Who Earned Their LPGA Tour Card For 2018?
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2017-12-07
Symetra Tour Communications
NASA HATAOKA
-12 (348)
Ibaraki, Japan
18 years old
- Became a 2017 LPGA Tour rookie after finishing T14 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
- She made the cut nine times in 17 starts in 2017 with a season-best T15 finish at the Cambia Portland Classic and finished 15th in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings.
- Hataoka won the 2016 Japan Women’s Open Championship, becoming the first amateur and the youngest champion to win a major tournament on the Japan LPGA Tour (JLPGA).
Hataoka on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I’m really happy to be at the top of the leaderboard and winning the tournament. LPGA is one of the best leagues and I’m happy to play again on the LPGA.”
TIFFANY CHAN
-11 (349)
Gong Kong, Hong Kong
24 years old
- Becomes the first LPGA player in history from Hong Kong.
- At Daytona State College, Chan won back-to-back NJCAA individual national titles in 2014 and 2015. After graduating from Daytona State, Chan transferred to USC where she was a 2015-2016 Second Team All-American.
- As a 2017 Symetra Tour rookie, recorded four top-10 finishes in 13 starts including a season-best runner-up finish at the Decatur-Forsyth Classic and finished 24th on the season money list.
- Represented Hong Kong at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Chan on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I don’t know if I’m still dreaming. It’s actually my mom’s birthday today, she’s not here, but I’m going to give this to her for her present. My parents don’t really know golf, but they just encourage me and I can’t wait to talk to them.”
PAULA RETO
-9 (351)
Bloemfontein, South Africa
27 years old
- Has made the cut 44 times in 93 starts on the LPGA with four career top-10 finishes, including a career-best third place result at the 2014 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic.
- Represented South Africa in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing T16.
- Became a 2014 LPGA Tour rookie after finishing T13 at the 2013 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Reto on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I’m really, really happy. In the last two weeks I’ve really trained hard and I felt like it all paid off here. Even when I was a little nervous at times I just stuck to my routine which is very good for me, it’s an accomplishment actually. So, I’m really happy about that. Honestly, I tried not to think too much coming into this week. I just said to myself, ‘Paula, just do your thing and wherever you end up, you end up,’ and I’m really happy with the result.”
REBECCA ARTIS
-8 (352)
Coonabarabran, Australia
29 years old
- Rookie season on the Symetra Tour was in 2010, has nine career top-10 finishes including two in 2017.
- Has two career wins on the Ladies European Tour the first at the 2013 Helsingborg Open.
- Her second professional win came at the 2015 Ladies Scottish Open, Artis shot a final round 66 to win by two strokes, despite trailing Suzann Pettersen by 6 strokes going into the final round.
Artis on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s crazy really. To be honest, I’m glad the week’s over. I don’t think I could have taken another day. I just really tried to control myself out there today. This is what we’ve been working for to try and get ourselves out there on the LPGA. I’m glad this week’s over.”
LUNA SOBRON GALMES
-7 (353)
Palma De Mallorca, Spain
23 years old
- Earned her Ladies European Tour card for the 2017 season after finishing T25 at the Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifying staged in Morocco; had five top-25 finishes on the LET this season.
- Played in the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2015 (T13) and 2016 (MC).
ROBYNN REE
-7 (353)
Redondo Beach, California
20 years old
- Ree is the 30th ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
- Was named to the WGCA All American Second Team as a freshman at USC in 2015-16, earned Honorable Mention recognition in 2016-17.
- Played in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open.
- Ree is studying real estate development at USC and plans to continue taking classes and earn her degree.
Ree on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s been a long journey, and I’m really happy that I was able to get through on my first try. Hopefully I can have a good year next year.”
AMELIA LEWIS
-6 (354)
Jacksonville, Florida
26 years old
- Has made 57-of-114 cuts in her LPGA career with two career top-10 finishes.
- Finished 115th on the 2017 Official Money List with $80,897.
- Qualified for the Tour on her first attempt with a T33 finish at the 2010 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn conditional status for the 2011 LPGA season.
Lewis on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It feels great. I had status coming into this week, but I wanted to guarantee getting into the first couple of events of the year. It’s a great feeling to go through five days and get the job done. I haven’t been back at Q School in a while so it’s a good feeling to get it done.”
LAUREN COUGHLIN
-6 (354)
Charlottesville, Virginia
25 years old
- Has played on the Symetra Tour since 2016; posted three top-25 finishes in 13 starts in 2017.
