The Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, Nov. 30-Dec. 4, will be loaded with 2016 Epson Tour members bidding for a final chance to play the LPGA Tour in 2017. There were 15 players between 11 and 30 on the final Volvik Race for the Card money list that were exempt right to Final Stage:

11. Clariss Guce (Artesia, Calif.)

12. Erica Popson (Davenport, Fla.)

13. Augusta James (Bath, Ontario

16. Brittany Benvenuto (Langhorne, Pa.)

17. Erynne Lee (Silverdale, Wash.)

18. Natalie Sheary (West Hartford, Ct.)

19. Jessica Wallace (Langley, British Columbia)

20. Nicole Broch Larsen (Hillerod, Denmark)

21. Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines)

22. Paola Moreno (Cali, Colombia)

24. Shannon Fish (Spring, Texas)

25. Emma de Groot (Coffs Harbour, Australia)

26. Emma Talley (Princeton, Kentucky)

29. Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ontario)

30. Emily Tubert (Burbank, Calif.)

There were a total of 35 Epson Tour players that advanced from Stage II to Final Stage. Of the 35, six finished between 30 and 40 on the Tour’s money list.

31. Jenny Coleman (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.)

32. Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.)

33. Marina Choi (Los Angeles, Calif.)

35. Allyssa Ferrell (Edgerton, Wis.)

36. Sara Maude-Juneau (Quebec City, Quebec)

37. Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo.)

We picked five players to keep an eye with three weeks to go before the five-round gauntlet.

Nicole Broch Larsen – She only played in four Epson Tour events this year, but made a statement by winning the Epson Tour Championship with a four-day total of 18-under and defeated the supremely talented Ally McDonald on the first playoff hole. Broch Larsen spent some time after the Tour championship in Florida prepping for Final Stage so you know she’ll be ready. Here is something to consider too when it comes to Broch Larsen. In her seven co-sanctioned LPGA starts, she has made six cuts and has finished inside the top 25 five times so we’re not just picking her based on Epson Tour success. Broch Larsen has had an up-and-down year on the Ladies European Tour and ranks 11th on the Order of Merit. The ranking might sound better than “up-and-down year” but remember that was third in 2015.

Emily Tubert – Tubert struggled at Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament in 2015 with rounds of 78-77-78-71 to miss the 72-hole cut, but toss that out. She had her best season on Tour this year, improving from 50th on the final money list in 2015 to 30th in 2016. She also finished really strong in ’16 with a T6 at the Epson Tour Championship. She was consistent at the Tour finale with rounds of 67-68-68-71 and that’s most important for Tubert and Qualifying Tournament in general. You’ve got to believe her game is getting closer to LPGA ready. It’ll come down to can she keep it in play at Q-School (104th on Tour in driving accuracy) and limit mistakes. You can tell based on on her rankings in total birdies (3rd) and scoring average (23rd) that sometimes she’s prone to a colorful scorecard.

Augusta James – She was in the same spot in 2015. Coming off a really strong year on the Epson Tour, James was exempt to Final Stage. She didn’t make the 72-hole cut (70-80-72-71), but it’s clear upon further investigation that it was the second round that really derailed her chances. James had seven top 10 finishes on the Epson Tour this year and 15 top 25’s. The question will be can she post enough low rounds to fit into the top 20 and not just make the 72-hole cut. If you measure based on last year, a 5-day total of 4-under is what finished in the top 20. James had 17 rounds in the 60’s this year and will need one, maybe two to earn an LPGA spot. Eleven of the 20 players that finished in the top 20 last year had two rounds in the 60’s.

Natalie Sheary – From an experience standpoint, Sheary is someone you’ve got to keep an eye on. Last year, she made the 72-hole cut and was just two strokes from earning partial Tour status (72-72-71-75-74). That being said, she was still nine strokes from finishing in the top 20. Sheary finished T28 at 2014 Final Stage with rounds of 72-71-75-70-70 so she has proven that she can post under-par rounds on the Jones and Hills courses. Even if you go back to 2013, Sheary finished T38 to earn partial status. She won’t be overwhelmed by the moment and knows the two golf courses as well as anyone. She is also coming off her best year on the Epson Tour where she picked up her first career win with her father on the bag. Maybe dad will be on the bag at Final Stage?

Jenny Coleman – Don’t sleep on the younger Coleman twin (by 1 minute). She wasn’t the most heralded rookie on the Epson Tour this year, but she more than held her own with three top 10 finishes and 10 top 25 results. She narrowly missed getting to skip Stage II, but easily advanced with a T12 finish. It’ll be her first experience at Final Stage of Qualifying Tournament, but it’s a safe bet that she’ll have a comfort on the bag that nobody else has, her twin sister Kristin (who missed advanced to finals by one shot). Inexperience could be a factor, but she had a really strong end to the season (T9-T6-T14-13) so her game should be in a good spot.

5 Epson Tour Players to Watch Heading into Final Stage

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