Nearly 200 golfers returned to Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida, this week after a three-week postponement made LPGA Q-School Stage 2 far more expensive than Tour hopefuls planned.
Why Did LPGA Q-School Suspend Play This Summer?
Over 50 inches of summer rain followed by flooding from Hurricane Isaias left the venue unplayable. The derailment pushed the original October 13-16 dates back to November 3-6.
The shift stuck players with sunk costs on travel, lodging, and car rentals they couldn't get back, with individual losses running up to $9,000. Gigi Stoll posted that her total expenses already topped $10,000, all for a stage that carries no purse.
LPGA Tour Hopefuls Demand Refunds After Delayed Start
After the LPGA offered a $1,000 refund, players organized a joint letter pushing for refunds as high as $4,500.
"They make a lot of money off of Q-School," 2019 individual NCAA Champion Maria Fassi said. "It's our livelihoods."
Despite the frustration, the qualifying competition resumed, albeit with a trimmed 198-golfer field — down from 204.
Once LPGA Q-School results are finalized, the Top 55 finishers and ties move on to Final Qualifying in Mobile, Alabama — the next step in a grueling qualification series that's tested players' wallets as much as their games.
