(Worley, Idaho; December 17, 2020) – The Coeur d’Alene Tribe today announces that through its partnership with the Notah Begay III Junior Golf Championship (NB3 JGNC), it has bestowed the 2020 Girls 14-18 age group winner with an exemption into next summer’s Circling Raven Championship, a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event.
Carol Standley
Allyn Stephens earned the distinction by winning the national title at the NB3 JGNC last week. Circling Raven Golf Club – the acclaimed public course in Northern Idaho and amenity of Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel – will be the playing venue for the professional women’s tournament that will begin a three-year run with the inaugural event next summer.
“I am so thankful to the Notah Begay III Junior Golf Championship and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe for giving me this incredible opportunity to test my game against some of the world’s best players,” said Stephens, from Houston, Texas, who shot 74-65-69 to finish 8 under par in the NB3 JGNC. “It has always been my dream to play professional golf and I can't wait to get to Idaho next summer to play in the Circling Raven Championship."
The Circling Raven Championship’s partnership with NB3 JGNC is ideally aligned. A popular professional golf broadcaster, Begay is a Native American and erstwhile PGA Tour member who has dedicated himself, among other things, to promoting opportunities for youth through golf. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe has used its award-winning golf course similarly and chose to host the Circling Raven Championship to empower youth, women, and Native Americans through the game. In addition to Begay’s Junior Tour champion, Stephens, the Tribe has provided a 2021 sponsor exemption to Gabby Lemieux, a Native American and Symetra Tour member.
“The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s mission is to educate and celebrate the traditions, values and history of our people,” said Coeur d’Alene Casino CEO Laura Penney, MBA. “Partnering with the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship at the Circling Raven Championship meshes perfectly with our mission. Supporting the dreams and aspirations of young people and women golfers through the Symetra ‘Road to the LPGA’ Tour benefits all parties involved.”
Said Begay: “I must give special thanks to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and its leadership for providing this unique opportunity.”
The Circling Raven Championship (CRC) will be held Aug. 23-29, 2021 and feature a full field of competitors battling for $200,000 in prize money. Symetra Tour graduates have had great success on the LPGA, winning multiple events, including Major Championships. Nelly Korda, Inbee Park, and Lorena Ochoa are some of the many illustrious players who reached the LPGA through the Symetra Tour.
For more details about the Circling Raven Championship, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, and stay-and-play packages at Circling Raven, call 1.800.523.2464 or visit cdacasino.com.
About Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel
Owned/operated by Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Circling Raven is in the scenic Idaho panhandle approximately 55 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG). Measuring 7,189 yards from the rear tees, the 18-hole layout sprawls magnificently through 620 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and Palouse grasses. Its gleaming white sand bunkers are large and strategically placed and its hole variety ingenious. Other Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel amenities and activities include the full-service Spa Ssakwa’q’n (pronounced Sock-wock-en); 300 hotel rooms; bars, restaurants, lounges, and eateries; cultural immersion options; and more. The casino just completed its $15 million renovation of its gaming floor and Events Center. Circling Raven has garnered numerous best-in-kind honors since opening, including being rated a Top 100 Resort Course, Best in State, and a Top U.S. Casino Course. Its golf shop has won national and regional awards for its excellence and its variety of products, displays, and performance.
About Symetra Tour
The Symetra Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour and enters its 41st competitive season in 2021. With the support of its entitlement partner Symetra, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7 million in prize money to $4.0 million in prize money awarded over the course of 23 events. With more than 600 alumnae moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 437 LPGA titles. Follow the Symetra Tour on the web at www.SymetraTour.com, Facebook.com/Road2LPGA, Twitter.com/Road2LPGA, and YouTube.com/Road2LPGA.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Shepherd, danshepherdpr@gmail.com, 703.403.5317
Yvette Matt, ymatt@cdacasino.com, 208-500-9989