The 2026 IOA Golf Classic highlighted the unique intersection that the Epson Tour represents in golf. We have the fresh college graduates beginning their professional journeys. We have the grinders that are learning each year and getting one step closer to their LPGA dreams. We have the amateurs that have an opportunity to tee it up in their first professional event and experience the ultimate motivation to keep playing.
However, we also have the LPGA stars who had a poor season and have to earn their way back to the big stage. These players return with a wealth of experience but serve as a reminder that golf is hard and completely out of our control.
Jeongeun Lee6 is a name you probably recognize from LPGA leaderboards given the distinct number added to the end of “Lee.” She won the U.S. Women’s Open in 2019 but went on to lose her LPGA Tour card in 2025. She was left with two choices for 2026: retire or compete on the Epson Tour.
Lee6 chose the latter, and her hard work from the offseason that revolved around changing her swing is beginning to pay off. She shot a 65 (-6) in the final round today to win the IOA Golf Classic by one stroke over fellow Korean and LPGA player, Jiwon Jeon.
This is Lee6’s second professional win in the U.S. in addition to placing first at the 2018 LPGA Q-Series, the final stage where she first earned her LPGA Tour card. She has six wins from the Korean LPGA (KLPGA) Tour as well.
“I’m still feeling uncomfortable with my swing, but I tried to focus on what I had to do today, and it worked well,” Lee6
said.
Jeon had also been working on her swing, saying, “My golf game has been a little off the last couple of years, and I worked really hard during offseason and am trying to get my game back and the confidence back on the golf course. That worked out pretty well. I’m very proud of myself shooting 8-under today.”
Even if you’re on top of the golf world, you still have to work on your swing and trust the process. It’s rare to see complete domination in golf, and it’s inspiring to see these talented players acknowledge what needs changing in their swings, put in the effort and see that hard work pay off in tournament play.
Mariel Galdiano and Jessica Porvasnik placed 3rd and 4th today, respectively.
“Yeah, I just really stayed patient. I think last week for me was a real awakening and a struggle, so I just took some time off to bring some clarity to myself and what I need to focus on,” said Galdiano. “You know, of course, everyone wants to come out and do well in the first tournament, but for me, I am just lucky to be playing on the weekend. I was telling one of my friends earlier today that I’m just glad to be here. So, just really focusing on my process and just taking one shot at a time.”
14-year-old Keira Shavitranuruk also had an incredible week, missing the cut by only three strokes against some of the best golfers in the world. There’s no better way to build confidence than to compete and learn from the women whose footsteps you hope to follow in a few years.
Monday qualifiers Yue Zhang and Lauren Peter both took advantage of their opportunity to play in an Epson Tour event earlier in the season and made the cut, giving them a better chance to make it into more events later in the year. This is a huge advantage because more events played equals more opportunities to earn Race to the Card points to secure the coveted LPGA Tour card for 2027.
This Epson Tour season continues to be an exciting one to watch. You never know who will grace the tee boxes each week, and you could be watching favorite players from the past, up-and-coming LPGA Tour stars and even the next generation to make a name for themselves in college and beyond.
The Epson Tour will head to its third event of the season, the Orlando Health Championship from March 20-22 at the Grasslands Golf & Country Club in Lakeland, Florida. The Orlando Health Championship is not only a new event added to the schedule, but it also offers the last of the three Local Qualifying Rounds announced at the beginning of the season.
