The saying “bet on yourself” has been floating around more frequently in athletics than ever before. You see it in all major sports, with players taking shorter deals in hopes of proving their worth and signing a long-term contract.

In golf, it is a little different, but the thought process still applies. A player can bet on themselves by forgoing college or leaving school early to pursue what they hope is a successful professional career. But after turning pro, it takes a lot of time and effort for an athlete to get their amateur status back, and they run the risk of not being eligible to compete at the collegiate level, making choosing an immediate professional path after junior golf a big decision for an athlete.

Epson Tour rookie Yana Wilson had to make that choice last year after she earned Epson Tour status for the 2025 season through the LPGA Qualifying Series. Wilson committed to play for the University of Oregon near the end of 2023, but forgoing college altogether had always been something that the young talent considered doing.

“Growing up, I really never saw myself going to college. So, it was kind of in the back of my head,” explained Wilson ahead of the IOA Golf Classic. “It's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to turn pro and start as early as I can. That was kind of my thought process, too, was to get out here as early as I can, maybe get beat up a little bit and learn from that early on.”

The Nevada native ultimately made the decision to turn pro after her T8 finish at the Pre-Qualifying stage of 2024 LPGA Q-Series. Advancing to Qualifying meant Wilson had guaranteed Epson Tour status for 2025, but her finish at that stage would determine just how good that status was.

A T66 finish at Qualifying put Wilson in Category I on the 2025 Epson Tour Priority List, a position that left her on the reserve lists for the first couple of events, just barely on the outside looking in.

But when the season-opening Central Florida Championship field closed, the rookie ended up filling the last open spot of the event at the very last minute, and the 18-year-old took full advantage of that situation at Winter Haven Country Club, firing rounds of 71-68-69 to secure the first top-10 finish of her professional career.

“The events have been really fun,” said Wilson. “Obviously, I did not expect to get in the (Atlantic Beach Classic). It was really just playing it by ear, just to see how I do in the first event. But I'm so grateful to have gotten in. The Tour's been awesome, and girls have been really helpful.”

Finishing inside the top 10 in Winter Haven, Fla., earned Wilson one of the holding spots set aside for the top-10 finishers who were not already exempt for the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf. For the 18-year-old rookie, this was huge, considering she was on the reserve list and not even in the event at Atlantic Beach Country Club when the entry deadline closed earlier this year.

And just like she did at the Central Florida Championship the previous week, Wilson took advantage of the opportunity. She was leading after the first round of the Atlantic Beach Classic after posting a 2-under 69, besting the field average by eight shots. But even though Wilson was unable to break par over the next two days, she secured another top-10 finish, ending the week in a tie for fourth.

Like last week in Atlantic Beach, Fla., Wilson earned a spot in the field at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture because of that top-10 finish at the previous tournament. And now, not only has Wilson secured herself starts in back-to-back weeks, but she has also moved inside the top 10 in the Race for the Card, currently holding the No. 6 spot.

Wilson bet on herself when she turned pro last fall, and it seems like she is winning that bet early on this year. But with plenty of golf left to play, only time will tell if that bet ultimately pays off in her rookie season on the Epson Tour.

Rookie Spotlight: Yana Wilson's Bet on Herself Paying Dividends Early in 2025 Season

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