Every year, a new crop of rookies enters the professional scene, all looking to make an impact on Tour and show that they belong among the world's best. Some rookies come from decorated collegiate programs with excellent amateur resumes, while some players are from smaller programs and have been waiting for their opportunity to showcase their talent. It is hard to say who finds success faster, but in the 2024 season, the first rookie winner, Brianna Chacon, is in the former category.

While attending the University of Oregon, Chacon was a two-time All-American selection, won the 2022 Albuquerque Regional, and participated in the Augusta National Women's Amateur twice. By the time she left, she etched her name in the Oregon Ducks Women's Golf history books, with an all-time scoring average record of 72.82 over her 108 career rounds.

"Playing at Oregon definitely helped shape me as a player and really prepared me for the next level. I think I matured a lot, not only like as a person, but as a player," explained Chacon. "The main takeaway from college is I just learned how to be really competitive. Just because all the girls on the team, everyone was so talented and competitive. When I was there, you never knew who was playing in the top five starting lineup. That really helped me prepare me for this stage, I think."

Chacon's journey to the Epson Tour was not without its Challenges. Despite missing the cut in her first two events, she persevered. It was at the last event in the opening season swing that she truly made her mark. Battling through difficult rainy conditions and rain delays, Chacon fired a final-round 2-under 69 to capture her first professional victory, proving that setbacks are just stepping stones to success.

"I think since that win, I've just been trying to learn as much as I can out here. I mean, that win came kind of early on in the season. Luckily, I was able to pull that off, but I think since then, I'm just trying to learn and absorb as much as I possibly can from veterans and just try to take everything in," said Chacon. "My mindset is just to be consistent, not get too ahead of myself, and not put too much pressure on myself. I need to just play free. I feel like I play the best when I feel free."

After the win, the California native made the cut in her next seven tournaments, proving she still had more to offer after her first win. The win in Florida kickstarted the wave of rookie talent that hit the Epson Tour in 2024, with rookies Juliana Hung and Fiona Xu both winning in the next four events played after Chacon's victory.

Chacon's current standing in the Race for the Card is a testament to her talent and determination. She currently holds the No. 19 spot, a mere 33 points behind the No. 15 position, with just five tournaments left to play. Despite coming off back-to-back missed cuts, Chacon's past performances indicate that she could once again find herself at the top of the leaderboard, this time at the Four Winds Invitational.

Rookie Season Catch-Up with 2024 Epson Tour Winner Briana Chacon

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