Sunday, December 22, 2024

26 players secure LPGA cards in Alabama – News – Irish Golf Desk

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After a final-round suspension that pushed the last day of LPGA Final Qualifying to Tuesday, Japan’s Miyu Yamashita carded a final round 8-under 64 to earn medalist honors in Mobile, Ala during the last stage of LPGA Q-Series.

Yamashita, who is currently ranked No. 14 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, leads a contingent of 26 players who finished T24 at 6-under or better. Of that group, 10 players, including Yamashita, will become 2025 LPGA Tour rookies.

Ireland’s Lauren Walsh (four over) and Sara Byrne (eight over) missed the 72 hole cut but secured Epson Tour status in Category C.

Final scores

Yamashita went bogey-free in her last 36 holes, carding eight birdies between Monday and Tuesday to soundly secure the top spot on the leaderboard, besting the runner-up by six strokes. Yamashita is a 13-time winner on the JLPGA Tour and turned professional in 2020. Most recently, she finished T2 at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“I’m excited I can play on the LPGA Tour next year, and then I’m excited to play with all other members, too,” Yamashita said. “So, I’ll be preparing well and then play my best next year.”

Just behind her is another player from Japan that will become a 2025 Tour rookie, Chisato Iwai. Iwai shot 1-under on the day and finished runner-up. Iwai’s twin sister, Akie, also finished in the top five (T5, -16) to join Chisato as a rookie next season. The sisters have a combined 14 titles on the JLPGA. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (solo third) is making her return to the LPGA Tour after playing primarily on the Ladies European Tour in 2024. The Frenchwoman finished fourth on the LET Order of Merit and finished third at Final Qualifying.

“Just the freedom of choosing,” Roussin-Bouchard said about what she’s looking forward to most about competing on the LPGA Tour again. “I’m not going to put myself in — like put pressure on myself regarding points or anything or where to go play and you have to play this or that, because like playing full time season on the LPGA gets sometimes to your head in that way.

“I’m just looking forward to the travel, traveling to different countries, because I do intend to keep playing on the LET as well.  The goal was to really get my freedom back in terms of, hey, if I want to go play LPGA I can and if I want to go play LET I will as well.  I like being a hybrid type of player. I did it, so I’m looking forward to just being back as well.

2023 LPGA Tour rookie Manon De Roey finished fourth overall at 17-under. She is also making her return to the LPGA Tour after competing mainly on the LET in 2024. De Roey recorded a win at the Investec South African Women’s Open and finished second on the LET Order of Merit.

Notable players to re-earn their card for 2025 include LPGA Tour winner Azahara Munoz (17, -10) and three-time Olympian Alena Sharp (T21, -7). Adela Cernousek, who turned professional after medaling at LPGA Qualifying in October, finished T13 (-11) to become an LPGA Tour rookie.

Julia Lopez Ramirez (T10) tied Yamashita for the lowest round of the day – an 8-under 64 – to also earn status after turning professional post-Qualifying.

PLAYERS FINISHING IN POSITIONS 1-25 AND TIES EARN LPGA TOUR STATUS IN CATEGORY 14

Miyu Yamashita (1st, -27)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Yamashita, 23, is from Osaka, Japan

  •  She is a 13-time winner on the JLPGA

    • She won twice in 2024 (Fujitsu Ladies, Daio Paper Elleair Ladies Open)

    • She was the JLPGA Player of the Year and topped the money list in 2022 and 2023

    • She earned her first career victory on the JLPGA tour in 2021 at the KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open

  • She has made 12 career LPGA Tour starts since 2022

    • Her career-best finish on Tour is tie for second at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

    • She has appeared in nine major championships; she has made eight cuts in those nine majors, and earned four top-10 finishes

  • She represented Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics (T4)

  • She turned professional and first joined the JLPGA in 2020

 

Chisato Iwai (2nd, -21)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Iwai, 22, is from Saitama, Japan

  • She is a seven-time winner on the JLPGA

    • She won three times in 2024 (Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament, RKB Mitsui Matsushima Ladies, Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies Golf Tournament)

