At this stage last season, Gabriela Ruffels had already notched two wins and added to her trophy case, and by the end of the week, Jenny Bae became the second player to secure two wins on the Epson Tour in 2023. However, the 2024 season has been a stark contrast, with 12 different names entering the winner's circle so far. The unpredictability of the season is evident, with Daniela Iacobelli coming the closest to repeating success with a runner-up finish at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic and a win at the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship.
Madison Young, who won for the first time in her career at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic, is another player searching for the elusive second win. The 27-year-old secured a tie for fifth place at the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic a week after her win but has since fallen on challenging times, only finishing inside the top 30 one time in her last five starts. The ups and downs in a season are common in professional golf, but it is often when you are in the downs that something clicks within your game. For Young, if she can get the flatstick back on track, she will be well on her way to earning her LPGA Tour card, sitting at No. 6 in the Race for the Card with seven events to play.
Madison Young, reflecting on her performance since her first win, expressed the challenges she's faced. “Everything's been kind of a struggle since the week after I won because I finished tied for fifth, and I was kind of in contention there. My game has been really good, though; I just have not been making putts. So, I've been trying to figure out what's going on with that,” she explained.
“Getting a good finish would mean a lot. I mean, it would definitely help to finish high up and keep seeing the momentum get better. To get a second win would be incredible. I mean, it would probably secure a spot in the top 15 for sure and would solidify everything I have been working on.”
Briana Chacon was the first of three rookies to win during the 2024 season. The 22-year-old took home the title in just her third Epson Tour start at the Atlantic Beach Classic. The season has since cooled down for the rookie, who has been making cuts but has yet to find herself in contention to win for a second time. A T18 result at the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic is the closest she has been to the winner's circle since Atlantic Beach, sliding her down the Race for the Card standings to No. 14, right on the bubble for an LPGA Tour card. Regardless of what happens this season, it has been all about confidence for Chacon, and it is growing with each week she is on Tour.
"The beginning of the season was pretty crazy for me. I think most of all it just helped me get more confidence with myself as a player and solidified the fact that I can compete out here even though it's my first year and I can compete with all these amazing players," said Chacon on her rookie season. "Another win, I feel like, would just take a good week and maybe some luck, so I hope to find that soon."
The last time the Epson Tour went without a multi-win player was during the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19. With only seven tournaments remaining, the chance of a two-time winner is getting slimmer, but if history is any indication, expect to see a familiar name raise a trophy for the second time this year.
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