Erika Hara, a native of Yokohama, Japan, has proven for years that she’s a force to be reckoned with on the LPGA of Japan Tour (JLPGA). Successful is an understatement when it comes to her JLPGA career, as Hara has won the 2020 Japan LPGA Tour Championship, as well as the 2020 and 2023 editions of the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship.

Hara is still very young in her professional career, and despite the impression her stellar 2025 results on the Epson Tour give off, her road to the LPGA wasn’t always easy. Turning professional in 2018, Hara spent several seasons competing in Japan before giving the LPGA Qualifying Series (Q-Series) a try.

Her first attempt in 2023 saw a disappointing disqualification at the Qualifying Stage in October, but that didn’t stop Hara from chasing her dreams of becoming one of the best Japanese players to compete on the LPGA’s global stage. She worked harder, returning to LPGA Q-Series in 2024, this time making it all the way to the Final Stage, where she earned Epson Tour status for the 2025 season.

Perseverance, dedication and hard work are paying off for the 26-year-old, and thanks to an incredible rookie season on the Epson Tour, Hara can now officially say that she’ll be headed to the biggest stage in women’s golf, the LPGA Tour, in 2026.

“I’m very happy,” said Hara after learning the news that she’s secured her LPGA Tour card. “I want to express my appreciation to my team members and family, but most of all, I’d like to thank my golf teacher and mentor, (Masashi) Jumbo Ozaki. And to all the fans for supporting me.”

Hara learned the news following her most successful week on Tour thus far, as she secured her first win on the Epson Tour at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic. It marked her 15th consecutive cut made and her eighth top-10 result of the year.

“From the beginning of this year, I’ve been playing so well,” said Hara. “Last off-season, I had good workouts, and this year, I’ve had consistency in my confidence. That’s a key to playing consistently this year. My goal was to win a tournament.”

Off the golf course, she’s built a fan base that supports her through every step of her career. The 26-year-old has a large social media presence, with just shy of 450,000 followers on Instagram, and those fans have been watching her closely as Hara chases her dream of reaching the biggest stage in female professional golf.

Hara is looking forward to finishing strong in the last string of events on the Epson Tour’s 2025 schedule before heading up to the LPGA Tour. And her golf game is not the only thing she’s determined to improve. Now a global star, the soon-to-be LPGA Tour rookie wants to learn more English and enjoy more than just life on the golf course.

The Japanese native is very proud of her heritage and has been inspired by the success of fellow Japanese winners on the LPGA Tour, twins Akie and Chisato Iwai, Rio Takeda and Miyu Yamashita. Showcasing a strong line of talent from Japan, Hara and Akie Iwai both lifted trophies on the Epson and LPGA Tours, respectively, on the same day, Aug. 17.

“Many fellow Japanese players are winning this year in the U.S., and that affects me a lot,” said Hara. “That made me want to win more and more in the U.S.”

And Hara will have the opportunity to do just that next season as a proud 2025 Epson Tour graduate and member of the 2026 rookie class on the LPGA Tour.

Erika Hara Leans on Global Success to Secure LPGA Tour Card

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