- Was the 2016-17 ACC Player of the Year while playing at the University of Virginia.
Coughlin on earning her 2018 tour card:
“I’m just really thankful, I think that’s the big thing. I’m just really excited to get out there and play well. I think it’s something that I never really thought that I would actually do, so to do it is pretty big. I had a lot of people who believed in me so I’m just really excited.”
GEORGIA HALL
-6 (354)
Wimborne, England
21 years old
- Was the highest ranked player at Final Stage at No. 41 in the Rolex Rankings.
- Earned medalist honors at Stage II of LPGA Qualifying School.
- Ranks first on the 2017 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit; has 16 top-10 finishes in 45 career starts on the LET.
- Was a member of Team Europe at the 2017 Solheim Cup, finishing with a 2-3-0 record.
Hall on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“To kind of finish the season off and get my Tour card, and I can kind of plan for next year now, I’m very happy actually. I can relax.”
KASSIDY TEARE
-5 (355)
San Diego, California
23 years old
- As a rookie on the Symetra Tour in 2017, made the cut in 14-of-19 starts with two top-10 finishes.
- Was the 2016 Big West Conference Player of the Year while playing at Long Beach State University.
Teare on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s just a dream come true, and as cheesy as that sounds it’s just exactly how it feels. I’ve wanted this since I was little, wanted it all throughout college and this year on the Symetra Tour has really gotten me ready. I’m so excited to start the next year.”’
CAROLINE INGLIS
-5 (355)
Eugene, Oregon
23 years old
- Played in two tournaments on the LPGA during her rookie season; competed primarily on the Symetra Tour where she made the cut in 15-of-18 starts with three top-10 finishes.
- Finished T44 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category 17 status for the 2017 season.
- Became first golfer in the University of Oregon program history to be named the Pac-12 Individual Champion (2014-15).
Inglis on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s just really awesome. It’s hard to describe because you put so much work in. I had played on Symetra last year, I had conditional but I didn’t play in that many, I played in two LPGA. So I’m excited to have a full schedule playing on the LPGA. The feeling is indescribable. I’m really excited, really happy.”
MARISSA STEEN
-5 (355)
West Chester, Ohio
27 years old
- Made the cut 20 times in 46 career starts on the LPGA Tour with a career-best T30 finish at the 2017 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.
- Collected nine top-10 finishes on the Symetra Tour in 2016 to earn her LPGA Tour card through the Symetra Tour for a second time.
- Won three times in 2014 on the Symetra Tour and was the Player of the Year, earning her LPGA Tour membership for 2015.
Steen on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s awesome. That was definitely my goal going into this week. I worked hard the whole month of November. I hadn’t ever played well at Finals before; this was the first time I had even made the cut. I was definitely happy just to be playing today and to finish it off pretty strong.”
LAETITIA BECK
-4 (356)
Caesarea, Israel
25 years old
- After finishing the 2017 LPGA season No. 121 on the Official Money List, improves her status for the 2018 season from Category 16 to Category 12 on the priority list.
- Represented Israel in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing T31.
- Qualified for the LPGA Tour on her first attempt, finishing T18 at the 2014 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2015 season and become the first Israeli to compete on the LPGA Tour.
- Graduated from Duke University in 2014 with a degree in Psychology
Beck on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It’s my fourth time that I had to do it. Obviously, that was the goal this week to get my card back and improve my status. I wasn’t looking forward to having an in-between status, so I’m pretty happy that I got a full card now. Now I know for sure what my schedule is going to look like, and I’m excited to work towards improving my game for next year.”
CINDY LACROSSE
-4 (356)
Tampa, Florida
30 years old
- A 2010 LPGA Tour rookie, has 96 career starts on Tour with a career-best T11 finish at the 2011 ShopRite Classic.
- LaCrosse enjoyed a successful collegiate career at the University of Louisville, where she was a three-time All-Big East Conference selection (2006-08) and the 2007 Big East Player of the Year.
LaCrosse on earning 2018 LPGA card:
“It feels great. It’s been a really tough couple of years, so to be full-time next year it’s just great to have all the hard work I’ve done pay off. I started crying as soon as my mom did as I hugged her. I think now that it’s final I feel like I can breathe and just relax and now that I’m really doing the right things and I’m seeing results from it.”
GEMMA DRYBURGH
-4 (356)
Aberdeen, Scotland
24 years old
- Has two career top-10 finishes on the Ladies European Tour where she was a rookie in 2016.
