Epson Tour

{{Short description|Golf tour}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox sports league | title = Epson Tour | current_season = 2026 Epson Tour | last_season = | upcoming_season = | logo =  | formerly = Symetra Tour Duramed Futures Tour LPGA Futures Tour | sport = Golf | founded = 1981 | inaugural = 1981 | country = United States | continent = [[North America]] | related_comps = [[LPGA Tour]] | website = {{URL|https://epsontour.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<ref name="Futures"> {{cite web |url=http://www.duramedfuturestour.com/News/SilverAnniversarySalute.html |title=Silver Anniversary Salute: Futures Tour Prepares For Next 25 Years |publisher=Duramed Futures Tour |first=Lisa D. |last=Mickey |access-date=April 26, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409095151/http://duramedfuturestour.com/News/SilverAnniversarySalute.html |archive-date=2007-04-09}}</ref> and in 1999 become a national tour designated as the "official developmental tour" of the [[LPGA Tour]] (the [[United States|U.S.]]-based professional women's golf tour).

[[Grace Park (golfer)|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.<ref name="Futures"/>

The minimum age for participation was lowered to 17 prior to the 2006 season.<ref name=dmtlfats>{{cite web |url=http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/releases/103282 |title=Duramed Futures Tour Lowers Minimum Age Requirement |publisher=Golf Business Wire |date=February 1, 2006 |access-date=February 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304174611/http://golfbusinesswire.com/releases/103282 |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref name="LPGAbuys"> {{cite web |url=http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=11839&mid=4 |title=LPGA acquires Duramed Futures Tour |publisher=LPGA |date=July 18, 2007 |access-date=July 19, 2007}}</ref>

[[Duramed Pharmaceuticals|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|Epson America Inc.]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gibson |first1=Charlotte |date=January 26, 2022 |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/33150529/epson-signs-five-year-agreement-title-sponsor-lpga-qualifying-tour |title=Epson signs five-year agreement to be title sponsor of LPGA qualifying tour |work=ESPN |access-date=January 26, 2022}}</ref>

==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.<ref name="promotion2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=17028&mid=4 |title=LPGA Tour Cards Award to Duramed Futures Tour Top 10 |publisher=LPGA |access-date=August 25, 2008}}</ref>

===2011–2023=== 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.<ref name="promotion2011">{{cite web |url=http://www.lpga.com/content_1.aspx?pid=29991&mid=4 |title=Ten LPGA Futures Tour Players Earn 2012 LPGA Tour Membership |publisher=LPGA |date=September 11, 2011 |access-date=September 12, 2011}}</ref>

===2024–present=== Beginning in 2024 the top fifteen 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 ten positions gaining higher priority for entry into events than those finishing in positions eleven through fifteen.<ref>{{cite web |title=LPGA Announces Changes to Tour Card Allotment for 2025 |url=https://www.epsontour.com/news/2024/lpga-announces-changes-to-tour-card-allotment-for-2025 |publisher=Epson Tour |date=February 2, 2024 |access-date=December 18, 2025}}</ref>

==Players== Futures Tour graduates include LPGA tournament winners [[Laura Davies]], [[Meaghan Francella]], [[Hannah Green (golfer)|Hannah Green]], [[Cristie Kerr]], [[Christina Kim]], [[Nelly Korda]], [[Mo Martin]], [[Lorena Ochoa]], [[Grace Park (golfer)|Grace Park]], [[Inbee Park]], [[Stacy Prammanasudh]], [[Sherri Steinhauer]], [[Brooke Henderson]] and [[Karrie Webb]].

