<p>College has been a rewarding experience for Erica Shepherd so far, but for all of the time the Center Grove graduate has spent traveling to and from golf tournaments over the years, she’s never been away from home for this long of a stretch before.</p>
<p>So when the opportunity came to play in the LPGA’s Indy Women in Tech Championship for a third straight year, the Duke freshman jumped at it.</p>
<p>"I’ve enjoyed (school), but I’m pretty excited to come home," Shepherd said. "I’ve been pretty homesick.</p>
<p>"Not only having a short drive to an LPGA event, but just getting out of my dorm and being in a nice-smelling home, that’s just as exciting to me as playing in an LPGA Tour event."</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>Shepherd, who tees off on the back nine at 1:47 p.m. today, has previously played in the 2017 and 2018 tournaments at Brickyard Crossing. She made the cut in both but closed with less than desirable results, finishing 77th and 72nd, respectively. Last year, she delivered a second-round 67 to go into the weekend at 6 under par before shooting 75 and 76 in her final two rounds.</p>
<p>Should she make the cut this weekend, Shepherd will head straight to the north suburbs of Chicago to join her Blue Devil teammates for the Windy City Collegiate Classic, which is being played Monday and Tuesday.</p>
<p>Playing every day with the defending NCAA champions has been beneficial to Shepherd, who says it’s easy to get down on herself if she gets beat at practice until she reminds herself that she’s measuring herself against six of the best amateur golfers in the world.</p>
<p>"It’s been good to be surrounded by constant competition," she said.</p>
<p>There will be no shortage of that this weekend — the IWiT Championship field includes three of the top five players in the world rankings in Sung Hyun Park, Lexi Thompson and Brooke Henderson. But Shepherd has gone shot for shot with the global golfing elite before, and the busy past few weeks has only made her that much more prepared.</p>
<p>Still, she’ll be happy to get a few nights in her own bed during this hectic stretch.</p>
<p>"(Being away) has made me realize even more how much I love home," Shepherd said.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>LPGA Indy Women in Tech Championship</p>
<p>At Brickyard Crossing</p>
<p>When: Today through Sunday</p>
<p>Tickets: Grounds passes are $20 daily, $45 weekly; "Final Stretch" viewing deck $75 daily, $250 weekly</p>
<p>TV: The Golf Channel will broadcast the tournament from 1 to 5 p.m. today, 12:30 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.</p>
<p>Information: iwitchamp.com</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
