The Epson Tour heads to Prattville, Alabama, for the 2026 Guardian Championship, set for September 11-13 at the Senator Course at Capitol Hill on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The tournament, hosted by Guardian Credit Union, has been part of the Tour’s schedule since 2017 and features 120 professional golfers from nearly 30 countries.

Here are a few things to know before play begins:

Will Gianna Clemente Complete Unfinished Business?

One of the most compelling storylines in the field belongs to Gianna Clemente, who returns to Capitol Hill a year after pushing eventual champion Melanie Green to a five-hole playoff — as a 17-year-old amateur still in high school. Clemente has since turned professional and joined the Epson Tour full-time in 2026, and she’s back at the site of her best pro-level result yet, this time as a full-fledged member of the field rather than an amateur crashing the party.

The Race for the Card Comes Down to the Wire

With only two events remaining before the season wraps up at the Epson Tour Championship in October, the Guardian Championship carries real weight in the race for 2027 LPGA Tour cards. Every player in the field is jockeying for position on the Race for the Card, and a big week in Prattville could be the difference between graduating to the LPGA Tour and returning to the Epson Tour next season.

A Proven Springboard to the LPGA

History suggests a big week at Capitol Hill can change a career. Last year’s champion, Melanie Green, didn’t stop at the trophy — she went on to win the season-long Race for the Card, along with Epson Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, and graduated straight to the LPGA Tour for 2026. It’s the kind of finish every player in this week’s field is chasing.

Local and Homegrown Ties

Prattville’s own Julie Waldo tees it up this week on a sponsor invitation, giving the host city a true hometown player in the field. Alabama’s college golf pipeline is well represented too, with Auburn University (Kaleigh Telfer, Megan Schofill) and the University of Alabama (Lakareber Abe, Sarah Edwards, Elina Sinz) all sending alumnae into the tournament.

Free Admission All Week

As tournament sponsor, Guardian Credit Union offers free admission to all Guardian Championship events and activities throughout the week, including “Fore the Girls,” a free clinic for girls ages 7-12 that kicks off tournament week with instruction from Epson Tour professionals.