==Historical tour schedules and results== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Year !! Number of tournaments !! Total prize money (US$) !! Prize money ($) per tournament |- | [[2026 Epson Tour|2026]] || align=center|19 || 4,700,000 || align=center|247,368 |- | [[2025 Epson Tour|2025]] || align=center|20 || 5,000,000 || align=center|250,000 |- | [[2024 Epson Tour|2024]] || align=center|19 || 5,000,000 || align=center|263,158 |- | [[2023 Epson Tour|2023]] || align=center|22 || 5,000,000 || align=center|227,000 |- | [[2022 Epson Tour|2022]] || align=center|21 || 4,410,000 || align=center|210,000 |- | [[2021 Symetra Tour|2021]] || align=center|20 || 3,800,000 || align=center|190,000 |- | [[2020 Symetra Tour|2020]] || align=center|10 || 1,625,000 || align=center|162,500 |- | [[2019 Symetra Tour|2019]] || align=center|23 || 4,000,000 || align=center|173,913 |- | [[2018 Symetra Tour|2018]] || align=center|21 || 2,990,000 || align=center|142,381 |- | [[2017 Symetra Tour|2017]] || align=center|22 || 2,950,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.symetratour.com/tournaments/download-symetra-schedule |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315221618/http://www.symetratour.com/tournaments/download-symetra-schedule |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 15, 2017 |title=2017 Tournament Schedule |publisher=Symetra Tour |access-date=}}</ref> || align=center|134,091 |- | [[2016 Symetra Tour|2016]] || align=center|23 || 3,125,000 || align=center|135,870 |- | [[2015 Symetra Tour|2015]] || align=center|23 || 2,420,000 || align=center|105,217 |- | [[2014 Symetra Tour|2014]] || align=center|20 || 2,250,000 || align=center|112,500 |- | [[2013 Symetra Tour|2013]] || align=center|15 || 1,625,000 || align=center|108,333 |- | [[2012 Symetra Tour|2012]] || align=center|16 || 1,755,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/ST122012SymetraTourSchedule.pdf |title=2012 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013153155/http://lpgafuturestour.com/content/ST122012SymetraTourSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 13, 2012}}</ref> || align=center|109,688 |- | [[2011 LPGA Futures Tour|2011]] || align=center|16 || 1,765,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2011TournamentSchedule.pdf |title=2011 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125124557/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2011TournamentSchedule.pdf |archive-date=November 25, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|110,313 |- | [[2010 Duramed Futures Tour|2010]] || align=center|17 || 1,920,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2010DFTSchedule.pdf |title=2010 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030121827/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2010DFTSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|112,941 |- | [[2009 Duramed Futures Tour|2009]] || align=center|17 || 1,795,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2009DFTSchedule.pdf |title=2009 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030121741/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2009DFTSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|105,588 |- | [[2008 Duramed Futures Tour|2008]] || align=center|18 || 1,710,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2008DFTSchedule.pdf |title=2008 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030121734/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2008DFTSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|95,000 |- | [[2007 Duramed Futures Tour|2007]] || align=center|19 || 1,585,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2007DFTSchedule.pdf |title=2007 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030121725/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2007DFTSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|83,421 |- | [[2006 Duramed Futures Tour|2006]] || align=center|19 || 1,425,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2006DFTSchedule.pdf |title=2006 Tournament Schedule |publisher=LPGA Futures Tour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111030121716/http://www.lpgafuturestour.com/content/2006DFTSchedule.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> || align=center|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.

