The 13th edition of the Four Winds Invitational is set to take place at the South Bend Country Club, offering a total prize money of $262,500. This 54-hole professional golf tournament is the 15th stop on the 19-event Epson Tour, which serves as the Road to the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). The event will feature a field of 132 professional and amateur women golfers, including 13 of the previous 14 Epson Tour event winners. One of the notable participants is Jessica Porvasnik, the current leading money-winner who has earned $88,888 with five Top 10 finishes in her 14 previous events.
The tournament will kick off with the first round on Friday, followed by the second round on Saturday, and the final round on Sunday after the cut. Play will begin at 7:30 a.m. each day off the first and 10th tees. The South Bend Country Club, a par-72, 6,430-yard course designed by George O’Neil in 1916, will host the event. Located at 25800 Country Club Drive near Lydick, just under six miles west of downtown South Bend, the course features a picturesque setting with railroad tracks for Amtrak and South Shore Line running past holes 12 through 14.
Local ties will be strong at the Four Winds Invitational, with former Notre Dame women golfers Becca Huffer and Lauren Beaudreau participating in the event. Huffer, who finished tied for second at last year’s tournament and earned her LPGA card, will be looking to make her mark once again. Beaudreau, a recent NCAA Tournament individual qualifier and business analytics graduate, will also be aiming to showcase her skills on the course.
The Four Winds Invitational has seen notable past winners, including World No. 2 Lilia Vu and No. 23 Brooke Henderson. Vu, who won two majors in 2023, claimed the 2021 title at South Bend Country Club, while Henderson emerged victorious in 2015 at Blackthorn Golf Club. The principal sponsor of the event is the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds Casinos, which have locations in Hartford, Dowagiac, New Buffalo, and South Bend.
Benefitting from the tournament is Beacon Children’s Hospital, a local organization dedicated to providing healthcare services to children in need. Parking and admission to the event are complimentary, making it accessible to all golf enthusiasts and spectators. The Four Winds Invitational promises to be an exciting and competitive event, showcasing the talent and skill of women golfers on the Epson Tour.