Carla Tejedo achieved a major success this Sunday. The 23-year-old golfer from Castellón is now a player on the LPGA Tour. She has earned her well-deserved promotion after a tough season on the EPSON Tour, where she has shown remarkable resilience, competitive spirit, and consistency. The top 15 golfers in the Race for the Card, the name given to the circuit’s ranking, secured playing rights in the top division, the pinnacle of women’s golf, at the end of the season. The season ended yesterday, and Carla finished in 14th place. Card in the pocket.
What can the Spanish golfer play next year? She has received category 16. It is a conditional card. This means she does not have access to all tournaments. She enters some, and she needs to perform quite well in these initial opportunities to improve her position after the first re-ranking and then enter a greater number of events. In other words, with her success on the EPSON, she has managed to get the LPGA Tour to open the door for her; now it’s up to her to step fully inside and lock the door behind her.
There is no better example than Miranda Wang, a Chinese golfer who finished in 14th place in the Race for the Card last year, in the same situation as Carla. She did not play her first tournament until February, and with an invitation. The same happened the following week in China, where she played again with an invitation. However, she finished 29th and 8th those two weeks, continued to achieve good results, and ended up playing a total of 17 tournaments. The icing on the cake came in August at the FM Championship, when she claimed victory and secured her card for the next two years. She currently ranks 34th in the Race to CME Globe, the LPGA ranking. A dream year. There is no better model for Carla, although it is obviously not an easy task. Of the five players who finished between 11th and 15th in the EPSON ranking last year, two have managed to retain their playing rights (Wang and Pornanong Phatlum), and three are on the verge of losing them (Ana Belac, Daniella Iacobelli, and Heather Lin).
The closest reference Spanish golf has to understand how difficult it is to maintain the card coming from the EPSON is Fátima Fernández Cano. The Galician has achieved promotion twice (actually three times, but the COVID one was not effective) and has not yet managed to stay. However, she will still have the opportunity next year when she returns from her recent hip surgery and can play some tournaments with a medical exemption.
The LPGA Tour card has not been an easy task for Carla Tejedo. Rather, it has cost her blood, sweat, and tears. She arrived at the Epson Tour Championship, the last tournament of the satellite circuit held at the Celebrity course in Indian Wells, in 12th position in the ranking. Her goal at the beginning of the week was to try to get into the top ten, as they have a full card (Category 9), but she ended up suffering and asking for time to finish among the top 15. And it’s not that she had a bad tournament, quite the opposite. Carla finished in 14th place, with four rounds of 65, 73, 69, and 67, but the equality in these promotion circuits is immense, and everything ends up being decided by a birdie up or a bogey down.
Megan Schofill serves as an example, the golfer who finished in 16th place in the ranking, just outside the cards. She finished fifth in Indian Wells. With one more birdie, she would have finished tied for third and would have made it into the top 15. Carla ended up with 74 points to spare… and she added 68.9 for finishing in 14th place. Tighter than a submarine’s screws.
Carla’s card is built on regularity and perseverance. She played 18 tournaments, couldn’t win, but finished in the top 10 four times and, above all, barely missed five cuts. Her consistency has led her to the LPGA Tour. “I couldn’t imagine it would be so tense. In any case, it was all worth it. There’s a lot of work and sacrifice behind it. I’ve been away from home since February,” she happily commented to the LPGA Tour while posing with the huge card that accredits her as a golfer on the world’s best circuit for 2026.
As things stand, next year we will have at least five Spanish players on the LPGA Tour: Carlota Ciganda and Julia López with full category, Carla Tejedo with a conditional category, Azahara Muñoz, who still has one tournament left to know if she ends up with a full or conditional category, and Fátima Fernández Cano, who will still have some medical exemption tournaments left to make a big impact and add at least what she has achieved by the end of the year in the 115th place in the LPGA Tour ranking to earn a conditional status.
Category 16 is distributed by alternating players who finished from 101st to 115th on the LPGA Tour with those who finished from 11th to 15th on the EPSON. They overlap consecutively. First the 101st, then the 11th, then the 102nd, the 12th… and so on. In this way, Carla will have the eighth position in category 16. A success.
