Danielle Downey Classic Names Sponsor’s Exemptions; Puts Out Call for Volunteers

 

Now in it’s fourth year and with a fresh 3-year operating agreement in place with both the Symetra Tour and event host Brook-Lea Country Club, officials from the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic looked forward with optimism to this year’s tournament at a press conference on Thursday, May 31.

 

Downey Classic Tournament Chair Mike Vadala has always expressed optimism when it comes to talking about the event but this year, the new working agreements – along with the announcement that the Pluta Cancer Center is the event’s primary beneficiary – gave him more reason to be optimistic.

 

“I’m especially pleased this year to have the Pluta Cancer Center on board as our charity,” Vadala said Thursday of the local cancer treatment center specializing in breast cancer. “It’s a perfect match to have a women’s sporting event helping a women’s health care organization.”

 

Thursday’s announcement also included a thumbnail preview of the tournament, with five players on hand who will be in the starting field of 144 when the Downey Classic gets under way from July 16 to 22 – including tournament regular Madison Pressel, sister of LPGA Tour player Morgan Pressel, who has played at Brook-Lea each of the first three years of the tournament. Sweden’s Julia Roth – who has played in each of the three previous Downey Classics – was also on hand to discuss the international aspect of the event.

 

Also in attendance Thursday were the two sponsors’ exemptions just named by the tournament for this year’s event – Marissa Dodd, a third-year player from Dallas who shot a hole-in-one on Brook-Lea’s ninth hole in 2016, and Lisa McGuire from Ireland, a top-ranked amateur who just graduated from Duke University and is hoping to earn her way on to the Symetra Tour this year.

 

McGuire will be joined by her twin sister and fellow Duke grad Leona McGuire at this year’s event. Leona – who was also at Thursday’s press conference – has been the No. 1 or No. 2-ranked amateur in the world for most of the past three years at Duke and already has conditional status on the Symetra Tour, The McGuire sisters will be the latest siblings to play at Brook-Lea, joining the Pressels and Nelly and Jessica Korda.

 

Tournament Co-Chair Chuck Goodykoontz also made a pitch for members of the local golfing community to sign up as volunteers for this year’s Downey Classic.

 

“We are still looking for volunteers to help support our tournament week operations in areas such as scoring,” said Goodykoontz, who noted that those interested in volunteering go to the tournament website for more info.