MISSION
The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour and enters its 39th competitive season in 2019. With the support of its umbrella partner Epson, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Epson’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2022, the Epson Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7 million in prize money to $4 million in prize money awarded over the course of 24 tournaments.
LPGA ALIGNMENT
The Epson Tour has been known as the “Road to the LPGA” since 1999, when it was originally given the designation as the LPGA’s official development tour. The LPGA acquired the Epson Tour in 2007, at which point it became the official qualifying tour of the LPGA. A total of 182 women have graduated from the Epson Tour to the LPGA since 1999.
- More than 600 Epson Tour alumnae have earned LPGA membership
- Through 2018, EpsonTour alumnae own a total of 428 LPGA victories
- Out of the ten players to receive their LPGA tour card in 2018, eight different countries were represented
- Since 2013, 10 majors have been won by former Epson Tour Players
- In 2016, 9 of the top 25 and 55 of the top 100 on the LPGA money list have ties to the Epson Tour
- Tour graduate Inbee Park (2006) won the 2016 Olympic gold medal in the return of golf to the Olympics in Rio
- Tour graduate Gerina Mendoza (2010) was the 2015 Solheim Cup hero for the United States and has over 36 career top 10 finishes
- Tour graduate Mo Martin (2011) won the 2014 RICOH Women’s British Open and has 12 career top 10 finishes on the LPGA
- Tour alum Karrie Webb is a member of the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame and was a two-time LPGA Tour winner in 2011, at the HSBC Women’s Champions and the inaugural LPGA Founders Cup
- In 2016, at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, 96 of the 156 women in the field had ties to the Epson Tour
- Stacy Lewis, a Epson Tour alum, followed up her first career major win at the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship and U.S. Solheim Cup Team selection with 4 wins and 16 top-10 finishes in 2012 en route to earning Player of the Year
- Six of the 12 members of the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup Team were alumnae of the Epson Tour (Ryann O’Toole, Vicky Hurst, Christie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Angela Stanford, Christina Kim) as well as team captain, Rosie Jones. Former Epson Tour member Laura Davies was selected to Europe’s squad which was captained by fellow alum Alison Nichols
TOUR FACTS
The Epson Tour is the most established women’s developmental tour in the world, entering the 41th year of structured competition in 2022.
- In November 2011, the Tour signed a multi-year agreement with national title sponsor Epson, and will operate as the Epson Tour.
- In October of 2015, the Epson Tour announced that Epson has extended its title sponsorship of the Tour through the 2021 season and announced a purse subsidy program.
- Tour’s 2019 schedule includes 24 tournaments with over $4 million in purses
- The richest individual tournament purse of $300,000 will be handed out in Auburn, Alabama in 2019
MEET THE COMMISSIONER
Mollie Marcoux Samaan is the ninth commissioner of the LPGA. Marcoux Samaan assumed the leadership role at the LPGA on May 25th, 2021. As a values-centered leader, she’s known for her skills in collaboration, managing through complexity and building a winning team culture. In every role, she’s had an outstanding record of performance in navigating change, forging lasting partnerships, and seeing – and seizing – new opportunities.
Read Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan's Full Bio
MEET THE CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER
Jody Brothers was named Chief Business and Operating Officer of the Epson Tour, effective January 9, 2023. Brothers oversees the development of the Epson Tour's strategic plan, budget, sales, marketing, owned events, corporate sponsorships and tournament partner relationships, while also identifying new tournament opportunities.
Read Jody Brothers Full Bio
