The Race for the Card had its first shake-up as we head into the next three events on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA. The west coast stretch started off with another rookie win, this time from Juliana Hung at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. This makes her the second Epson Tour rookie winner this season, along with the Atlantic Beach Classic champion Briana Chacon.
Valery Plata still sits atop the standings with 577 points after capturing her first Epson Tour win at Florida's Natural Charity Classic. Jessica Peng broke the tie with Briana Chacon after her T17 finish at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. Peng won the IOA Championship's sister event, the IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty in March to capture her first Epson Tour victory and the coveted 500 points that come along with the win.
The Race for the Card is heating up, with three new players making their mark in the top 15. Fiona Xu's impressive runner-up finish in Beaumont propelled her 18 spots to No. 6, showcasing the fierce competition. Sophie Hausmann and Ssu-Chia Cheng, after their stellar T3 finish at the IOA Championship, now share the 15th and final spot, further intensifying the battle for the top.
Now, heading into the second event of the West Coast stretch, Gigi Stoll is back to defend her title at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic. Stoll had a similar start to her season in 2023 before her win jump-started it. She hopes this week has the same effect on her 2024 season as she tries to make her way back into the top 15, where she spent most of the 2023 season.
The Race for the Card is a season-long points competition in which Epson Tour members accumulate points in every official Epson Tour tournament. The ultimate goal is to finish in the top 15 in the point standings to earn an LPGA Tour membership for the 2025 season. The point-based system, new on the Epson Tour this season, replaces the money-based system and will award points to those who make the cut weekly.
The 2024 season will also be the first year that Epson Tour athletes will vie for 15 LPGA Tour cards. They will be awarded after the season-ending Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, Calif., this fall.
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