  • She turned professional and first joined the JLPGA in 2021

  • She has made 11 career LPGA Tour starts since 2022

    • Her career-best finish on Tour is a tie for 10th at the 2024 TOTO Japan Classic

    • She has appeared in six major championships; her career-best major finish is a tie for 19th at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally

  • Her twin sister, Akie, also competed in LPGA Final Qualifying and finished T5

 

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (3rd, -19)

  • Roussin-Bouchard, 24, is from Orcieres 1850, France

  • In 2024, she played on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour

    • On the LPGA, she made three cuts in six starts with a season-best finish of T20 at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei

    • She finished fourth on the LET Order of Merit on the LET, earning four top-10 finishes in 23 starts

  • Roussin-Bouchard finished second in 2021 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She is a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour (2021 Didriksons Skafto Open, 2023 Aramco Team Series Singapore)

  • She played collegiate golf at the University of South Carolina and was a five-time medalist as a Gamecock

  • As an amateur, she represented the International Team at the Arnold Palmer Cup (2020, 2021), Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup (2016) and France in team competitions including the Espirito Santo Trophy (2016, 2018), European Girls’ Team Championship (2016, 2017) and European Ladies’ Team Championship (2018-2021)

 

Manon De Roey (4th, -17)

  • De Roey, 32, is from Lint, Belgium

  • In 2024, she finished second on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit

  • She first competed on the Ladies European Tour in 2016

    • She has made 127 career starts on the LET, and has €1,076,924 in career earnings

    • She has recorded 29 career top-10 finishes, including two wins (2022 Aramco Team Series – Bangkok, 2024 Investec South African Women’s Open)

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2023

    • She has made 28 total career starts on Tour, and has $34,763 in official career earnings

    • Her career-best finish is a tie for 17th at the 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic

  • She represented Belgium at the 2020 Tokyo (T46) and 2024 Paris Olympics (T29)

  • She finished T28 at the 2022 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She is a three-time LET Access Series winner (2018 WPGA International Challenge, 2019 Santander Golf Tour LETAS Valencia, 2019 WPGA International Challenge)

  • She played collegiate golf at the University of New Mexico and won two titles

 

Akie Iwai (T5, -16)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Iwai, 22, is from Saitama, Japan

  • She is a six-time winner on the JLPGA Tour

  • She joined the JLPGA in 2021

    • She has recorded 16 top-10 finishes and ¥148,866,941 in career earnings

    • She won in her first season on the Step-Up Tour at the Sanyoshimbun Ladies Cup

  • She has made 11 career starts on the LPGA Tour, seven of those coming in 2024

    • She has three top-10 finishes, with two earned at LPGA Tour major championships, including a career-best T7 finish at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open

  • As an amateur, she represented Japan at the Junior Golf World Cup in 2019

  • Her twin sister Chisato, also competed at Final Qualifying and finished second

 

Gigi Stoll (T5, -16)

  • Stoll, 27, is from Beaverton, Oregon

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2024

    • She made three cuts in 10 starts and finished No. 153 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • Her season- and career-best finish came at the Dow Championship where she finished seventh with playing partner Nataliya Guseva, a fellow 2024 rookie

  • Stoll finished T45 at the 2023 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She has competed on the Epson Tour since 2019

    • During that time, she has one win and nine additional top-10 finishes

    • She earned her maiden title at the 2023 Casino Del Sol Golf Classic

    • She has made over $200,112 in career earnings

  • She played collegiate golf at the University of Arizona

 

Yu Liu (T5, -16)

  • Liu, 29, is from Beijing, People’s Rep. of China

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2018

    • In 2024, she made 10 cuts in 19 starts and finished No. 121 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has made 165 official career starts on Tour, and has $2,837,583 in career earnings

    • She has earned 18 top-10 finishes on Tour, including a career-best tie for second twice (2019 Founders Cup, 2023 LOTTE Championship)

    • She was a member of the People’s Rep. of China Team at the 2023 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown

  • She finished fifth on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card in 2017 to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

    • She earned 10 top-15 finishes in her final 11 events of 2017 on the Epson Tour, including a win at the Tullymore Classic

    • She was the third player from the People’s Rep. of China to ever win on the Epson Tour

