CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — World-class golfers are setting their sights on Southern Utah once again as the Epson Tour makes its way to Copper Rock Golf Course.
Local golf fans have the opportunity to watch rising stars of the women’s game play during the second annual Copper Rock Championship on April 21-23. The event will welcome a field of 120 players from 30 different countries.
Championship director David Viveiros said there’s plenty to look forward to at this year’s event. The tournament is expanding viewing opportunities with general admission seating at the first tee and along the ninth and 18th holes, which have beautiful lakes. The new VIP hospitality area will extend halfway around the 18th green.
Tickets start at $45 for grounds access on all three competition days of the tournament. The $245 Champions Club tickets provide exclusive access to the private seating area on the 18th green along with lunch, snacks and beverages. Military and police personnel are eligible for a 15% discount.
Approximately 2,500 fans attended throughout tournament week in 2021, Viveiros said. This year, he’s expecting a crowd of about 5,000. The event’s volunteer support staff has also grown from 110 to 330.
“That’s always a great sign that the community loves professional golf,” he added. “It does great things for business, for the community and for people that enjoy golf and what it brings to the area.”
Again this year, the tournament will be televised on the Golf Channel as an hour-long special showcasing the course’s stunning natural beauty and the talented field of players. Viveiros said more than 200,000 golf fans tuned in to the last installment.
“We’re working very hard behind the scenes to make it not only a great experience but really highlighting Southern Utah as a golf destination.”
The Copper Rock Championship is a sanctioned event on the Epson Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA. The tournament allows fans to get close to the action as up-and-coming golfers compete for a $200,000 purse amid sweeping desert dunes and striking mountain views.
Although Southern Utah has long been popular among golfers, last year’s Copper Rock Championship was the first women’s professional tournament ever held in the area. American Bailey Tardy hoisted the trophy after shooting a blistering 10 under par and eclipsing the field by a margin of three strokes.
The Copper Rock Championship is one of 21 stops along the newly named Epson Tour’s “Road to the LPGA.” With Epson as title sponsor, players will compete for the largest purses, largest average purse and largest single-event prize in tour history. This year’s tour will visit 13 states and offer $4.41 million in total prize money, opening new doors for golfers chasing their dream of one day playing in the LPGA.
The top 10 money earners at the end of the Epson Tour season gain LPGA Tour membership. Since the establishment of the developmental tour in 1981, 440 LPGA titles have been won by tour graduates including Lorena Ochoa, Inbee Park, Gerina Piller, Mo Martin, Madelene Sagström and Nelly Korda. Former Epson Tour players have won 11 major titles over the past nine years.
“They’re top-notch players,” Viveiros said. “Southern Utah will eventually see a player that comes through Copper Rock either win on the LPGA tour or win a major.”
Nestled in the Hurricane Valley, Copper Rock Golf Course opened to the public in February 2020. The adventurous 6,901-yard layout forges across dunes dotted with native sagebrush against a backdrop of rustic sandstone formations. On every hole, players are treated to majestic vistas of the Pine Valley Mountains, the Hurricane Cliffs, Zion National Park and beyond.
“Copper Rock offers a new experience and a new perspective,” marketing director Jason Timpson said. “Our biggest difference is the level of innovation that we’re striving to bring to Southern Utah’s golf culture.”
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
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Event details
- What: 2022 Copper Rock Championship.
- When: Thursday through Saturday, April 21-23, all day.
- Where: Copper Rock Golf Course, 1567 W. Copper Rock Parkway, Hurricane.
- Tickets: $45-$245.
- Resources: Website.
Resources
- Copper Rock Golf Course | Location: 1567 W. Copper Rock Parkway, Hurricane | Telephone: 435-359-9339 or 435-215-4845 | Email: [email protected] | Website.
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