Epson Tour
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023 Epson Tour
FormerlySymetra Tour
Duramed Futures Tour
LPGA Futures Tour
SportGolf
Founded1981
Inaugural season1981
CountryUnited States
ContinentNorth America
Related
competitions		LPGA Tour
Official websiteepsontour.com

The Epson Tour, previously known as the LPGA Futures Tour, and known for sponsorship reasons between 2006 and 2010 as the Duramed Futures Tour and between 2012 and 2021 as the Symetra Tour, is the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour. Tour membership is open to professional women golfers and to qualified amateurs.

History

The Futures Tour was founded in Florida in 1981 as the "Tampa Bay Mini Tour". It officially became the Futures Golf Tour in 1983[1] and in 1999 become a national tour designated as the "official developmental tour" of the LPGA Tour (the U.S.-based professional women's golf tour).

Grace Park, Marilyn Lovander and Audra Burks were the first players to receive automatic LPGA Tour exempt status by finishing one, two, and three on the Futures Golf Tour Money List.[1]

The minimum age for participation was lowered to 17 prior to the 2006 season.[2] On July 18, 2007, the LPGA officially announced that it had acquired the Futures Tour effective immediately, "bringing women's professional golf now under one umbrella." Previously the Futures Tour had operated as a licensee of the LPGA.[3]

Duramed, a pharmaceutical company, was the tour's title sponsor from 2006 through the end of the 2010 season. In 2011, the tour was known as the "LPGA Futures Tour." In 2012, Symetra, a United States-based insurance provider, became the title sponsor of the tour and tour's name was changed to "Symetra Tour". In January 2022, the LPGA signed a five-year title sponsorship agreement with Epson America Inc.[4]

Promotion to LPGA

1999–2007

From 1999 through 2007 the top five leading money winners at the end of each season earned full membership in the following season's LPGA Tour. Starting with the sixth-ranked player at the end of the season, ten additional Futures Tour players who are not already members of the LPGA, automatically advanced into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, bypassing the sectional qualifying tournament.

2008–2010

Beginning in 2008 the process for promotion to the LPGA Tour was changed. The top ten leading money winners at the end of the season gain membership on the LPGA Tour for the next season, with those finishing in the top five positions gaining higher priority for entry into events than those finishing in positions six through ten. Finishers in positions sixth through ten still have the option to attend LPGA Qualifying School to try to improve their membership for the following season.[5]

2011–present

Beginning in 2011, the promotion process was changed slightly to allow the next 24 players, excluding current LPGA members, after the top ten qualifiers to automatic entry into Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament.[6]

Players

Futures Tour graduates include LPGA tournament winners Laura Davies, Meaghan Francella, Cristie Kerr, Christina Kim, Nelly Korda, Mo Martin, Lorena Ochoa, Grace Park, Inbee Park, Stacy Prammanasudh, Sherri Steinhauer, and Karrie Webb.

Historical tour schedules and results

YearNumber of
tournaments		Total prize
money (US$)		Prize money ($)
per tournament
2023225,000,000227,000
2022214,410,000210,000
2021203,800,000190,000
2020101,625,000162,500
2019234,000,000173,913
2018212,990,000142,381
2017222,950,000[7]134,091
2016233,125,000135,870
2015232,420,000105,217
2014202,250,000112,500
2013151,625,000108,333
2012161,755,000[8]109,688
2011161,765,000[9]110,313
2010171,920,000[10]112,941
2009171,795,000[11]105,588
2008181,710,000[12]95,000
2007191,585,000[13]83,421
2006191,425,000[14]75,000

