Malaysia’s Ashley Lau aims to build on good start to Epson Tour’s West Coast swing

Malaysia’s top lady golfer Ashley Lau is looking forward to more success on the Epson Tour’s West Coast swing, which continues with this week’s Casino Del Sol Golf Classic at Sewailo Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona.

Coming off a tied 11th finish at the IOA Championship Presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in California, Lau noted that her game is shaping up well as she targets another solid performance.

“My game is coming together pretty well. There are still some areas that I need to work on, but I’m happy to see it trend in the right direction,” said Lau, who turned 24 on March 18.

“This week will be the second of four events in a row on the Epson Tour. I will keep things simple and focus on playing good golf,” added the golfer from Bintulu, Sarawak.

The Casino Del Sol Golf Classic is the fifth tournament of the 2024 Epson Tour season and will see 132 players compete for a total purse of USD250,000, including defending champion Gigi Stoll of the United States. The tournament has been reduced from 72 holes to 54 holes this year, with a cut to the top 60 players and ties after the second round.

The Epson Tour is the official qualifying circuit for the LPGA Tour and will feature 20 events this season, offering a record USD5 million in total prize money. Lau is currently ranked 53rd on the Epson Tour’s Race For The Card rankings, where the top 15 players following October’s season-ending Epson Tour Championship will receive coveted LPGA Tour cards for 2025.

Prior to resuming her Epson Tour campaign in mid-March, Lau competed successfully on regional circuits in the Asia-Pacific region. She raked up her maiden professional title at the Women’s PGA of Australasia’s Vic Open in February, triumphing by one shot over former world number one Shin Jiyai of Korea.

Lau turned professional in late 2022 following a standout collegiate golf career with the University of Michigan. She had a rollercoaster rookie season on the 2023 Epson Tour, finishing 56th on the Race For The Card standings, and was subsequently unsuccessful in her bid to qualify for the LPGA Tour via Qualifying School.

Currently ranked 237th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Lau is well-placed to qualify for the Paris Olympics in August. She lies in 50th spot on the Olympic Golf Ranking, where the top 60 players at the cut-off date of June 24 earn the right to represent their nations at Le Golf National.

About the Epson Tour

The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, the world’s leading competitive circuit for female professional golfers. With the support of entitlement partner Seiko Epson Corporation, the Tour, entering into its 43rd competitive season in 2023, aims to prepare the world’s best female professionals for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. In the last decade, the Epson Tour has grown from 15 tournaments and USD1.6 million in total prize money to 20 events awarding USD5 million in 2024, which is the largest in the tour’s 44-year history.

With more than 600 graduates and alumnae moving on to the LPGA Tour, former Epson Tour players have won 466 LPGA titles.

Follow the Epson Tour at www.epsontour.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the LPGA Tour

The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 30 annual events across 12 countries and regions for over 200 Active Players, awarding total prize funds exceeding USD100 million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries.