2025 champion Melanie Green kneels with her spoils of victory after winning the 14th annual Island Resort Championship last June at the Sweetgrass Golf Club near Harris. Her haul includes a blanket made by a tribal elder, her tournament trophy and the inaugural Pure Michigan Cup awarded to the top player in three Michigan-based tournaments on the Epson Tour that month. (Photo courtesy Epson Tour)

HARRIS — The 15th annual Island Resort Championship returns to the south-central Upper Peninsula a week later that usual in about a month.

Held this year from Friday through Sunday, June 26-28, at the Sweetgrass Golf Club near Harris, the event brings aspiring stars in professional women’s golf close to home.

It’s a premier stop on the Epson tour — the official qualifying tour for the Ladies Professional Golf Association — as organizers intend to offer a welcoming atmosphere for both golf fans and casual spectators.

With a field expected to reach 144 golfers, they will compete for a $225,000 purse and the opportunity to improve their chances to earn their way onto the LPGA Tour.

The winners will be cut a $33,750 check to go with a championship trophy and tribal honor quilt handmade by an elder from the Hannahville Indian Community, something unique to this event.

For the second year, that winner and other top finishers will have a chance at a good chunk of another $20,000 in bonus money for the Pure Michigan Cup. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation partnered with three state-based Epson Tour tourneys, the Island Resort being the final one.

With points awarded from all three events — it also includes the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship from June 12-14 in Marshall and the Great Lakes Championship from June 19-21 at Harbor Springs — $10,000 goes to the top point earner, with $6,000 for second and $4,000 for third. That check and trophy will also be presented on June 28 at Sweetgrass.

Beyond the competition, the tournament has become a signature summer event for the community, offering a memorable experience for families, sports fans and first-time spectators.

Fans can follow players from all over the world while enjoying the atmosphere around the course; there’s no need to ever have picked up a golf club for those who enjoy the excitement and competition.

“With each passing year, the excitement continues to grow,” said tournament co-chairman Tony Mancilla. “Our volunteers return year after year with incredible energy, our employees love meeting players from around the world, and the level of competition keeps getting better.

“Whether you golf, follow sports or are looking for a fun event to attend with your family, this is something you don’t want to miss.”

Fans are encouraged to bring a chair or use the bleachers by the ninth and 18th greens, as well as at the center of the course. Spectators are welcome to follow golfers throughout their rounds and meet players for autographs and photos after they finish.

Affordable food and beverages are available throughout the course, with fan favorites like burgers and brats priced at just $3 each.

Tickets to the tournament are $10 for adults and free for youths ages 17 and under accompanied by an adult. Tickets are on sale now at local nonprofits, with proceeds going to the charities that sell them. A list of participating organizations can be found online at www.IslandResortGolf.com.

The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA, where players earn LPGA Tour membership through the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card.

This year, 15 LPGA cards will be distributed to the top point earners over the 19-event season. Each regular season event offers the winner 500 points, and the Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, California, offers 650 points as the season finale.

The strength of today’s Epson Tour competition is already being reflected at the LPGA level. Melanie Green, winner of the 2025 Island Resort Championship, now is competing as an LPGA rookie, having already recorded two top-10 finishes this season.

Her early success highlights the caliber of talent on the Epson Tour and gives fans at the Island Resort Championship a chance to see future LPGA stars up close.

Story contents based on email received from Island Resort & Casino tournament chairman Tony Mancilla. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.