After the first four events of the 2023 Epson Tour season, the race for an LPGA Tour card has begun. So far, four different champions have been crowned, with France's Agathe Laisne taking home the first trophy of the season at Florida's Natural Charity Classic. Gabriela Ruffels, Miranda Wang, and Gigi Stoll followed Laisne, winning the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic, IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort and Spa and Casino Del Sol Golf Classic, respectively. All four of this season's champions are first-time winners on the Epson Tour.
Ruffels had the most impactful win so far this season taking home a $50,250 winner's check, one of the two largest this season. After finishing the 2022 season at No. 15 on the Epson Tour Official Money List and missing her 2023 LPGA Tour card, Ruffels is in a good position early on to prove herself worthy of 2024 membership on the big stage.
"It feels good to be in the position I'm in at the moment after four events, but I know there's still a long season to go," said Ruffels. "I definitely feel like I played solid in the first few events on the West Coast and hopefully can keep it going for the rest of the season."
Behind Ruffels is 2023 Epson Tour rookie Natasha Andrea Oon. Even without a win, Oon is in contention for a 2024 LPGA Tour card. The San Jose State University alumna has made the cut in all four events thus far and secured two second-place finishes at the IOA Championship and Casino Del Sol Golf Classic.
"Starting off my year strong made me feel capable of being in contention. I've been in contention twice, and I'm more than happy with how I played. My confidence last year was at an all-time low because you get pushed to another level of competition, the field is 10 times harder, and the stakes are higher. You're basically playing for your livelihood and playing with all that in your head is a lot. So I think these few but memorable tournaments taught me how to manage that," said Oon. "Going forward, there's still a lot of golf to play. A lot of courses to get used to and a lot of learning to do. So I'm going to do that and do my best."
2023 Epson Tour Champion Gigi Stoll also sits in the top five after her win at Sewailo Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona. Winning at her former college course increased her season earnings and confidence heading into the rest of the season. A week after securing her first Epson Tour victory, Stoll went to Hawaii and qualified for the LPGA's LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei.
Below is a look at the top 10 following the fourth event of the 2023 Epson Tour season.
- Gabriela Ruffels; Melbourne, Australia - 2023 Season Earnings: $58,028
- Natasha Andrea Oon; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 2023 Season Earnings: $46,077
- Gigi Stoll; Beaverton, Oregon - 2023 Season Earnings: $34,233
- Kathleen Scavo; Benicia, California - 2023 Season Earnings: $32,838
- Miranda Wang; Tianjin, China - 2023 Season Earnings: $32,522
- Agathe Laisne; Paris, France - 2023 Season Earnings: $32,084
- Min A Yoon; Seoul, Republic of Korea - 2023 Season Earnings: $25,532
- Becca Huffer; Denver, Colorado - 2023 Season Earnings: $18,966
- Karen Chung; Budd Lake, New Jersey - 2023 Season Earnings: $18,353
- Jillian Hollis; Rocky River, Ohio - 2023 Season Earnings: $17,301