(Getty Images photo)
Emma Talley was forced to go to Q School last fall to earn her LPGA tour card for 2020.
That won’t be the case this year.
Because of an abbreviated 2020 season due to the COVID-19 crisis, LPGA commissioner Mike Whan announced on Wednesday that the LPGA Tour will essentially freeze players’ status in 2020, with that status carried into 2021.
Talley appeared on The Sideline Report on WPKY Radio Thursday morning and said that means she already has her tour card for 2021.
“We will have official wins, players can shuffle into a winner category, they can play their way into the (Diamond Resorts) Tournament of Champions in Orlando, but we feel players were not given the season that they earned in ‘19 for ‘20,” Whan said. “They might have some version of a ‘20 season. But they don’t have a full season to perform under the categories they earned coming into the year. And not knowing exactly when we’ll play, what will happen with travel restrictions; knowing that there will still be changes, we really felt that the right thing to do was make sure that while COVID-19 is going to affect 2020 for everybody, it shouldn’t affect your career.”
The LPGA Tour is now tentatively scheduled to return to action with the Marathon Classic presented by Dana in Sylvania, Ohio, near Toledo, July 23-26.
Talley said with all the unknowns, it’s difficult to make plans right now.
The three-time state champion while at Caldwell County High School, former U.S. Women’s Amateur medalist, and NCAA individual champion while at the University of Alabama, said she does have some coronavirus concerns once the LPGA Tour starts back up.
Talley noted that the tour experience is likely to change this year because of COVID-19 guidelines.
Talley is in her third year on the LPGA Tour. She talked about her illustrious career and the growing difficulty of competing at each level of play.
Talley, 26, has $548,262 in career earnings on the LPGA Tour.