  • She turned professional in 2014, joining the Epson Tour in 2015

  • She has one win on the CLPGA (2013 Sirxion XXIO Ladies Open, as an amateur)

  • She played collegiate golf at Duke University

 

Ina Yoon (8th, -15)

2025 LPGA Tour Rookie

  • Yoon, 21, is from Seoul, Republic of Korea

  • She made 21 cuts in 25 starts on the KLPGA in 2024 with one win and 13 additional top-10 finishes

    • Her win came at the 11th Jejusamdasoo Masters

    • Of her 13 top-10 finishes, 10 of those were in the top five

    • Yoon is the No. 1 ranked player on the KLPGA

  • Yoon joined the KLPGA in 2021 and played on the Dream Tour

 

Yuri Yoshida (9th, -13)

  • Yoshida, 24, is from Chiba, Japan

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2024

    • She made seven cuts in 16 starts in her first season and finished No. 102 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has $134,782 in career earnings on the LPGA Tour

  • She finished T7 at the 2023 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She appeared in eight LPGA Tour events since 2018 as a non-Member, starting in five as a professional

  • She is a three-time winner on the JLPGA

 

Julia Lopez Ramirez (T10, -12)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Lopez Ramirez, 21, is from Benahavis, Spain

  • She has made two career LPGA Tour appearances

  • She turned professional following 2024 LPGA Qualifying to compete in Final Qualifying

  • She played collegiate golf at Mississippi State University

  • As an amateur, she won the 2023 European Ladies Amateur

    • She played for the International Team at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup

    • She represented Spain at the European Girls’ Team Championship (2020, 2021), European Ladies’ Team Championship (2022, 2023, 2024) and Espirito Santo Trophy (2023)

 

Dewi Weber (T10, -12)

  • Weber, 28, is from Groningen, Netherlands

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2022

    • In 2024, she made four cuts in seven starts and finished No. 132 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has recorded two top-10 finishes in her career (T6, 2022 Dow Championship; 8, 2024 Portland Classic)

  • She first joined the Epson Tour in 2019

    • In 2024, she made 10 cuts in 14 starts and finished No. 34 on the Race for the Card Points List

    • She has eaned 16 career top-10 finishes

  • She finished T10 at 2021 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership for 2022

  • Weber played collegiate golf at the University of Miami

  • As an amateur, she represented the Netherlands at team events including the European Girls’ Team Championship (2012), European Ladies’ Team Championship (2013-2018) and the Espirito Santo Trophy (2017)

 

Kumkang Park (T10, -12)

  • Park, 23, is from Seoul, Republic of Korea

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2023

  • She joined the Epson Tour in 2020, competing in her first season in 2021

    • In 2024, she made 16 cuts in 19 starts and finished No. 28 on the Race for the Card Points List

    • She has two career victories at the 2021 Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout and the 2022 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic

    • She has an additional six top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour

 

Gurleen Kaur (T13, -11)

  • Kaur, 24, is from Houston, Texas

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2024

    • She made seven cuts in 17 starts in her rookie season, and finished No. 130 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has made $108,189 in official career earnings

    • Her career-best finish is a tie for 11th at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei

  • She finished T5 at 2023 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She first joined the Epson Tour in 2023

  • She played collegiate golf at Baylor University

 

Adela Cernousek (T13, -11)

2025 LPGA Tour Rookie

  • Cernousek, 21, is a native of Antibes, France

  • She has made three career starts on the LPGA Tour

  • She turned professional following her medalist performance at LPGA Qualifying to compete in Final Qualifying

  • She played collegiate golf at Texas A&M University

    • She was the 2024 NCAA D! Individual National Champion, the first in program history

    • She was named All-SEC First Team and earned WGCA and Golfweek First Team All-American honors

    • She boasts the second-lowest career stroke average in school history (71.79)

    • Her 2023-2024 season saw a program best single season stroke average (69.94)

  • As an amateur, she represented the International Team at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup

 

Mariel Galdiano (T13, -11)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Galdiano, 26, is from Pearl City, Hawaii

  • She first joined the Epson Tour in 2022

    • In 2024, she made 15 cuts in 18 starts and finished No. 20 on the Race for the Card Points List

