NCAA champion Adela Cernousek co-medaled at the second stage of 2024 LPGA Qualifying but, like Ingrid Lindblad before her, won’t turn professional. The Texas A&M senior will instead head back to school, where she’ll tee it up for the Aggies in a tournament next week.
“I think I’m going back to school and staying amateur,” said the Frenchwoman. “I think that’s the plan.”
Cernousek, who had Stacy Lewis’ father Dale Lewis on her bag, finished knotted at the top with England’s Mimi Rhodes at 14 under at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. Lewis’ husband, Gerrod Chadwell, is head coach at A&M.
A total of 43 players earned the opportunity to advance to the Final Stage, including four amateurs, three of whom are in the top 10 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Players must turn professional in order to compete in Final Qualifying, Dec. 5-9, at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Mobile, Alabama.
2024 LPGA Qualifying: Leaderboard
The amateur deadline to turn professional to compete in Final Qualifying is Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. ET.
Two UCLA seniors – Zoe Campos and Caroline Canales – finished in the top 12. Mississippi State senior Julia Lopez Rameriz advanced after taking a share of 23rd. Western Kentucky senior Catie Craig made the cut on the number at 4 under – with a birdie on her final hole – to finish T-31.
UCLA senior Zoe Campos finished in a share of third at LPGA Qualifying. (LPGA)
England’s Rhodes, a recent Wake Forest grad, has been on a tear of late, helping Great Britain and Ireland win the Curtis Cup and then, two weeks later, capturing her first professional title on the LET Access Series.
“I mean, looking back after I graduated, I would never have imagined myself in this position, you know, shooting so many low scores,” said Rhodes, who closed with a 65 in at Plantation Golf and Country Club. “I’m just over the moon, and I’ve worked hard to be here, and I’m just glad that it’s finally paid off.”
When Campos first told UCLA head coach Alicia Um that she wanted to go to Q-School, Um wasn’t enthused. At the time, she would’ve rather Campos made a clean break and turn professional at the end of last spring.
But, after giving it some thought, Um decided that Campos’ leadership this fall was important to the team and told her it was OK to come back for the semester.
“I’m happy for her,” said Um, “truly happy.”
Campos will compete one last time for the Bruins next week at the East Lake Cup before turning professional. She’s the fifth Bruin to leave the program midseason to turn professional, following in the footsteps of Lilia Vu, Bronte Law, Alison Lee and Stephanie Kono.
“I think turning professional, it’s a really big step, and it’s been a dream of mine,” said Campos. “Just to know that I’ll be on tour either way, it’s a really big accomplishment. No matter where I end up, I’m looking forward to growing and just seeing where I’ll be.”
Campos’ teammate, Canales, isn’t quite yet sure about her next step.
“Obviously I am still a senior,” she said. “I’d love to graduate, and I have loved my time at UCLA so far. I have two amazing coaches. I think I’m just going to talk with my coaches and myfamily and see what the best road forward is. Luckily, we have two weeks to decide. It’snot like I have to decided tomorrow, so yeah, we’re just going to take our time with that.”
All players who completed four rounds in Venice will receive Epson Tour status. Those who finished in the top 80 but did not advance to Final Qualifying will be placed into Category I on the Epson Tour Priority List for 2025.
Remaining players who completed 72 holes will be placed into Category K, in order of their qualifying finish. For context, 217 players were ahead of Category K on the 2024 Epson Tour Priority List at the start of the year.
Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson finished in a share of 95th. Other notables who failed to advance include Rachel Kuehn, who missed but one stroke, LPGA winner Christina Kim, Amari Avery and 18-year-old Yana Wilson.