at Highlands
PXG RACE TO STAGE II STANDINGS GOING INTO WEEK NINE
After the first eight tournaments of the 2022 Women’s All Pro Tour season, the PXG Race to Stage II the top-3 sees a new name enter the mix.
Miranda Wang (Pebble Beach, CA) has moved into the first spot with her second place finish at the WLN Central Arkansas Open followed by a top-5 finish at the Bella Vista Charity Classic. Kathleen Scavo (Benicia, CA) moved down to the number 2 spot after not playing for the last several weeks. Rounding out the top-3 is Amanda Tan who won earlier this season at the FCA Women’s Championship. She followed it up with a third place finish at the Mountain Ranch Championship to take the third place spot. Here is how the top-10 looks heading into the Merit Health Natchez Classic:
- Miranda Wang (China) – 1,202
- Kathleen Scavo (Benicia, CA) – 1,100
- Amanda Tan (Singapore) – 780
- Sarah Rhee (Lynnwood, WA) – 761
- Jordy LaBarbera (Allen, TX) – 737
- Erika Smith (Orlando, FL) – 696
- Ginger Howard (Bradenton, FL) – 633
- Alison Muirhead (Scotland) – 628
- Kaeli Jones (Sumterville, FL) – 605
- Julie Houston (Allen, TX) – 600
NOTES ON THE LIST OF COMPETITORS:
This week’s field is made up of 70 players from 19 countries.
The breakdown of the 70 players per country in the field this week: United States (46), Japan (4), New Zealand (4), Thailand (3), Singapore (2), Taiwan (2), Brazil (1), Canada (1), China (1), Hong Kong (1), India (1), Sweden (1), Scotland (1), South Africa (1)
The Merit Health Natchez Classic will feature 8 out of the top-10 players in the PXG Race To Stage II. Sarah Rhee (Lynnwood, WA) looks to have another strong finish at the Merit Health Natchez Classic. Rhee has finished in the top-10 every week since the second tournament of the season in Westlake, LA. After a loss in a playoff at the Mountain Ranch Championship, Rhee looks due to find herself in the winners circle this year. Alison Muirhead (Scotland), a 2021 WAPT Champion, is starting to find her form after a second place finish in Bella Vista. Muirhead started off her season hot with 3 top-15 finishes in her first 4 starts, but then missed three consecutive cuts. She will look to build off her second place finish in her last start and be the first past champion to win in 2022.
Action gets underway at 7:30 A.M. CT the first two days of play. A cut will be made after 36-holes to the top 40% of the starting field, including ties. Amateurs are included in the cut number. The field will be repaired before the final two rounds based on score and players will go off in reverse horseshoe with leaders teeing off last. A trophy presentation by the clubhouse will follow the final round of play. Attendance is free to the public.