Yana Wilson climbed the leaderboard during LPGA qualifying after a flawless third round of 67 on the Panther Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club. The 18-year-old, who made her professional debut in September at the Kroger Queen City Championship, moved from 71st to 25th.
The top 35 and ties qualify for the final qualifiers in December.
“It was kind of relieving, but honestly I knew I had left a little bit behind,” said Wilson, who opted out of playing college golf at Oregon to turn professional. “I missed a few short putts on the back nine, which was unfortunate, but I’m looking forward to getting back to the range and improving my game afterward.”
Last year’s AJGA Player of the Year, Wilson said she approached the week with no expectations and felt the Epson Tour was a good place to start her professional career. She viewed achieving LPGA status as a plan B.
“I didn’t go to college,” Wilson said, “so I turned professional really early, I think I really wanted to develop my game earlier, and it didn’t matter if it was on the LPGA or on the Epson Tour.”
Overnight leader Zoe Campos of UCLA carded a 66 in the third round to take a three-shot lead over defending NCAA champion Adela Cernousek. Both are playing this week as amateurs. Players must become professional to participate in the final qualifiers.
Campos sits at 15 under while Cernousek, who shot a second straight 66, is at 12 under.
The deadline for amateurs to turn professional and compete in the final qualifiers is November 15 at 5 p.m. ET.
Other notables around the 3-under cut line include Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn (T-34), Latanna Stone (T-34) and Amari Avery (T-49).
Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson followed a second-round 69 with a 71 and moved into 92nd place at 2 for the tournament.
All players who complete four rounds at Plantation will receive Epson Tour status. Davidson would be the second transgender golfer to achieve status on the developmental tour. Bobbi Lancaster earned the status in 2013 through LPGA Q-School Stage I, but has never actually competed in an official event.
This article was originally published on Golfweek: Teenager Yana Wilson Takes Big Step Forward in LPGA Qualifying; Cards of Transgender Golfer Hailey Davidson 71
