With only six events left in the Epson Tour season, all eyes have turned to the top 15 in the Race for the Card and who will be on the LPGA Tour next season. Flying under the radar this week at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic is the chance for several players to play their way into the top 125 and avoid Pre-Qualifying in Palm Springs, Calif., next week.

Why does avoiding Pre-Qualifying mean so much this year? For the first time ever, if an athlete does not advance to the Qualifying stage in Q-Series or does not complete four rounds during the Qualifying stage without a withdrawal or a disqualification, they will earn no status on the Epson Tour for the 2025 season. This week is the last opportunity for the players outside the current top 125 to avoid that risk all together and book their ticket to Qualifying in October.

Once in Qualifying, the field can determine their status based on their finish in the Qualifying Stage. The better the finish in Qualifying, the better the status the player will have to start the 2025 season. Earning a spot in Qualifying also puts you one step closer to a spot in Final Qualifying to try and earn a place on the LPGA Tour.

Some players outside looking in heading into this week include Therese Warner, who finished inside the top 50 in 2023 and had a runner-up finish at the 2023 Copper Rock Championship; Selena Costabile, who has finished inside the top 70 over the last two seasons with five top-10 finishes in that stretch; and Samantha Vodry, who posted the lowest 18-hole score of the season this year at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, a 9-under 62.

A strong finish this week for the players outside the top 125 can not only mean a weight is lifted for the rest of the season, but it can also be a substantial financial weight lifted off their shoulders as well. The potential rewards are significant, and if there is a time to play your best golf of the season, it is this week in Pendleton. The future is bright for those who rise to the occasion.

The Last Chance to Get Inside the Top 125 Before Pre-Qualifying

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