Here are the 15 players who have secured the LPGA Tour card through the EPSON Tour:
1. Melanie Green, 23 (Medina, New York) – 2,573.004 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 2
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $186,986
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $186,986
Green will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2025.
Achieved 10 top-10 finishes in 2025, including two victories.
Victories: Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber and Guardian Championship.
Played collegiate golf at the University of South Florida.
Four-time member of the American All-Conference Team.
Finished the 2023-2024 season ranked No. 23 in the country.
2023-2024 AAC Women’s Golf Player of the Year.
First female golfer from USF to receive this honour.
Individually qualified for the 2022 NCAA Regional.
Won the Women’s Amateur Championship 2024, organised by The R&A.
First American to win since 1996.
Qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open 2022 presented by Ally as an amateur.
Green on securing LPGA Tour membership for 2026:
“I mean, it’s every kid’s dream come true, right? I’m really looking forward to seeing how my game fits in there and all the places I’m going to see. All the travel and maybe some things others don’t get as excited about. I’m going to live the dream.”
2. Yana Wilson, 19 (Henderson, Nevada) – 2,265.077 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 2
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $164,710
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $164,710
Wilson will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2025.
Achieved 12 top-10 finishes in 2025, including two victories.
Victories: Reliance Matrix Championship presented by Epson and Dream First Bank Charity Classic.
Made the cut in 18 of 19 tournaments.
Was the first rookie with two victories in 2025.
Turned professional in 2024, at 18 years old.
Won the AJGA portion of the Mizuho Americas Open 2023.
Won the USGA Girls Junior Championship 2022.
Won the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex 2022.
Was the youngest to win the Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship (2020) at 14 years old.
Wilson on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m really looking forward to seeing my friends there on the Tour. Being able to go out and play with them is great. It’s been a long process, and I’m really excited to be there. It’s a dream come true.”
3. Gina Kim, 25 (Durham, North Carolina) – 2,084.750 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 3
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $157,234
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $239,367
Kim will return to the LPGA Tour in 2026, regaining her status after losing the card at the end of 2024.
First achieved LPGA status via top 10 on the Epson Tour, finishing eighth on the Official Money List in 2022.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2022.
Has 11 top-10 finishes in her Epson Tour career, including four victories.
2022 Victory: Inova Mission Inn Resort & Club Championship.
Achieved seven top-10 finishes in 2025, including three victories.
2025 Victories: IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture, Copper Rock Championship, and Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship presented by Munich Re.
Played collegiate golf at Duke University.
Won the ACC Individual Championship 2021.
Part of the 2019 NCAA Division I Championship team.
Kim on securing LPGA Tour membership for 2026:
“I’m excited to see where my game is. I feel like this whole season has been a lot of improvement, a lot of growth, and I think I got a good glimpse of how good I can be there. I feel ready for next year, unlike the last three, when I was struggling.”
4. Sophia Schubert, 29 (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) – 1,857.301 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $130,903
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $261,119
Schubert will return to the LPGA Tour in 2026, regaining her status after losing the card at the end of 2024.
First achieved LPGA status via top 10 on the Epson Tour, fourth on the Official Money List 2021.
Achieved six top-10 finishes in 2025.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2019.
Has one victory on the Epson Tour: Carolina Golf Classic 2021 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Has achieved 15 top-10 finishes in her Epson Tour career.
Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Two top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.
Second in The Amundi Evian Championship 2022.
T9 in the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play 2023 presented by MGM Rewards.
Over $897,400 in official career earnings.
Played collegiate golf at the University of Texas.
Won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship 2017.
Schubert on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“It feels so good. That’s the goal at the beginning of the year: to get back to the LPGA, especially after having tried it for a few years. I’m really excited. It’s another dream come true.”
Erika Hara, 26 (Yokohama, Japan) – 1,847.472 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 1
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $146,582
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $146,582
Hara will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2025.
Achieved nine top-10 finishes in 2025, including one victory.
Victory: Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic.
Made the cut in 17 of 18 tournaments this season.
T16 in the Honda LPGA Thailand 2024.
Member of the JLPGA since 2018.
Two-time winner of the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship (2020, 2023).
Won the Japan LPGA Tour Championship 2020.
First professional victory: Resort Trust Ladies 2019.
