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…
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