Lauren Walsh carded a superb, bogey-free, five-under-par 67 in the final round of the LPGA Tour qualifying school to earn an LPGA card for the 2026 season.
The tournament at the Magnolia Grove course in Mobile, Alabama was shortened from five rounds to four due to severe waterlogging on the opening days, while bad light and frost also delayed proceedings yesterday and today.
Castlewarden, Co Kildare golfer Walsh was outside the crucial top-25 almost all the way until closing brilliantly with four birdies, including a 15-foot putt on the par-3 17th, in the last eight holes that propelled her to a tie for 17th and status on the top circuit in the women's game with a shot to spare.
The 25-year old, who played College golf at Wake Forest and was First Team All-American in her Senior year (2023), has taken to the professional ranks with aplomb.
She ranked tenth on this season's Ladies European Tour and, while without a win, has amassed €360,000 since turning professional a little over two years ago.
There is no guaranteed number of starts for Walsh in 2026 but there will certainly be multiple opportunities, likely into double digits, with 33 events in 13 different countries and a total prize fund of $132 million.
Cavan's Leona Maguire, who has won twice on the LPGA Tour, and Antrim native Stephanie Meadow are the Irish players who have held tour cards.
