Island Resort Championship at 12 Years Strong

at Sweetgrass – June 23-25 – has become such a staple on the EPSON Tour that for the past several years, its winners have been automatically exempted into the LPGA Tour’s major in France, the Evian Championship.

Though such a perk creates some tall expectations for a host tournament, the U.P. resort has lived up to the reputation on several levels, including earning 2022 National Golf Course of the Year.

Since its inception in 2011, the Island Resort Championship has truly been a melting pot for competitors from around the world. Following its first four years, which were dominated by

Americans, the Championship has produced numerous winners from outside the U.S. These were followed by Michigan native Daniela Iacobelli in 2019, who won the tournament at 11-under par. The 2022 defending champion is Ssu-Chia-Cheng of Chinese Taipei.

“The players love it (at Sweetgrass) because it’s such a hidden gem of a golf course, and if you haven’t been there, it’s the most unexpected place,” said Liz Nagel, a native of DeWitt, Michigan. She previously played in the Island Resort Championship but has had her LPGA Tour card for several years now – which is the entire point of the EPSON feeder tour.

“Most out-of-state golfers write off Michigan and especially the U.P., but once players get up there, they fall in love with the crisp air and the plush grass.

“I’ve had over a dozen people tell me it’s their favorite course we play all year and it’s been a great staple on the Epson Tour schedule – with an even better sponsor,” Nagel added.

Saying that the Escanaba region has welcomed the golfers and the tournament with open arms seems cliché, but not only does Sweetgrass golf course shine, it is one of the top charity-dollarraising tournaments on the feeder tour. The tournament is doubleand triple-circled on the resident’s summer calendars due to its massive popularity for kids and families, and all for a good cause.