- In 2014, Dryburgh was a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team, she played for Scotland in the World Amateur Team Championship and Ladies’ European Team Championship and was runner-up in the 2014 South American Amateur
- She graduated from Tulane University with a degree in Marketing in May 2015.
- Joins Catriona Matthew as the only players from Scotland on the LPGA Tour in 2018.
Dryburgh on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“It means a lot. I’ve been working really hard for this for a few years with my coach and my parents and everyone around me. It means a lot, and I’m just really ecstatic to finally finish the five rounds this week and finish with a good round of 68.”
JESSY TANG
-3 (357)
Orlando, Florida
28 years old
- Made eight starts as a rookie on the LPGA in 2017.
- Finished T35 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category 17 status for the 2017 season.
- Has competed primarily on the Symetra Tour since 2009.
Tang on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I’m totally satisfied. After playing on the LPGA this past season with conditional status I knew my goal was to be out there full-time and I am so happy that I was able to do that this week.”
BRIANNA DO
-3 (357)
Lakewood, California
27 years old
- A 2013 LPGA Tour rookie, made five cuts in 10 starts in 2017 with a career-best T26 finish at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
- In 2015, posted seven top-10 finishes on the Symetra Tour to finish third on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.
Do on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“Honestly I’m pretty speechless right now after finishing in the top 20. My game has been trending in the right direction towards the end of season and these last two months preparing for finals. To see all my hard work pay off is amazing. I can’t wait for 2018!”
DANI HOLMQVIST
-3 (357)
Jupiter, Florida
29 years old
- In 2017 on the LPGA Tour, made 10 cuts in 20 starts with a career-best T15 finish at the Cambia Portland Classic.
- In 2015, finished fifth on the Symetra Tour's Volvik Race for the Card money list to earn LPGA membership for 2016.
- Finished tie for 44th at the 2013 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category 17 for the 2014 LPGA Tour season.
Holmqvist on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I didn’t know how many starts I would get next year based on where I finished on the money list, so I figured that going back to Q School I would have nothing to lose. It’s a stressful week regardless, but it was pretty great to be able to finish off the week with a birdie and get into the top 20.”
CELINE HERBIN
-3 (357)
Lacoste Porosus Ville, France
35 years old
- Has 37 career starts on the LPGA Tour with a career-best T11 finish at the 2016 Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I.
- In 2017, Posted a season-best T35 finish at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G.
- Turned professional in 2012 and played on the Ladies European Tour from 2012-14.
MARIA TORRES
-2 (358)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
22 years old
- Torres becomes the first native-born Puerto Rican in LPGA Tour history.
- While playing college golf at the University of Florida, Torres was named a 2016-17 WGCA First-Team All American, 2015-16 Honorable Mention All American, was the 2016 SEC Golfer of the Year and was the 2016 Individual SEC Champion.
- Graduated from UF with her degree in Family, Youth and Community Science in May 2017.
Torres on earning her 2018 LPGA card:
“I can not believe it. I think tomorrow I’m going to realize it, but I’m just overwhelmed I feel like I don’t even have English. I’m just happy and excited too on what the future has to hold.”
Here is a list of the 29 players to earn conditional LPGA status:
- Daniela Iacobelli (Melbourne, Florida)
- Kendall Dye (Edmond, Oklahoma)
- Madeleine Sheils (Boise, North Dakota)
- Dori Carter (Valdosta, Georgia)
- Nannette Hill (Pelham Manor, New York)
- Leticia Ras-Anderica (Konstanz, Germany)
- Alison Walshe (Westford, Massachusetts)
- Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (Buengkan, Thailand)
- Maddie McCrary (Wylie, Texas)
- Samantha Troyanovich (Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan)
- Vicky Hurst (Melbourne, Florida)
- Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ontario)
- Sophia Popov (Heidelberg, Germany)
- Jennifer Hahn (Henderson, Nevada)
- Wichanee Meechai (Bangkok, Thailand)
- Martina Edberg (Glumslov, Sweden)
- Alexandra Newell (Tampa, Florida)
- Lori Beth Adams (Burlington, North Carolina)
- Pannarat Thanapoolboonyaras (Roi-Et, Thailand)
- Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines)
- Camilla Lennarth (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Maude-Aimee Leblanc (Sherbrooke, Quebec)
- Harang Lee (Bilbao, Spain)
- Allison Emrey (Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Sakura Yokomine (Tokyo, Japan)
- Lauren Kim (Los Altos, California)
- Katelyn Sepmoree (Tyler, Texas)