DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. | The Epson Tour annually awards LPGA Tour Membership to the top athletes on the Epson Tour official money list, and the conclusion of the Epson Tour Championship ushers in the 2023 graduating class.
From 1999-2002, the official qualifying tour of the LPGA handed out three cards. Then from 2003-2007, that number increased to five before 10 cards started being distributed in 2008. Since that inaugural year, 192 athletes have graduated to the big stage including the top 10 from this season.
Meet the 2023 Epson Tour graduates:
1: Gabriela Ruffels, 23 (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) – $159,926
Gabriela Ruffels has had a unique Epson Tour career. The Australian made headlines after her rookie season, recording five top-10 results, finishing No. 15 on the Epson Tour official money list and missing the LPGA Q-Series registration deadline. Determined to prove that costly mistake to be a fluke, the 23-year-old returned to the Epson Tour with a fire in her belly, winning three times in the first 15 events. The 2023 Epson Tour Player of the Year was able to clinch her card after her third victory and will be an LPGA Tour rookie in 2024.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, 2023 Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes, 2023 Four Winds Invitational
- Ruffels recorded three additional top-10 finishes in 2023, two of which were top fives
- Ruffels broke the Epson Tour 36-hole scoring record at the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes (126, -18)
- Ruffels tied the Epson Tour 54-hole scoring record at the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes (197, -19)
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Ruffels will be a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie
- She was the first Australian to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2019
- Ruffels appeared in the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s National Golf Championships with the University of Southern California Trojans
- She won 21 International Tennis Federation doubles events in Europe at the junior level
Ruffels on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “I’m so excited to officially say that I will be on the LPGA Tour next year. It has been my goal since I turned pro at the start of 2021, and I’m so proud to have earned it through the Epson Tour. It means the world and is something that every little girl playing golf strives to do, so to be able to have status for next year and play in the tournaments that I grew up watching on TV is such a great feeling. I’m super excited for 2024.”
2: Natasha Andrea Oon, 22 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – $149,670
Natasha Andrea Oon has been a player to watch since her Epson Tour debut in March. The 2023 rookie started her season strong with four top-10 results in her first five starts. The Malaysian showed consistency, carding four second-place results before capturing a win late in the season at Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout presented by Pepsico, ultimately earning herself 2023 Epson Tour Rookie of the Year honors. Oon was able to clinch her card with two events left, following her first professional win, and will be an LPGA Tour rookie in 2024.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout
- She was a 2023 Epson Tour rookie
- Oon is the 2023 Epson Tour Rookie of the Year
- She recorded seven additional top-10 finishes in 2023, four of which were solo second place or tied for second results
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Oon will be a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie
- She played collegiate golf at San Jose State University
- Oon won the 2022 Juli Inkster Award
- She finished runner-up as an individual at the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s National Golf Championship
- Oon earned 2021-2022 Mountain West Player of the Year honors during her time at San Jose State
Oon on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “It’s so surreal, but it’s sunken in for sure. I’m excited for next year, mostly looking at the players I grew up watching, seeing them in front of you on the driving range on a daily basis, learning through them and how they walk, talk and handle themselves. I am in awe of them for sure, so I’m looking forward to learning from them and looking forward to competing with them.”
3: Auston Kim, 23 (St. Augustine, Florida) – $119,882
Kim joined the Epson Tour in 2022 and capped off her sophomore season by winning the Epson Tour Championship to secure her LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season. Kim has 11 career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour, 10 of which came in 2023, including her season-ending victory. Her second-round 64 at the Epson Tour Championship tied her career-low round on the Epson Tour which she last shot during the second round of the Island Resort Championship.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Epson Tour Championship
- Kim has earned 11 career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour
- Ten of those top-10 finishes were earned in 2023
- Kim’s career-low round is 64 which she shot in both the second round of the Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber and the second round of the Epson Tour Championship
- Her front-nine score (29, -7) during the final round of the Epson Tour Championship tied the lowest 9-hole score at the Epson Tour Championship, previously recorded by Jessica Peng (round 2, 2022) and Daniela Iacobelli (round 2, 2021)
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Kim will be a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie
- Kim competed in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2019, 2020 and 2022
- She played collegiate golf at Vanderbilt University
- Her sister, August, also competed on the Epson Tour and is now a student at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Kim on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “I can't even describe it. It's been such a long year for me. Not just me, but for my family. My mom has been on the bag all year. My dad, my coach has been there 24/7. There have been a lot of rough times, a lot of tears. Couple events ago I felt like I couldn't even make a cut again, but with the help of my dad and my sister, my entire family, I was able to get through that and push through. Last week was really hard because I felt like my game was there. I had one really upsetting round and my putting just wasn't working second round, too. To be able to break through that wall and know that I was knocking the entire time and just believing in myself 100%, – oh, my God, I can't even describe the feeling. All those hours I stayed working hard with my parents and with my mom on the bag all year, I'm really glad it came to fruition.”