    • She has made 27 cuts in 41 starts and has $140,689 in career earnings

    • She recorded a career-best T2 finish at the 2024 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic

  • She has appeared in eight LPGA Tour events, including four major championships

  • Galdiano played collegiate golf at UCLA

  • As an amateur, she represented the United States in the Curtis Cup (2016, 2018), Arnold Palmer Cup (2018, 2019), Junior Solheim Cup (2015) and Espirito Santo Trophy (2016)

  • She has two professional wins, both coming on the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour in 2022

 

Soo Bin Joo (T13, -11)

  • Joo, 20, is from Seoul, Republic of Korea

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2023

    • In 2024, she made two cuts in seven starts on the LPGA Tour

    • She has 10 cuts in 23 official starts since 2023

    • She earned a career-best T6 finish at the 2023 Shoprite LPGA Classic presented by Acer

  • Joo made nine cuts in 14 starts on the Epson Tour in 2024

  • She finished T34 at 2022 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She turned professional in 2022

 

Azahara Munoz (17th, -10)

  • Munoz, 37, is from San Pedro de Alcantara, Spain

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2010

    • In 2024, she made 11 cuts in 21 starts with two top-20 finishes and finished No. 111 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has made 331 official career starts on Tour and has $7,081,907 in career earnings

    • She has earned 50 top-10 finishes on Tour, including a win at the 2012 Sybase Match Play Championship

    • She was the 2010 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year

    • She was a four-time member of the European Solheim Cup Team (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019)

    • She was a member of Team Spain at the 2014 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown

  • She represented Spain at the 2016 Rio (T21), 2020 Tokyo (T50) and 2024 Paris Olympics (T13)

  • She finished fifth at 2009 Final Qualifying to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She is a five-time Ladies European Tour winner, including her most recent title at the 2017 Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana Femenino

  • She played collegiate golf at Arizona State University

  • As an amateur, she represented Europe at the Junior Solheim Cup in 2002, 2004 and 2005 and Spain in multiple team events, like the European Ladies’ Team Championship (2007, 2008)

 

Benedetta Moresco (18th, -9)

  • Moresco, 23, is from Vicenza, Italy

  • She was a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Moresco finished T27 at 2023 Final Qualifying (formerly LPGA Q-Series) to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

  • She made 10 cuts in 12 starts on the Epson Tour this season

  • Her sister, Angelica, played alongside her on the Epson Tour

  • She played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama winning her sole event at The Ally

  • As an amateur, she qualified for the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, and played in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

  • She won the 2019 Italian U18 International Women’s Amateur Championship

 

Mary Liu (T19, -8)

  • Liu, 23, is from Xi’an, China

  • She was a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie

  • She played her first full season on the Epson Tour in 2023

    • She made 12 cuts in 18 starts on the Epson Tour

    • Liu has $42,292 in career earnings on the Epson Tour

    • Her career-best finish was solo sixth at the 2023 IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty

  • Liu is a two-time winner on the CLPGA

  • She competed in the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open at Shoal Creek Club

 

Kate Smith-Stroh (T19, -8)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Smith-Stroh, 25, is from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

  • She first joined the Epson Tour in 2022

    • She has made 29 cuts in 43 starts and has $84,227 in career earnings

    • She has a career-best finish of T2 at the 2023 Four Winds Invitational

  • She has made one start on the LPGA Tour, missing the cut at the 2024 Portland Classic

  • Smith-Stroh played collegiately at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    • She was named a 2021 Golfweek Third Team All-American and a WGCA All-American Honorable Mention

    • She was the 2021 Big Ten Champion and named to the Big Ten All-Championship Team (2021)

    • She had 21 career top-10 finishes during her five seasons at Nebraska

  • As an amateur, she competed at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2021 and was a member of the U.S. Team at the 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup

 

Ana Belac (T21, -7)

  • Belac, 27, is from Kranj, Slovenia

  • Belac competed primarily on the Epson Tour in 2024

    • She made 13 cuts in 14 starts with four top-10 finishes

    • Her best finish was a runner-up finish at the 2024 Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic and the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic

  • She has competed on the Epson Tour since 2020 and has one win and eight additional top-10 finishes

  • She finished first in the Race for the Card in 2020, first earning LPGA Tour Membership for the 2021 season

  • She has not competed on the LPGA Tour since the 2023 season

    • Since joining the Tour in 2021, she has two career top-10 finishes

    • She has a career-best T4 finish at the 2021 Ascendent LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America

  • She played collegiate golf at Duke University

    • She was a two-time All-ACC selection as a sophomore and junior

    • She helped the Blue Devils to their seventh National Championship in 2019

    • She was named a 2020 WGCA First Time All-American while at Duke

  • As an amateur, she was a member of the 2019 victorious International Team at the Arnold Palmer Cup

  • She was a two-time winner of the Leone di San Marco as well

 

Caley McGinty (T21, -7)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Mcginty, 24, is from Bristol, England

  • Mcginty played collegiate golf at Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, and Kent State University

    • She was the 2021 MAC Golfer of the Year while attending Kent Sate

    • While competing for Oklahoma State, McGinty earned four top-5 finishes including medalist honors in two events

    • During her time at Ohio State, she earned All-American and All-Big Ten honors

    • She represented England at the Espirito Santo Trophy (2021 and 2022)

    • She played for Team GB&I at the 2023 Curtis Cup

    • She competed in the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur

  • McGinty has made one career appearance on the LPGA Tour

 

Alena Sharp (T21, -7)

  • Sharp, 43, is from Hamilton, Ontario, Cananda

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2005

    • In 2024, she made seven cuts in 13 starts and finished No. 123 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has made 375 official starts on Tour and has $3,086,599 in career earnings

    • She has 16 career top-10 finishes on Tour, including a career-best solo fourth result at the 2016 CPKC Women’s Open

  • She first joined the Epson Tour was in 2005 as well

  • Sharp represented Canada in the 2016 Rio (30), 2020 Tokyo (49) and 2024 Paris Olympics (T42)

  • She played collegiate golf at New Mexico State University

 

Maude-Aimee Leblanc (T24, -6)

  • Leblanc, 35, is from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

  • She competed on the LPGA Tour in 2024 and made eight cuts in 19 starts

  • Leblanc has competed on the LPGA Tour sine 2012

    • She has four career top-10 finishes

    • Her last top-10 finish came at the 2022 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, T8

  • She finished tied for seventh at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, where she earned Priority List Category 11 for the 2012 LPGA season.

  • She has also competed on the Epson Tour since 2014

    • Her last full season on the Epson Tour was in 2021

    • Throughout her career, she has 26 career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour

  • She played collegiately at Purdue University

  • As an amateur, she also won the 2006 International Junior Orange Bowl and 2006 Canadian Junior Championship

 

Saki Baba (T24, -6)

2025 LPGA Tour rookie

  • Baba, 19, is from Tokyo, Japan

  • She joined the Epson Tour in 2024

    • As a rookie, she made 16 cuts in 18 starts and finished No. 18 on the Race for the Card Points List

    • She earned five top-10 finishes, including a career-best tie for second at the Island Resort Championship

  • She has made six career starts on the LPGA Tour since 2022

  • She turned professional in 2023

  • She won the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur, becoming the second Japanese player to capture the title and first since Michiko Hattori in 1985

  • She represented Japan at the 2022 Espirito Santo Trophy

 

Amanda Doherty (T24, -6)

  • Doherty, 27, is from Atlanta, Georgia

  • She first joined the LPGA Tour in 2022

    • In 2024, she made five cuts in eight starts and finished No. 125 on the Race to CME Globe Points List

    • She has recorded two career top-10 finishes

  • She finished seventh on the 2021 Epson Tour’s Race for the Card to first earn LPGA Tour Membership for 2022

  • She has competed on the Epson Tour since 2020

    • In 2024, she made 14 cuts in 15 starts and finished No. 19 on the Race for the Card Points List

    • She has 14 career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour

    • Her career-best finish came in 2021, a runner-up finish at the IOA Golf Classic presented by RP Funding

    • In 2021, she was named the Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year on the Epson Tour

  • She played collegiate golf at Florida State University

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