By now, we’ve all heard the names of several 2026 Epson Tour rookies poised for a star-studded entrance: Gianna Clemente, Mirabel Ting, and Carla Bernat Escuder, among others.

But what about the ones flying under the radar? Here are a few to watch: Kaleiya Romero, Sophia Burnett, Caitlyn Macnab, Kendall Todd, and Lauren Olivares.

For a quick recap, Gianna Clemente is only 18 years old and turned down a plethora of Division I women’s golf scholarship offers to continue the grind toward her dream of earning her LPGA Tour card. The young professional was the 2024 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Rolex Player of the Year, T16 at the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and forced 2025 Epson Tour Player and Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year, Melanie Green, to a five-hole playoff in the 2025 rendition of the Epson Tour Guardian Championship as a sponsor invite.

Mirabel Ting is coming off an impressive collegiate stint, racking up seven wins during her two seasons at Florida State University. The Malaysian won the 2025 ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, 2025 ACC Golfer of the Year, 2025 WGCA and Golfweek All-American honors, and made her professional debut at the 2025 The Amundi Evian Championship, to name just a few accolades.

Carla Bernat Escuder is a standout from Spain who played collegiately at Kansas State University. She capped her amateur career with a mic-drop moment, winning the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur and setting a program record at Kansas State with a career scoring average of 70.44, to go along with the five individual titles she claimed.

Now, let’s dive into the rising rookies who might surprise us, or maybe not, once you see all their accomplishments.

Kaleiya Romero

Kaleiya Romero grew up in San Jose, California, and didn’t travel far for her collegiate career, competing at Pepperdine University. Romero racked up 10 top-10 finishes and 13 top-20 finishes, along with a win at the 2021 Dick McGuire Invitational. She also received WGCA Academic All-American and WCC First Team honors four times each, with her highest World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) reaching No. 160.

Even after her playing eligibility ended, Kaleiya stayed in the game as an assistant coach for the University of Oregon’s Women’s Golf team. Both her sister, Kiara, and brother, Kyreece, compete on their respective golf teams for the Ducks.

The San Jose native will be one to watch during the 2026 Epson Tour season, not just for her golf achievements, but because she has embraced so many roles in the sport, from player to caddie to coach. That broad experience gives her the knowledge and game to jumpstart her pro career on the right foot.

Sophia Burnett

Sophia Burnett is a South Carolinian through and through. She grew up on Hilton Head Island, S.C., attended the University of South Carolina for undergraduate and graduate degrees, and currently resides in Green Pond, S.C.

Burnett is a three-time South Carolina Women’s Amateur Champion, two-time South Carolina Player of the Year, and 2025 South Carolina Open winner. During her time at South Carolina, she helped the team win the 2025 SEC Championship and earned 2025 Second Team All-SEC honors. Her highest World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) reached No. 121, and she is a two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur participant.

The incoming rookie’s favorite quote is “if you weren’t ready, you wouldn’t have the opportunity.” With all of the experience and knowledge Burnett carries, keep an eye on how she channels this mindset to manifest success in her rookie season.

Caitlyn Macnab

Caitlyn Macnab is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, and competed at Texas Christian University for two seasons before transferring to the University of Mississippi.

Macnab left her TCU career as the No. 40-ranked women’s amateur in the world. She was a four-time WGCA & Golfweek All-American, earned 2025 All-SEC First Team honors, set the Ole Miss program record for lowest career scoring average of 71.08, and won five times during her college career, including the 2025 SEC Individual Champion.

The South African native has participated in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur four times and represented the International Team twice in the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Kendall Todd

From Goodyear, Ariz., Kendall Todd chose to compete collegiately at the University of Arkansas, a program with a strong history of breeding LPGA stars like Stacy Lewis and Maria Fassi. Todd was a 2025 WGCA and Golfweek Second Team All-American, earned All-SEC First Team honors, and posted a T1 result at the high-profile Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.

Her national rankings, No. 14 in Scoreboard collegiate and No. 30 WAGR in spring 2025, highlight her consistency against top competition.

She's well-rounded, making an impact on and off the golf course with community service nods that speak to her character, receiving 2025 SEC Community Service Team accolades, qualities that help keep the professional grind in perspective.

Lauren Olivares

Lauren Olivares hails from Celaya, Mexico, and chose North Carolina State University to pursue her golf dreams in the United States. Her NCAA record-breaking 60 (-11) in a single round at the 2023 Cougar Classic remains one of the most eye-popping feats in women's college golf history, showing her elite scoring ability.

At N.C. State, the Mexico native set the program’s single-season stroke average record at 72.18 in 2023-24, and was Co-Champion at the 2023 and 2024 Briar’s Creek Invitational. Olivares also received 2024 All-ACC Women’s Golf Team honors, becoming the first women’s golfer from N.C. State to receive that accolade.

With high-level amateur experiences, including the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, under her belt, this newer pro could still be considered outside of the spotlight. The 2026 rookie could quietly rack up top finishes and adapt quickly to the Epson Tour’s demanding volume of events.

With the 2026 Epson Tour season opener just days away, March 5-7 at the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf, keep an eye on these rising stars and all 74 rookies as they chase their LPGA dreams.

Have more questions about the Epson Tour? Check out “The Ultimate Guide to the Epson Tour”

2026 Epson Tour Rookie Review: The Ones You Haven't Heard Enough About (Yet)

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