{| class="wikitable" !Year!!Player of the Year!!Rookie of the Year!!Trainor Award!!Heather Wilbur Spirit Award |- |2025 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Melanie Green]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Melanie Green]] || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- |2024 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Lauren Stephenson]] || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Zhang Yahui]] || {{n/a}} || [[Fátima Fernández Cano]] |- |2023 || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Gabriela Ruffels]] || {{flagicon|MYS}} [[Natasha Andrea Oon]] || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hannah Arnold (golfer)|Hannah Arnold]] |- |2022 || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Linnea Ström]] || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Yin Xiaowen]] || {{n/a}} || [[Lindsey McCurdy]] |- |2021 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Lilia Vu]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Amanda Doherty]] || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Nannette Hill]] |- |2020 || {{flagicon|SLO}} [[Ana Belac]] || {{flagicon|SLO}} [[Ana Belac]] || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- |2019 || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Perrine Delacour]] || {{flagicon|THA}} [[Patty Tavatanakit]] || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} |- |2018 || {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Ruixin Liu]] || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Linnea Ström]] || Jim and Denise Medford || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Portland Rosen]] |- |2017 || {{flagicon|THA}} [[Benyapa Niphatsophon]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Hannah Green (golfer)|Hannah Green]] || [[Potawatomi]] Nation tribes || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Laura Wearn]] |- |2016 || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Madelene Sagström]] || {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Madelene Sagström]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Ritenour]] and [[Valli Ritenour]]|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ally McDonald]] |- |2015 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Annie Park]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Annie Park]] ||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Walt Lincer]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Casey Grice]] |- |2014 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Marissa Steen]] || {{flagicon|TPE}} [[Min Lee (golfer)|Min Lee]] ||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Vadala]] ||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Min Seo Kwak]] |- |2013 || {{flagicon|THA}} [[P.K. Kongkraphan]] || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Giulia Molinaro]] ||{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kyung Ahn Moon]]|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Melissa Eaton]] |- |2012 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Esther Choe]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Mi Hyang Lee]] ||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Zayra Calderon]]|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Nicole Jeray]] |- |2011 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Kathleen Ekey]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Sydnee Michaels]] || {{n/a}} || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Izzy Beisiegel]] |- |2010 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Cindy LaCrosse]] || {{flagicon|USA}}{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Jennifer Song]] || [[Executive Women's Golf Association]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mo Martin]] |- |2009 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mina Harigae]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mina Harigae]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Renee Powell]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Malinda Johnson]] |- |2008 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Vicky Hurst]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Vicky Hurst]] || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Jocelyne Bourassa]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Katie Fraley]] |- |2007 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Emily Bastel]] || {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Violeta Retamoza]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Cynthia Rihm]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jenny Hansen (golfer)|Jenny Hansen]] |- |2006 || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Song-Hee Kim]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Song-Hee Kim]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Sherrin Smyers]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Katie Connelly]] |- |2005 || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Seon-Hwa Lee]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Sun Young Yoo]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Karrie Webb]] || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Salimah Mussani]] |- |2004 || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Jimin Kang]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Aram Cho]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Decatur, Illinois]] Women's Committees || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lindsey Wright]] |- |2003 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Stacy Prammanasudh]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Soo Young Moon]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Wilma Gilliland]] || {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Heather Wilbur]] |- |2002 || {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Lorena Ochoa]] || {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Lorena Ochoa]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Hirschman]] and [[Connie Shorb]] || |- |2001 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Beth Bauer]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Beth Bauer]] || |{{flagicon|USA}} [[Diane Lewis (golfer)|Diane Lewis]] || |- |2000 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Heather Zakhar]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jamie Hullett]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Betty Puskar]] || |- |1999 || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Grace Park (golfer)|Grace Park]] || || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Lew Williams (golfer)|Lew Williams]] || |- |1998 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Michelle Bell (golfer)|Michelle Bell]] || || || |- |1997 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Marilyn Lovander]] || || || |- |1996 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Vickie Moran]] || || || |- |1995 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Patty Ehrhart]] || || || |- |1994 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Marilyn Lovander]] || || || |- |1993 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Nanci Bowen]] || || || |- |1992 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jodi Figley]] || || || |- |1991 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Kim Williams (golfer)|Kim Williams]] || || || |- |1990 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Denise Baldwin]] || || || |- |1989 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jennifer MacCurrach]] || || || |- |1988 || {{flagicon|PER}} {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Jenny Lidback]] || || || |- |1987 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Laurel Kean]] || || || |- |1986 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tammie Green]] || || || |- |1985 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tammie Green]] || || || |- |1984 || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Penny Hammel]] || || || |- |}

==''The Big Break''== Many of the contestants on [[The Golf Channel]]'s ''[[The Big Break#The Big Break III: Ladies Only|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 (golfer)|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== *[[Cactus Tour]], lower-level women's tour in [[American Southwest]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.epsontour.com/}} * [https://www.espn.com/golf/columns/story?columnist=sobel_jason&id=2518354 Life lessons of the Future Tour] ESPN, July 14, 2006

[[Category:Epson Tour| ]] [[Category:Professional golf tours]] [[Category:Women's golf in the United States]] [[Category:Golf in the United States]] [[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]] [[Category:1981 establishments in the United States]]