LOCAL NEWS

EL DORADO, Ark. (September 2, 2026) – The brightest rising stars in women’s professional golf will return to South Arkansas this month as the 11th annual Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout takes over Mystic Creek Golf Club Sept. 14-20, bringing a week of professional golf and opportunities for the community to get involved.

The three-day Epson Tour competition will be played Sept. 18-20, with 102 golfers expected to compete for a $300,000 purse and valuable points in the Race for the Card. The Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout is the only Epson Tour stop in the four-state region of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

This year’s preliminary field includes the current top five players in the Race for the Card: Lauren Olivares, Kaleiya Romero, Mirabel Ting, Annabelle Pancake-Webb and Liqi Zeng.

Several enter El Dorado with victories already under their belts this season. Olivares captured the Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands, Romero won the Island Resort Championship and Ting claimed the Smoky Mountain Championship.

Zeng will be one to watch closely when she returns to Mystic Creek. She finished tied for second at last year’s Shootout, one stroke behind champion Erica Shepherd, alongside Rachel Kuehn and Kaleigh Telfer. Zeng, Kuehn and Telfer are all currently entered in the 2026 field. Becca Huffer, who tied for fifth last year, and Elina Sinz, who tied for seventh, are also set to return.

“This is what makes the El Dorado Shootout so special for our community. Fans have the opportunity to see some of the best young golfers in the world at an important point in their journey to the LPGA Tour,” said Tournament Co-Director Traci Dutchover. “With so many of the top players in the Race for the Card coming to Mystic Creek this year, we expect an outstanding week of golf.”

The field will also feature several players with strong Arkansas connections. Former University of Arkansas standouts Maria Fassi, Julia Gregg and Kajal Mistry are among the players entered. Fassi’s decorated Razorback career included the 2019 NCAA individual national championship, while Gregg and Mistry both spent multiple seasons competing for Arkansas. 

Young Golfers Invited to Kick Off Tournament Week

Before tournament competition begins, young golfers will have their own opportunity to get on the course and learn alongside the professionals.

The annual Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout Junior Golf Clinic will take place Monday, Sept. 14, from 4:15-6 p.m. at Mystic Creek Golf Club. The free clinic is open to children ages 6-18, with no previous golf experience required.

Sponsored by United Consulting, the clinic gives participants an opportunity to learn directly from Epson Tour players and PGA teaching professionals through hands-on instruction focused on different parts of the game.

Children do not need to own golf equipment to participate. Clubs will be provided courtesy of KidsNGolf.

“The Junior Golf Clinic is a great way to start tournament week and introduce the next generation to the game,” Dutchover said. “Whether a child already loves golf or is picking up a club for the first time, we want them to have an opportunity to learn, have fun and spend time with the professionals they’ll see competing later in the week.”

Following the clinic, participants will receive goodie bags, a sweet treat and a golf ball they can have signed by an Epson Tour player. Participants will also have the opportunity to win a year’s worth of free golf lessons through KidsNGolf.

Space for the Junior Golf Clinic is limited, and families are encouraged to register in advance at eldoradoshootout.com/schedule/junior-clinic.

A Week of Golf and Giving Back

Tournament week continues with Epson Tour practice rounds Monday and Tuesday, followed by Pro-Am competition Wednesday and Thursday. Round One tees off Friday, Sept. 18, with the final round and closing ceremony taking place Sunday, Sept. 20.

Beyond the competition, the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout continues its longstanding commitment to the El Dorado community. The tournament has now surpassed $295,000 in charitable donations, and its 2026 beneficiaries are the #teamcorrie Cancer Foundation, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Each organization will receive a donation during the closing ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 20.

Admission to the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout is free, giving fans an opportunity to experience professional golf up close at one of Arkansas’s premier courses.

For more information about the tournament, visit eldoradoshootout.com or follow the tournament on social media at @road2eldo.

#