Another year, another crop of college stars bolting midseason for the pros.
Three of the five college players who advanced through LPGA Qualifying, formerly known as the second stage of LPGA Q-School, have opted to forfeit the remainder of their college eligibility, turn professional and enter next month’s LPGA Final Qualifying, where they will attempt to earn their LPGA cards. That trio is comprised of three top-10 amateurs – No. 3 Julia Lopez Ramirez of Mississippi State, No. 8 Zoe Campos of UCLA and No. 10 Adela Cernousek of Texas A&M.
UCLA senior Caroline Canales, a crucial part of the Bruins’ run to the NCAA final last spring, and Western Kentucky senior Catie Craig are deferring their Epson Tour status and returning to school. Canales was believed to be leaning toward turning pro as well, but her head coach, Alicia Um Holmes, confirmed that she had decided to remain amateur until the summer.
Final qualifying will be contested over 90 holes on Dec. 5-9 with the top 25 finishers and ties earning LPGA membership out of Category 14. The LPGA adjusted its Q-School rules in 2022, requiring amateurs who advanced through second stage to either turn pro to remain eligible for Q-Series or defer their Epson Tour status until the summer, after the NCAA Championship. Amateurs had previously been able to compete at final stage and if they earned status, then make their decision.
Since 2018, when players were first able to defer membership, 24 college players have turned pro midseason, leaving their college programs. Since 2022, six players have chosen to turn professional and compete at final stage, though eight players opted to defer their Epson status, including former top-ranked amateur Ingrid Lindblad last season. Lindblad has already earned her LPGA card for next season.
The LPGA plans to announced this week ahead of the CME Group Tour Championship two new programs that will resemble PGA Tour University, though it is expected to only offer Epson cards to the top seniors, which may do little to deter college players from entering final qualifying and chasing an LPGA card.
Now, top college programs are once again left to fill massive voids. Mississippi State is ranked No. 10 in the country, while Texas A&M is No. 17 and UCLA has struggled to a No. 28 national ranking. The Bruins will enter the spring with just seven players on the roster, two of whom have yet to hit a shot this season. The Bulldogs also now have just six players, though that group includes a two-time winner this fall in Avery Weed and another top-100 player in Chiara Horder.
Lopez Ramirez ends her career as one of just four players in SEC history to win multiple conference individual titles.
“Our golf program here at Mississippi State is very different now than it was before Julia arrived,” said Mississippi State head coach Charlie Ewing, whose wife, Ally Ewing, played for the Bulldogs and is a three-time LPGA winner and four-time Solheim Cupper. “The impact she has made is undeniable. She’s helped me become a better coach and she’s helped her teammates grow in countless ways. She leaves here with her name at the top of just about every program record and she’s led the team to championships and accomplishments that have never been achieved here before. So we are nothing but grateful for her time, efforts and dedication.”
Campos was the first to announce her intentions to turn pro, committing to the decision even before playing second stage.
“I do feel ready for the next step,” she said after advancing to final qualifying.
Cernousek, though, seemed as if she’d be deferring her status, saying after second stage, “I think I’m going back to school and staying amateur; I think that’s the plan.” But in the weeks since, Cernousek, the only Aggie to both win NCAAs and finish a season with a sub-71 scoring average (69.94), decided the opportunity of competing for an LPGA card too intriguing to pass up.
“First and foremost, I have been very blessed to represent Texas A&M University the last three and a half years, and I am thankful that God brought me to Aggieland,” Cernousek said. “I would like to thank everyone that was a part of my journey. My time here has shaped me in ways I could have never imagined, and I will carry these lessons for the rest of my life. To G, Gio, and Austin, your everyday belief, patience, and support made me the player and the person I am today. I would also like to thank the support staff that helped me along the way behind the scenes for all the work they did during my time at Texas A&M and Allison and Ryan for their guidance these last several months. To the 12th Man, thank you for your unwavering support. Your spirit and commitment made competing that much more special. Thank you for being the best fans ever. To my teammates, thank you for your continuous encouragement and love. It has been an honor playing with all of you. You are more than teammates; you are my best friends for life, and I will forever cherish the memories we made together.
“Lastly, the biggest thank you to my family for always standing with me in whatever decisions I chose. I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by so many special people. My life is changed forever.”