4: Jiwon Jeon, 26 (Daegu, Republic of Korea) – $115,772
Since Jeon’s first season on the Epson Tour in 2022, she has had an impressive resume, recording five top-10 career finishes and two career victories. While playing 10 events in 2022 and 21 events in 2023, the Republic of Korea native missed just four cuts and has amassed a career earnings total of $157,345. Both of her victories and one additional top-10 finish occurred this year, helping her vault up in the Race for the Card and secure her card for her return to the LPGA Tour with two events left to play on the schedule.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship, 2023 French Lick Resort Charity Classic
- Jeon earned one additional top-10 finish in 2023, a solo fifth at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Jeon first earned LPGA Tour Membership after finishing T16 at 2019 LPGA Q-Series to earn status for the 2020 LPGA Tour season
- Her best career finish on the LPGA Tour is a T34 at the 2020 Dana Open
- Jeon holds the 54-hole scoring record at the University of Alabama
- She finished runner-up at the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur
Jeon on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “I can’t even describe how I’m feeling. I’ve been working really hard for this moment, and I’m getting really emotional right now. It’s been a ride, so many ups and downs, but I proved to myself this year that I’m good enough to play on the LPGA Tour. Two wins this year means a lot and proved to myself that I deserve to win and to play on the LPGA Tour, so I’m very happy.”
5: Minji Kang, 28 (Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea) – $112,342
Minji Kang is one of three Epson Tour rookies to secure their spot on the LPGA Tour through the 2023 Race for the Card and is one of three players to earn their card without a win. She played in all 22 events in the 2023 Epson Tour season, finishing in the top 10 a total of eight times and missing the cut twice throughout the year. The Republic of Korea native will make her LPGA Tour debut in 2024.
- Kang was a 2023 Epson Tour rookie
- She earned eight top-10 finishes in 2023, the best of which was a tie for second at the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship after losing in a seven-hole playoff to Jenny Bae
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Kang will be a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie
- Kang won the 2022 Georgia Women’s Amateur Championship
- She won the 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s National Championship
Kang on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “Like when I start the season this year my goal was to be inside top 10 and get into LPGA, and I'm very happy to achieve my goal this year. Yeah, I'm so happy now. I can't be in this position without my coaches. I really want to thank to him like so much.”
6: Agathe Laisne, 24 (Paris, France) – $109,060
After finishing T22 at 2021 LPGA Q-Series, the Frenchwoman earned LPGA Tour Membership for the 2022 season, making just three cuts in her rookie campaign. She played in three Epson Tour events in March 2022, making two cuts and earning $2,924. In 2023, Laisne spent the majority of her time on the Epson Tour playing in a total of 20 events and grabbing a victory as well as five additional top-10 finishes. She will return to the LPGA Tour in 2024 with full status.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic
- Laisne recorded five additional top-10 finishes in 2023, most notably tying for second at both the Black Desert Resort and Club Championship and Garden City Charity Classic
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Laisne was a 2022 LPGA Tour rookie, first earning Membership after finishing T22 at 2021 LPGA Q-Series to earn status for the 2022 season
- Her career-best LPGA Tour finish is a T16 at the 2022 Palos Verdes Championship presented by Bank of America
- She won two LET Access Series events as an amateur in 2020, the Lavaux Ladies Open and Santander Golf Tour Lauro
- Laisne played collegiate golf at the University of Texas
- She was the 2019 Big 12 Individual Champion and 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year
- Laisne won the 2017 European Ladies Amateur
Laisne on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “I have a little headache, but I feel very pumped. I want to celebrate tonight, and I just feel so happy because my friend got in, Kristen Gillman, just at the end, so I feel even more happy for her and for us next season to share it. It's going to be sweet. Yeah, it's so good because you put the hard work in and it pays off at the end of the season. It is a great feeling.”
7: Jenny Coleman, 31 (Rolling Hills Estates, California) – $106,137
Coleman will return to the LPGA Tour in 2024 after a season of conditional status in 2023. After playing in 23 Epson Tour and three LPGA Tour events this year, she has found herself within the top 10 in the Race for the Card once again. She earned her first career Epson Tour victory at the IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty and earned three additional top-10 finishes to finish seventh on the official money list. In 2016, she finished T29 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to first earn LPGA Tour Membership for the 2017 season.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty
- Coleman recorded three additional top-five finishes in 2023, including ties for second at the Copper Rock Championship and Black Desert Resort Championship presented by Marcella as well as a tie for fourth at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- She has earned 20 career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour
- Coleman was a 2015 Epson Tour rookie
- Coleman has earned three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, the best of which was a solo third at the 2021 LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Volvik at Golden Ocala
- She finished 3rd in the 2019 Race for the Card on the Epson Tour
- Coleman first earned LPGA Tour Membership after finishing T29 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn status for the 2017 season
- She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2014
Coleman on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “So excited to have done it, and it's there and ready to go after it next season. Just super proud of staying patient and staying strong and getting back to the LPGA full-time. I'm looking forward to having a full schedule out there. Wasn't going to have a full schedule this year, and now really looking forward to playing everything I can get in.”
