Big Ten Graduate Lauryn Nguyen of Northwestern Wins Her First Epson Tour Event in Rookie Season at Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship
By Tom Lang
Lauryn Nguyen won her first Epson Tour event by taking the title of the Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship at The Medalist near Battle Creek on a day the final round was paused for three hours due to inclement weather.
Her 12-under par in the 54-hole event put her three strokes ahead of Epson and LPGA veteran Jenny Coleman, who closed at 9-under.
“It’s super special,” Nguyen said of her first professional win. “I really didn’t know what to expect coming into the Epson Tour. Honestly, I just wanted to learn the ropes, learn from the players who have the experience. I was going to just take it as a whole learning year, but it’s a great motivator to get some cash.
“I really had no expectations coming into this year.”
Firekeepers, the long-time sponsor of this event, moved the tournament from past host Battle Creek Country Club, and Jim Wise, the VP of Marketing, said they couldn’t be happier.
“We had 12 outstanding years at Battle Creek Country Club, and we appreciate them so much,” Wise said. “The move, which can always be a challenge going to a new location, but The Medalist just exceeded our expectations… they gave us a terrific golf course.
“They dealt with torrential rains at times. The course was in impeccable condition, and it really created a challenge for the players. The course was kind of a new turn for them, and a real challenge, a diverse course and a real gem. So, we’re kind of over the moon excited with how things went this year.”
The rain delay didn’t seem to phase Nguyen it the least – nor the fact that The Medalist is a course played through the woods and is unlike many of the tracks found on tour schedules.
“My caddy and I were talking about how this really reminded us about golfing back in Seattle. Very tree-lined, very narrow. And this is very different from the first six events that we played. It almost felt a little like a home court advantage. I’m not a very long hitter, but I can hit it straight, so I think this kind of course is good for me.”
The last time Nguyen won was just over a year ago with her team at Northwestern helping them earn an NCAA National Championship (by defeating this year’s champion, Stanford) for the first time in program history. With this individual win, Nguyen walks away with $30,000 and 500 points in Race for the Card standings, along with 500 points through the first week of the 2026 Pure Michigan Cup.