Hara on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m very happy. I want to express my gratitude to my team members and my family, but most of all, I would like to thank my teacher and mentor, (Masashi) Jumbo Ozaki. And to all the fans for their support.”
6. Briana Chacón, 24 (Whittier, California) – 1,686.737 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 2
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $118,619
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $191,201
Chacón will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Achieved five top-10 finishes in 2025, including two victories.
Victories: IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort and Spa and Casella Golf Championship.
Made 16 cuts in 19 tournaments this season.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2024.
Achieved a victory that year at the Atlantic Beach Classic.
Has six top-10 finishes in her Epson Tour career.
Played collegiate golf at the University of Oregon.
Stroke average of 72.82, first in program history.
First “Duck” to win an NCAA Individual Regional (2022 NCAA Albuquerque Regional).
One of three players in program history with multiple WGCA All-America honours.
Two-time invitee to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
T23 in 2023 and MC in 2022.
Chacón on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m super excited. It’s been my lifelong dream, and I’ve always worked for it. Having it come true is incredible. Above all, I’m ready to start this preseason and get back to work.”
7. Riley Smyth, 25 (Tequesta, Florida) – 1,588.329 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 2
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $117,177
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $169,293
Smyth will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Achieved five top-10 finishes in 2025, including two victories.
Victories: Central Florida Championship and Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands presented by Johnnie Walker.
Playing on the Epson Tour since 2023.
Has 10 top-10 finishes in her career, including her two victories.
Played five years of collegiate golf at the University of Virginia.
Recipient of the William C. Eacho Women’s Golf Scholarship Endowment 2022-2023.
Smyth on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m really looking forward to discovering new courses there, but most importantly, seeing how my game compares to the best in the world. The dream is to play there (LPGA Tour) and be able to compete against the best.”
8. Laetitia Beck, 33 (Tel Aviv, Israel) – 1,561.971 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 1
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $110,499
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $294,084
Beck will return to the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Most recently achieved LPGA status through the LPGA Q-Series in 2023 (T10).
Initially obtained LPGA status for 2015 with a T18 at the LPGA Q-Series 2014.
Five top-10 finishes in 2025, including one victory.
Victory: Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf.
First joined the Epson Tour in 2019.
Has 18 top-10 finishes in her Epson Tour career.
Rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2015.
Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2015-2021 and 2024.
Two top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.
Over $331,200 in official career earnings.
First Israeli-born player to compete in an LPGA event (CN Canadian Open 2011).
Played collegiate golf at Duke University.
ACC Rookie of the Year 2011.
Five-time champion of the Israeli Open Golf Championship.
Beck on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“The most exciting thing and what I look forward to the most is competing against the best players in the world. Also, having the opportunity to represent my country on television. It will be amazing.”
9. Minji Kang, 25 (Bucheon, Republic of Korea) – 1,529.043 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $111,548
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $223,890
Kang will return to the LPGA Tour in 2026, regaining her status after losing the card at the end of 2024.
First achieved LPGA status via top 10 on the Epson Tour, fifth on the Official Money List 2023.
Nine top-10 finishes in 2025.
Made the cut in 19 of 20 tournaments.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2023.
Has 17 top-10 finishes in her career.
Best career result: 2nd in the IOA Golf Classic 2025 presented by Aperture.
Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2024.
Best result: T19 in the CPKC Women’s Open.
Played collegiate golf at Truett McConnell University.
NAIA Champion 2022 (Women’s Golf).
AAC Women’s Golfer of the Year 2022 (Appalachian Athletic Conference).
Kang on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m very grateful to regain my card, and I can’t wait to play on the LPGA next year.”
10. Hailee Cooper, 25 (Montgomery, Texas) – 1,499.545 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $122,049
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $180,363
Cooper will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Eight top-10 finishes in 2025.
Made the cut in 17 of 19 tournaments.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2024.
Has 12 top-10 finishes in her career.
Best career result: T2 in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout 2024.
Finished 32nd in the Race for the Card 2024.
Recorded a notable top-10 in the U.S. Women’s Open 2025 presented by Ally (T7).
Played three years of collegiate golf at the University of Texas and two at Texas A&M University.
