As spring is coming to a close, so is the 2024 spring season for college golf in the United States. The NCAA National Championships ended just two weeks ago, and with it came a crop of amateur players who decided to forgo their amateur status and turn professional for the foreseeable future.

As we enter the 11th playing of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, 15 players will make their Epson Tour debuts as professionals at Battle Creek Country Club. Among those making their first professional starts are Ingrid Lindblad, the former No. 1 ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Amari Avery, a multiple-time All-American, and Jensen Castle, the 2021 U.S. Women's Amateur Champion.

Lindblad just finished her last event as an amateur at last week's U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club. The Swede held the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings for almost a full year after Rose Zhang turned professional in June of 2023. Lindblad won over 20 events worldwide during her amateur career, including the 2021 European Ladies Amateur Championship and the 2022 SEC Women's Golf Championship.

Lindblad has plenty of experience playing at the professional level, however, playing in seven LPGA Tour events and one Epson Tour event before deciding to turn professional, even turning in a T11 performance at the 2022 U.S. Women's Open. The former Louisiana State University Tiger also won the 2024 Inskter Award Presented by Workday, given to the highest-ranked women's collegiate golfer in their final year of eligibility. Lindblad received an exemption into the 2024 Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour during the first week of August to go with the award.

"Everything's kind of set up as an amateur or even in college, but now it's like I have a little more responsibility," said Lindblad. "I'm excited. I think people are probably looking at me like, 'Why is she still in college?' but I really liked LSU, and I think last year really prepared me for this. The goal is to get the LPGA card for sure and I think I'm definitely capable of it. My coach just texted me this morning. He's like, the golf is the same, you know and at the end of the day, you're going to end up or where you should be."

Avery just completed her junior season at the University of Southern California, adding another win to her collegiate total during her 2024 season, now making it five wins while representing the Trojans. The Epson Tour rookie finished her junior season with a 71.69 scoring average over 86 rounds, has multiple All-American selections over her three-year playing career, and has four Augusta National Women's Amateur appearances, including a T4 finish in 2022. The 20-year-old had an eye on competitive golf from a very young age, appearing on Netflix's "The Short Game" at the age of 6, and now, 14 years later, she will be making her pro debut on the Epson Tour.

Castle burst into the national spotlight during her incredible run at the 2021 U.S. Women's Amateur. She advanced to the match play section of the amateur after getting through a 12-person playoff as the 63rd seed. Castle defeated NCAA Individual Champion Rachel Heck in the semi-finals before heading into the finals and defeating Vivian Hue to win the 2021 U.S. Women's Amateur. Due to an injury to her rib earlier in the year, Castle did not play in any tournaments leading into the U.S. Amateur, making her run even more improbable. She did not slow down after her breakthrough win, representing Team USA in the Curtis Cup twice, making three Augusta National Women's Amateur appearances, and earning All-American honors in 2023.

The other 12 athletes making their first starts as professionals on the Epson Tour this week are as follows:

Camryn Carreon
Anne Chen
Ginnie Ding
Sarah Edwards
Charlotte Heath
Madison Hinson-Tolchard
Marina Ito
Leah John
Rina Jung
Minori Nagano
Christine Wang
Marissa Wenzler

Lindblad, Avery, and Castle Among the 15 Players Making Their Rookie Debuts

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