The first three weeks of the Epson Tour season were filled with drama, laughs and a lot of firsts. Now, with almost a month of rest before heading out to California for the West Coast swing, we reflect on a fun-filled first three weeks on Tour in 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the Epson Tour’s opening stretch:
The Drama
The 2024 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic had drama right out of the gate before ultimately recreating 2023’s finish. After 54 holes of intense competition and shared leads, a two-hole playoff was needed to decide the champion. First-year Epson Tour member, Valery Plata went head-to-head with Epson Tour veteran, Ana Belac, and after both players birdied the 55th hole, Plata’s birdie on the 56th hole lifted her to victory over Belac, who had an unfortunate double bogey on the second extra hole.
And just like how it started, the Florida Swing also ended with drama. Coming down the stretch at the Atlantic Beach Classic, Kim Kaufman, Jessica Porvasnik and Briana Chacon shared the lead, all having a putt to win the tournament on the final green. All three athletes have different experience levels on Tour, with Kaufman, who joined the Tour in 2013, being the most senior of the group. Porvasnik made her rookie debut in 2019, and Chacon found herself in the final group in just her third start as an Epson Tour member. In the end, beginner’s luck won out over battled-tested experience, as it was the 22-year-old rookie who walked away with the trophy.
The Firsts
All three champions of the first three events hoisted their first professional trophies during the Epson Tour’s Florida swing. Colombia’s Valery Plata and California native Briana Chacon defeated Epson Tour winners Ana Belac and Kim Kaufman at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic and Atlantic Beach Classic, respectively, while Jessica Peng secured her first Epson Tour title at the IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty over Lindsey McCurdy. Chacon’s win came after two missed cuts at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic and IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty, making her one-for-three in made cuts in her Epson Tour career.
Other rookies who recorded top finishes in the first three events are Nicole Lorup and Fiona Xu, who sit 20th and 24th, respectively, in the Race for the Card standings. Lorup made two of three cuts and recorded a best finish of T6 at the IOA Golf Classic, while Xu is two-for-two and finished T15 at the IOA Golf Classic and 11th at the Atlantic Beach Classic.
Impressive Rounds
Just a week after losing her grandmother and biggest fan, Sarah White played lights out in the Atlantic Beach Classic’s first round. Her 8-under 63 saw her make seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey. Her late grandmother always told White she was praying for birdies and eagles, reassuring the Michigan native that her biggest fan will always be with her out on the golf course.
New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey recorded her second ace in three weeks at the IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty, and Filipino Clariss Guce recorded one at Atlantic Beach Country Club. But, despite carding the only two hole-in-ones over the three weeks, neither player made the cut in their respective events.
Amateur Yana Wilson teed it up as a sponsor exemption at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic and quickly showed the field that even though she’s only 17 years old, she belongs on the professional stage and competing alongside the best. Wilson had an interesting and colorful scorecard during the tournament’s second round, going bogey, eagle, bogey, eagle, par, eagle from Nos. 8-13.
Rewarding Change in Rankings
The Epson Tour saw two major changes to the Race for the Card heading into the 2024 season. The first change is from a money-based system to a point-based system. The points will be the same for every event, except for the season-ending event, the Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, Calif. Additionally, the top 15 players in the Race for the Card will now earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2025 season. For more information about the updated season-long competition, please click here.
Had the Tour stayed with a money-based ranking, the standings would look very different after three weeks of competition. Rookie Briana Chacon would sit in first with $45,000, with Valery Plata trailing closely behind with $43,289. Plata currently leads the new points-based rankings with 577 points, demonstrating how the new points system will reward consistent play.
|
Name |
2024 Points |
2024 Money |
|
Valey Plata |
577 (1) |
$43,289 (2) |
|
Jessica Peng |
500 (T2) |
$30,000 (5) |
|
Briana Chacon |
500 (T2) |
$45,000 (1) |
|
Ana Belac |
430 (4) |
$30,049 (4) |
|
Kim Kaufman |
404.667 (5) |
$33,349 (3) |
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