Three weeks from now, Blackthorn Golf Club will play host to the inaugural Four Winds Invitational on the LPGA Symetra Tour.
And there will be a familiar face in the field.
Penn high school junior-to-be Kari Bellville has received a sponsor's exemption to compete in the pro event. The tournament begins Friday, Aug. 10.
"We are excited about her chances to compete at this level," Blackthorn general manager Tim Firestone said, making the announcement on WSBT Radio. "We're lucky to have a player of her caliber right here in our area that we can offer this to."
The Four Winds Invitational offers the largest purse on the Symetra Tour, which is the developmental tour for the LPGA. As an amateur, Bellville won't have the chance to win the money, but she expects the experience to be incredible.
"I'm really thankful that this happened to me," Bellville said on WSBT Radio. "It's one of those opportunities to see if this is really what I want to do with my life. I hope to play well. I hope to get lots of community support. And I'm just really honored."
Bellville finished tied for sixth in the IHSAA girls golf tournament last season. She's been All-State each of the last two years, winning the sectional and regional titles both times. She's also a two-time Future Collegians World Tour All-American.
"She's going to have a little more course knowledge than the rest of the field," Firestone said. "So it'll be interesting to see how Kari does."
"My goal," Bellville said, "is to play all three days of the tournament, and represent the community well, and play in a professional manner, and see how well I can do."