8: Roberta Liti, 28 (Siena, Italy) – $103,913
Roberta Liti had her best season since joining the Epson Tour in 2019. Liti earned conditional status with a T38 finish at 2022 LPGA Q-Series but opted to spend most of her 2023 season on the Epson Tour. The decision worked out for Liti as she went on to have the best season of her career, finishing in the top 10 six times. The Italian was not able to secure her first professional win during her 2023 campaign, but she has regained a spot on the LPGA Tour for the 2024 season.
- Liti earned six top-10 finishes in 2023, most notably tying for second at the Black Desert Resort Championship presented by Marcella
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- She has earned nine career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour
- Liti was an Epson Tour rookie in 2019
- She was a 2023 LPGA Tour rookie and first earned LPGA Tour Membership after finishing T38 at 2022 LPGA Q-Series to earned status for the 2023 season
- Liti played collegiate golf at Arizona State University
- She earned Pac-12 Women's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in 2018
- Liti is an NCAA Elite 90 award winner
- She won the Italian Championship in 2013
- Liti represented the Italian National Team twice in the World Amateurs (2012, 2014)
Liti on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “It's been a stressful season. You just come down the stretch and just the final push and every week holds more and more weight. So just a big relief as of today. It hasn't sunk in yet, so I think it'll take some time. It's definitely great for me to just like have made the choice to play out here instead of LPGA, which was just giving up on the lifetime dream, hoping to make top 10, and I'm just glad it paid off. So I think that's the biggest thing."
9: Isabella Fierro, 22 (Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico) – $103,290
Since beginning her rookie season on the Epson Tour in March 2023, Isabella Fierro played in 22 events and a good year turned great for the 22-year-old in September as she recorded three consecutive top-10 finishes before capping off the month with her first career victory. The Mexico native only missed four cuts in her first professional season and will look to make her debut on the LPGA Tour in 2024.
- Epson Tour wins: 2023 Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic presented by Pepsi
- Fierro is a 2023 Epson Tour rookie
- She has earned five additional top-10 finishes this season, the best of which is a tie for second at the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes
- She was one of nine players to break the $100,000 mark in season earnings in 2023
- Fierro will be a 2024 LPGA Tour rookie
- She played collegiate golf at Oklahoma State University
- She won the Mexican Amateur Championship, South American Amateur and the North & South Women's Amateur Championship all in 2017
Fierro on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “It hasn't sunk in yet. I knew my chances were good this week. I've been playing very solid. But nothing is done in golf; anything can happen. I'm so grateful that I have all of my team here, and I was just grateful from the beginning and it paid off. I think it's going to take a few weeks to sink in, but I'm so excited. I started playing golf when I was four years old and (my dad) was the one who got me into the sport, and that's got me my dream of being the No. 1 player in the world, and we're one step closer. So it was jut awesome having both of my parents with me. I'm just very grateful for them.”
10: Kristen Gillman, 26 (Austin, Texas) – $95,701
Gillman was both an Epson and LPGA Tour rookie in 2019 but did not compete on the Epson Tour until 2022. Since then, she has earned five career top-10 finishes, the best of which was a runner-up at this year’s French Lick Resort Charity Classic. On the LPGA Tour, the 26-year-old has recorded five career top-10 results, most notably tying for third as a rookie at the 2019 Buick LPGA Shanghai. She first earned LPGA Tour Membership after finishing T13 at 2018 LPGA Q-Series to earn status for the 2019 season. As an amateur, Gillman won the 2014 and 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateurs.
- Gillman has earned five career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour, including a T4 at the season-ending Epson Tour Championship where she went birdie-eagle on 17 and 18 to regain LPGA Tour status
- She earned four of those top 10s this season, most notably finishing solo second at the French Lick Resort Charity Classic
- Gillman was a rookie on both the Epson and LPGA Tours in 2019
- She first earned LPGA Tour Membership after finishing T13 at 2018 LPGA Q-Series to earn status for the 2019 season
- Gillman has earned five career top-10 finishes, the best of which is a T3 that came at the 2019 Buick LPGA Shanghai
- Gillman won the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2014 and 2018
- She played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama
- Gillman was a WGCA All-American in 2017 and 2018
- She was a member of the 2018 U.S. Curtis Cup team
Gillman on earning 2024 LPGA Tour Membership: “I’m excited to get back out there. I feel like my game has improved a lot and I've learned a lot as a player, so I'm excited to go out there and kind of put into play what I learned and see how it compares against them again.”
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