The 41st playing of the Casella Golf Championship is set to begin this Friday at Pinehaven Country Club. The historic Epson Tour event has seen some accomplished players walk these fairways and even lift the trophy in Guilderland, New York. Here are some names that will look to add themselves to the decorated list of Casella Golf Championship winners:

Kate Smith-Stroh

Smith-Stroh has teed it up on both the LPGA and Epson Tours this season, thanks to dual status that came from a T19 finish in the Final Stage of LPGA Q-Series to earn her card for the first time. Her time on the LPGA Tour in 2025 has been up and down, making five cuts in 11 starts her rookie season. The 26-year-old will be entering the Casella Golf Championship off her best result of the season on the LPGA Tour, turning in a T10 finish at the Dow Championship.

Smith-Stroh has made one appearance on the Epson Tour in 2025 as well. In her lone start on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA, she had a runner-up result at the Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber. The Minnesota native made her Epson Tour debut in 2022 and has since accumulated seven total top-10 finishes, but hopes this week is the one where she finds herself in the winner’s circle for the first time as a professional.

Yana Wilson

Wilson is one of the youngest players in the field at 18 years old, but is quickly becoming one of the more accomplished players on Tour. In her 11 starts, the rookie has yet to miss a cut, while also winning her first professional event in her hometown of Las Vegas in just her fifth start. Wilson has added six additional top 10 results to her resume in 2025, including last week at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship presented by Munich Re. She is currently the second-highest ranked rookie in the Race for the Card, trailing only Melanie Green. Another strong finish from Wilson could put her on track to earn her LPGA Tour card for the first time.

Leah John

John is in her sophomore season on the Epson Tour. During her rookie season in 2024, she played in 12 events, making the cut in seven. She also had two top 10 results, finishing No. 61 in the Race for the Card for a very solid rookie campaign. Her second season has not been up to her standards, however, making six cuts in 12 starts, but she has yet to have a top finish. In 2024, John posted a T8 result at the Casella Golf Championship and hopes the good vibes from last year can turn around her 2025 season.

Valery Plata

Plata has competed on the Epson Tour the past two seasons after starting her career on the LPGA Tour. During 2024, Plata earned her first professional victory at the 2024 Central Florida Championship and had an impressive first year on the Epson Tour, narrowly missing out on her LPGA Tour card once again, finishing No. 17 in the 2024 Race for the Card.

This season, the 24-year-old has yet to find the winner’s circle, but has put together another strong year. She is currently No. 14 in the Race for the Card and has two top 5 finishes in 2025. After back-to-back missed cuts to end her Midwest stretch, Plata bounced back last week at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship presented by Munich Re with a T19 result. The Colombian will look to keep to good vibes rolling into the Casella Golf Championship.

Players to Watch – 2025 Casella Golf Championship

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