The long-awaited Epson Tour Championship has arrived. Players dust off their clubs from a week off to head over to sunny Indian Wells, Calif., to compete in the last four rounds of the 2026 season.
The top nine players in the current Race for the Card rankings have already secured their LPGA Tour cards for 2027; most notably, Mirabel Ting has taken home two career wins in her rookie season alone. Six spots remain open for any of the 71 players in this week’s field.
Players will compete Oct. 1-4 at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, adorned with palm trees and surrounded by mountains. Playing 6,465 yards, the course records belong to Michaela Finn (18-hole) and Auston Kim and Jaravee Boonchant (72-hoe).
One of the largest purses on tour, players will compete for $300,000. The winner will take home $100,000 – the first six-figure winner’s share in tournament history – and 650 points in the Race for the Card. This will also be the first time the championship has no cut, which means every player has a chance to change their fate.
Who to Watch at the 2026 Epson Tour Championship
As the last event of the 2026 season, athletes must give it their all to come out on top and with an LPGA card.
Anne Chen, who won this event last year, surged up to No. 11 on the Race for the Card and earned her LPGA Tour status; she’s back this year looking to break into the top 15 again (currently at No. 18) to secure higher status. She had 9 starts this year on the LPGA Tour and two made cuts while also 11/11 cuts on the Epson Tour this season. Her highest finish thus far is a T3 at the Smoky Mountain Championship.
Reagan Zibilski: Former Razorback Racing for a Card
Sitting at a No. 37 spot on the Race for the Card rankings, Reagan Zibilski has had a fruitful rookie season since joining the tour this summer from the LCAP Program. Making an impressive 9 of 10 cuts in her starts this season, she had three top-10 finishes: the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship (T6), Island Resort Championship (T6) and Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic.
Zibilski played collegiately at the University of Arkansas, where she won the 2025 Dale McNamara Invitational. She was named 2025 and 2026 All-SEC Second Team. 650 points may be enough to boost the former Razorback into the top-15 range and gain her LPGA card, but she will need to give it her all.
Maddie McCrary-Civello: A Veteran Looking for a Win
A rookie in 2018, Maddie McCrary-Civello has had a rollercoaster of a season. Making 8 of 18 cuts in 2026, McCrary-Civello also has a win under her belt from earlier this year. She was crowned the winner of the 2026 Orlando Health Championship. That was enough to launch the Texas native to No. 27.
As an amateur, McCrary-Civello had two career starts on the LPGA Tour in 2015 and 2017. She has one collegiate win – the 2017 Windy City Individual Championship – and had eight top-5 finishes during her career as a Cowgirl. In 2018, she made five cuts of 11 her rookie season on tour. Just outside the top 15, the veteran on tour may be able to find herself taking home an LPGA Tour card this week.
Megan Streicher: Just Outside the Top 15
South African Megan Streicher has shown perseverance in her rookie season on tour, racking up four top-10 finishes in the span of two months. She placed T6 in the Island Resort Championship and second in the Four Winds Invitational. With 8 of 11 cuts made and a low round of 65 this season, Streicher is No. 20 on the Race for the Card rankings, looking for an in.
Streicher played collegiately at the University of Carolina, where she shot the lowest round in Tar Heel history at 65.. For three consecutive years, Streicher was awarded All-ACC honors and was a four-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
Other players hanging in the top-20 balance include past Epson Tour season winners Christine Wang and Kary Hollenbaugh as well as the consistently top finisher Samantha Wagner.
The 2026 season comes to a close following Sunday’s play this weekend. With six 2027 LPGA Tour card spots still up in the air, it’s anyone’s chance to dance on the big stage next year.
