The Epson Tour saw two major changes to the Race for the Card heading into the 2024 season. The first is the switch from a money-based system to a point-based system. The points will be the same for every event, except for the season-ending Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, Calif.
| Finish Position | Epson Tour Official Events | Epson Tour Championship |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
500 |
600 |
| 2 | 320 | 416 |
| 3 | 230 | 299 |
| 4 | 180 |
234 |
| 5 | 145 | 188.5 |
| 6 | 120 | 156 |
| 7 | 100 | 130 |
| 8 | 90 | 117 |
| 9 | 80 | 104 |
| 10 | 75 | 97.5 |
Full Breakdown of the Point List
The second big change was the number of players who will receive an LPGA Tour status at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The number of cards was increased from 10 to 15 with the athletes finishing #1-10 continuing to earn Category 9 status on the LPGA Tour Priority List. But those who finish #11-15 in the Race for the Card will now earn LPGA status in Category 15 for the 2025 LPGA Tour season. Those who finish #11-15 in the Race for the Card will be zippered in with LPGA Tour members finishing #101-125 on the Race to the CME Globe Points List, alternating in the following order: LPGA Tour #101, Epson Tour #11, LPGA Tour #102, Epson Tour #12, and so forth.
With that clarification, let’s play a game of “what if.” What if the 2023 Epson Tour season used the new 2024 model? How would the standings look, and whose 2024 season may have looked a little different?
| 2023 Finish Position (Money) | Player | 2023 Finish Position (Points) | Player | Position Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Gabriela Ruffels | 1 | Natasha Andrea Oon | Up One Spot |
| 2 | Natasha Andrea Oon | 2 | Gabriela Ruffels | Down One Spot |
| 3 | Auston Kim | 3 | Auston Kim | Same |
| 4 | Jiwon Jeon |
4 |
Minji Kang |
Up One Spot |
| 5 | Minji Kang | 5 | Agathe Laisne | Up One Spot |
| 6 | Agathe Laisne | 6 | Isabella Fierro | Up Three Spots |
| 7 | Jenny Coleman | 7 | Jiwon Jeon | Down Three Spots |
| 8 | Roberta Liti | 8 | Jenny Coleman | Down One Spot |
| 9 | Isabella Fierro | 9 | Becca Huffer | Up Two Spots |
| 10 | Kristen Gillman | 10 | Roberta Liti | Down Two Spots |
| 11 | Becca Huffer | 11 | Robyn Choi | Up One Spot |
| 12 | Robyn Choi | 12 | Jenny Bae | Up One Spot |
| 13 | Jenny Bae | 13 | Miranda Wang | Up Two Spots |
| 14 | Nataliya Guseva | 14 | Alena Sharp | Up Two Spots |
| 15 | Miranda Wang | 15 | Kristen Gillman | Down Five Spots |
There are a lot of different scenarios to go through, so let’s start with who the change would have affected most. While many athletes would have earned their card with the new system, there are two athletes whose 2024 season would’ve looked a little different this year: Nataliya Guseva and Alena Sharp.
Guseva, who finished 14th on the Epson Tour Official Money List last year, took home the biggest first-place prize of the season at the 2023 Black Desert Resort Championship, vaulting her into the top 10 in the Race for the Card at the time of her win. Based on the new points system, Guseva would have finished her 2023 season in the 19th spot, making her the only athlete who finished in the top 15 on the money list to fall outside of the top 15 based on points. Replacing her in the points standings would have been Sharp, who would’ve ultimately finished 14th on the points list, earning her Category 15 status for the 2024 season.
Other notable changes would have been in the Player of the Year race, as Gabriela Ruffels would have traded places with Natasha Andrea Oon using the new points system, making Oon the 2023 Player of the Year. Also, if the points system had been adopted for the 2023 season, the top 10 would have seen a shake-up as well. Becca Huffer would have earned enough points to earn an LPGA Tour card, knocking Kristen Gillman out of the top 10, while only Auston Kim would have stayed in her same spot at No. 3.
Now, with the Epson Tour starting up for its 2024 season at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, the crop of new and veteran players will take their first crack at securing their spot in the top 15 and earning their LPGA Tour card for 2025.
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