What to know about 2026 Epson Tour Four Winds Invitational
The Epson Tour’s 15th annual Four Winds Invitational comes to Blackthorn Golf Club Friday, July 10-Sunday, July 12, bringing 144 golfers representing 20 different countries to South Bend. The Epson Tour, which is currently in its 46th season, is regarded as the most established women’s qualifying golf tour in the world.
All athletes ranked in the top 15 at season’s end in October qualify for the 2027 LPGA Tour. Through 10 tournaments so far this season, all have seen different winners, with Kaleiya Romero winning the most recent invitational June 28 in Harris, Michigan.
Lauren Olivares currently sits atop the 2026 season leaderboard, just ahead of Romero. This year’s total purse for the Four Winds Invitational is $225,000, and last year’s winner — Leah John— walked away with $33,750. The field of 144 will be shortened to the top 60 (including ties) after the first two days of competition.
Here is everything to know about the 2026 Four Winds Invitational.
When, where and spectator information
The Four Winds Invitational returns to Blackthorn Golf Club for the first time since Sept. 2020 after being played at the South Bend Country Club the last five years. The first nine iterations of the annual invitational were held at Blackthorn.
More specific tee times have yet to be announced, but the official Four Winds Invitational website currently lists the following.
Friday, July 10: 7:30 a.m. ET (1st and 10th tee)
Saturday, July 11: 7:30 a.m. ET (1st and 10th tee)
Sunday, July 12: 7:30 a.m. ET (1st and 10th tee)
Admission is free to spectators, with concessions available throughout each day. No golf carts are available for spectator use.
Indiana connections
Annabelle Pancake-Webb, who currently is in seventh place on the season leaderboard, is a Zionsville High School alumna. With the Eagles, Pancake-Webb finished in the top 10 at the IHSAA state finals all four years. She played collegiate golf at Clemson, where she made two All-ACC teams.
Pancake-Webb did not make the cut at last season’s Four Winds Invitational.
Becca Huffer, a staple of the Epson Tour since 2013, called South Bend home for four years when she played collegiate golf at Notre Dame from 2009-12. She was named Big East Freshman of the Year in ’09 and was named the Irish team MVP in ’10 and ’12. Huffer was a four-time All-Big East Team honoree.
She shot one over par and tied for 36th place at last season’s Four Winds Invitational. Huffer finished as one of two runners-up at the 2023 tournament at -9.
Mary Parsons, who is just in her second year on the Epson Tour, played collegiately at Indiana University from 2018-22. She was named Academic All-Big Ten four times and as a freshman set a Hoosier lowest 18-hole record with a 66.
Parsons did not make the cut at last season’s Four Winds Invitational.
Epson Tour sponsor invitees
Katelyn Huber and Bella Simões entered the field under special circumstances, being named Epson Tour Sponsor Exemptions, which gives rising stars and amateurs the chance to compete in the Epson Tour despite not taking part in the full season schedule.
Huber recently completed her freshman year at the University of Florida, where she earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors and finished in the top 10 in six of the Gators’ 12 tournaments. Her 72.44 scoring average was the second lowest by a freshman in program history. She won both of her matches at the SEC Championships.
Simões is the youngest participant in this year’s field at just 12 years old. She is a five-time U.S. Kids’ World Champion, an Under Armour World Champion, and a Drive, Chip and Putt National Champion. At just nine years old, Simões attempted to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open, and she has already competed twice at the USGA Girls Junior Championship.
Past winners
Canada’s Leah John returns to the field to defend her crown after winning in 2025 at -9. There has never been a repeat champion of the Four Winds Invitational in its 14 iterations. One of two 2025 runners-up, Jennifer Chang, also returns to South Bend to try and capture the championship this time around.
Two of the 14 Four Winds Invitational winners have gone on to win at least one LPGA major championship, with 2015 champion Brooke Henderson winning the 2016 LPGA Championship and the 2022 Evian Championship, and 2021 champion Lilia Vu winning the 2023 Chevron Championship and 2023 British Open.
Vu tied with 2014 winner Nicole Vandermade and 2023 winner Gabriela Ruffels for the lowest-ever score at the Four Winds Invitational at -12.
The cause
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Four Winds Casinos collaborated with Beacon Children’s Hospital to use proceeds from the 2026 Four Winds Invitational to “implement the AngelEye MilkTracker system, which utilizes an end-to-end feed management app for clinicians and parents, further strengthening its commitment to the safest possible care for infants and children.” This system aims to address NICU resource challenges by simplifying milk inventory management, which should make the feeding process safer and more efficient for both families and hospital staff.
During the past 14 years of the partnership between Beacon and the Four Winds Invitational, nearly $1.2 million has been raised.
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: What to know about 2026 Epson Tour Four Winds Invitational
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