Won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball 2016 alongside Kaitlyn Papp Budde (now an LPGA Tour player).
Cooper on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“It’s been my dream since I was a kid, so hearing that I secured the top 10 for the full status I wanted is a different feeling.”
11. Anne Chen, 24 (Sugar Land, Texas) – 1,260.358 points
Victories on the Epson Tour 2025: 1
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $88,999
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $106,555
Chen will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Achieved 5 top-10 finishes in 2025, including one victory.
Victory: Epson Tour Championship at Indian Wells.
Made the cut in 16 of 20 tournaments this season.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2024.
Played 12 events, making eight cuts.
One top-10 in the Island Resort Championship presented by the Delta County Chamber.
Competed collegiately at Duke University.
WGCA All-American Scholar (2021).
All-ACC 2022.
Individual champion of the Chattanooga Classic 2022.
All-ACC Academic Team (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021).
ACC Honor Roll (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021).
Chen on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“A crazy feeling. Very crazy. I can’t believe it. I don’t think it has sunk in yet. I’m sure everyone says that, but really, it hasn’t. I’m definitely going to think about it a lot tonight.”
12. Isabella Fierro, 24 (Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico) – 1,120.447 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $84,421
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $187,711
Fierro will return to the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Last LPGA status achieved via Epson Tour Official Money List 2023 (No. 9).
Six top-10 finishes in 2025.
First joined the Epson Tour in 2023.
Has 13 top-10 finishes in her Epson Tour career.
Won the Tuscaloosa Classic 2023.
Rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2024.
Made six cuts in 23 tournaments.
Played collegiate golf at Oklahoma State University.
2016 All-SEC Freshman Team.
Finished her sophomore year with the best stroke average in program history (71.44).
Invited to the Palmer Cup 2021.
Two-time WGCA All-American Honorable Mention.
Fierro on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. My mother and sister were crying on the 18th hole, so it was very emotional. It’s been a tough year, but things happen for a reason. I’m very grateful to have returned to the Epson Tour with this competition, so I’m glad it paid off.”
13. Michelle Zhang, 20 (People’s Republic of China / Frisco, Texas) – 1,017.776 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $90,553
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $189,016
Zhang will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Four top-10 finishes in 2025.
Playing on the Epson Tour since 2023.
Has 12 top-10 finishes in her career.
Played one year of collegiate golf at Southern Methodist University.
WGCA All-American Honorable Mention 2023 and AAC All-Conference.
Broke SMU records for stroke average (71.38), rounds of par or better (27), and birdies in a season.
Zhang on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m super excited. I was very stressed all week and thought I had to play well. I’m very excited to have done enough and to be on the LPGA Tour next year.”
14. Carla Tejedo Mulet, 23 (Castellón de la Plana, Spain) – 994.016 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $73,951
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $73,951
Tejedo Mulet will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2025.
Four top-10 finishes in 2025.
Made the cut in 13 of 18 tournaments played.
Played collegiate golf at Louisiana State University.
Member of the All-NCAA Championship Team 2024.
All-Louisiana Freshman of the Year 2021.
Participant in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur 2023.
Gold Medal with Spain in the European Ladies Team Championship 2023.
Medalist (Spain) at the World University Games 2022.
Tejedo Mulet on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I didn’t think it would be so tense this week. It was all worth it. I’ve put in a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice. I haven’t been home since February. I haven’t seen my family, and I’ve done nothing but golf for nine months, but it was worth it.”
15. Laney Frye, 23 (Nicholasville, Kentucky) – 965.726 points
2025 Season Earnings (Epson Tour): $73,571
Career Earnings (Epson Tour): $73,571
Frye will be a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2026.
Rookie on the Epson Tour in 2025.
Six top-10 finishes in 2025.
Made the cut in 16 of 19 tournaments played.
Played collegiate golf at the University of Kentucky.
WGCA/Golfweek All-American Honorable Mention 2023-24.
All-SEC First Team 2023-24.
All-Louisiana Freshman of the Year 2021.
Two-time invitee to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (2023, 2024).
Four-time WGCA All-American Scholar.
Frye on securing her LPGA Tour card:
“I’m thrilled. It was a long and emotional week. So seeing it all come together to this point feels great.”