Awards

  • The Player of the Year Award is given to the player who leads the money list at the end of the season.
  • The Gaëlle Truet Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the player competing in her first professional season who finishes highest on the Symetra Tour money List. Truet was a Tour member who was killed in a car accident during the 2006 season. The award was renamed in her honor beginning in 2006.
  • The Trainor Award has been given each year since 1999 to an individual or group that has made a significant contribution to women's golf. It is named in honor of the Tour's founder and former president, Eloise Trainor.
  • The Heather Wilbur Spirit Award has been given each year since 2003 to a Symetra Tour player who "best exemplifies dedication, courage, perseverance, love of the game and spirit toward achieving goals as a professional golfer." It is named in memory of Heather Wilbur, a four-year Futures Tour player who died from leukemia in 2000 at age 27.
YearPlayer of the YearRookie of the YearTrainor AwardHeather Wilbur Spirit Award
2023Australia Gabriela RuffelsMalaysia Natasha Andrea OonUnited States Hannah Arnold
2022Sweden Linnea StrömChina Yin Xiaowen
2021United States Lilia VuUnited States Amanda Doherty—United States Nannette Hill
2020Slovenia Ana BelacSlovenia Ana Belac——
2019France Perrine DelacourThailand Patty Tavatanakit——
2018China Ruixin LiuSweden Linnea StrömJim and Denise MedfordUnited States Portland Rosen
2017Thailand Benyapa NiphatsophonAustralia Hannah GreenPotawatomi Nation tribesUnited States Laura Wearn
2016Sweden Madelene SagströmSweden Madelene SagströmUnited States John Ritenour and Valli RitenourUnited States Ally McDonald
2015United States Annie ParkUnited States Annie ParkUnited States Walt LincerUnited States Casey Grice
2014United States Marissa SteenChinese Taipei Min LeeUnited States Mike VadalaSouth Korea Min Seo Kwak
2013Thailand P.K. KongkraphanItaly Giulia MolinaroSouth Korea Kyung Ahn MoonUnited States Melissa Eaton
2012United States Esther ChoeSouth Korea Mi Hyang LeeUnited States Zayra CalderonUnited States Nicole Jeray
2011United States Kathleen EkeyUnited States Sydnee Michaelsn/aCanada Izzy Beisiegel
2010United States Cindy LaCrosseUnited StatesSouth Korea Jennifer SongExecutive Women's Golf AssociationUnited States Mo Martin
2009United States Mina HarigaeUnited States Mina HarigaeUnited States Renee PowellUnited States Malinda Johnson
2008United States Vicky HurstUnited States Vicky HurstCanada Jocelyne BourassaUnited States Katie Fraley
2007United States Emily BastelMexico Violeta RetamozaUnited States Cynthia RihmUnited States Jenny Hansen
2006South Korea Song-Hee KimSouth Korea Song-Hee KimAustralia Sherrin SmyersUnited States Katie Connelly
2005South Korea Seon-Hwa LeeSouth Korea Sun Young YooAustralia Karrie WebbCanada Salimah Mussani
2004South Korea Jimin KangSouth Korea Aram ChoUnited States Decatur, Illinois Women's CommitteesAustralia Lindsey Wright
2003United States Stacy PrammanasudhSouth Korea Soo Young MoonUnited States Wilma GillilandCanada Heather Wilbur
2002Mexico Lorena OchoaMexico Lorena OchoaUnited States Bob Hirschman and Connie Shorb
2001United States Beth BauerUnited States Beth BauerUnited States Diane Lewis
2000United States Heather ZakharUnited States Jamie HullettUnited States Betty Puskar
1999South Korea Grace ParkUnited States Lew Williams
1998United States Michelle Bell
1997United States Marilyn Lovander
1996United States Vickie Moran
1995United States Patty Ehrhart
1994United States Marilyn Lovander
1993United States Nanci Bowen
1992United States Jodi Figley
1991United States Kim Williams
1990United States Denise Baldwin
1989United States Jennifer MacCurrach
1988Peru Sweden Jenny Lidback
1987United States Laurel Kean
1986United States Tammie Green
1985United States Tammie Green
1984United States Penny Hammel

The Big Break

Many of the contestants on The Golf Channel's The Big Break III: Ladies Only, which aired in the Spring of 2005, played on the Futures Tour, including Danielle Amiee, who ended up being the show's overall champion. The other players from the show that played on the Futures Tour were Jan Dowling, Valeria Ochoa, runner-up Pamela Crikelair, and LPGA veteran Cindy Miller. Show co-host Stephanie Sparks played on the Futures Tour from 1996 to 1999.

The Big Break V: Hawaii, which aired in the spring of 2006, included six additional Futures Tour competitors: Dana Lacey, Ashley Prange, Kim Lewellen, Kristina Tucker, Becky Lucidi and Jeanne Cho. Prange won the competition; Cho was runner-up.

The Big Break VI: Trump National, broadcast in the fall of 2006, included six more Futures Tour players: Rachel Bailey, the individual winner of the 2002 Sunbelt Conference Championship at New Mexico State University; Bridget Dwyer, a member of the 2004 NCAA Women's Golf Championship winning team at UCLA; Ashley Gomes, the 2004 WAC Player of the Year and individual winner of the 2004 WAC Championship while at San Jose State University; Sarah Lynn Johnston, the 2004 Southern Conference Player of the Year and individual winner of the 2004 Southern Conference Championship while at Furman University; Kristy McPherson, a three-time NCAA All-American First Team selection and two-time individual winner of the SEC Championship while at The University of South Carolina; and Briana Vega, who holds North Carolina State University's scoring records for 18-holes (68) and 54-holes (216).

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Mickey, Lisa D. "Silver Anniversary Salute: Futures Tour Prepares For Next 25 Years". Duramed Futures Tour. Archived from the original on April 9, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Duramed Futures Tour Lowers Minimum Age Requirement". Golf Business Wire. February 1, 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  3. ↑ "LPGA acquires Duramed Futures Tour". LPGA. July 18, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
  4. ↑ Gibson, Charlotte (January 26, 2022). "Epson signs five-year agreement to be title sponsor of LPGA qualifying tour". ESPN. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  5. ↑ "LPGA Tour Cards Award to Duramed Futures Tour Top 10". LPGA. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Ten LPGA Futures Tour Players Earn 2012 LPGA Tour Membership". LPGA. September 11, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "2017 Tournament Schedule". Symetra Tour.
  8. ↑ "2012 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2012.
  9. ↑ "2011 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2011.
  10. ↑ "2010 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2011.
  11. ↑ "2009 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2011.
  12. ↑ "2008 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2011.
  13. ↑ "2007 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2011.
  14. ↑ "2006 Tournament Schedule" (PDF). LPGA Futures Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2011.
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