The LPGA's New LEAP Program, Explained (And Why We Dig It)

What's a new year without a little change? Since the start of 2025, the LPGA has a few notable shake ups and additions occurring. From a new commissioner to new events to a new way for amateurs to get the chance to compete in the big leagues—the 2025 season is shaping up to be one to watch.

In November, before the start of the CME Group Tour Championship, former Commissioner of the LPGA Mollie Marcoux Samaan, announced that the LPGA will provide a direct pathway for amateurs to earn their way onto the tour. "I think this will allow the very elite to be able to bypass Q-Series and get right on to the LPGA," said Marcoux Samaan in her final pre-tournament presser.

"There won't be a lot of these athletes. This isn't going to happen every year. It might happen every couple of years. We don't know, but it's really reserved for the very best. We've done a lot of analysis to make sure that the points and the criteria will really produce that best athlete."

The former commissioner placed strong emphasis that this new pathway program isn't an easier route so to speak, but rather an alternative to what's already in place. The criteria of the new points-based system contains quite a bit of information, but we broke down the highlights for what you need to know about the new LPGA LEAP program.

What is it?

The LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway or LEAP, is a program set to help provide top amateur female golfers with a new path to LPGA Tour Membership beyond earning eligibility through the Epson Tour and LPGA Qualifying (Q) School.

How does it work?

Players who reach a 20-point threshold by achieving certain elite benchmarks will be able to activate up to a year and a half of exempt LPGA status.

How players earn point is determined by five categories: ranking, LPGA finishes, amateur wins, awards, and team play. Point allocation in each category is as follows:

1. World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR)

A Player will earn points based on her highest career WAGR ranking. Points will only be awarded for the highest ranking, not each ranking achieved.

• 3 points – for highest WAGR ranking of #1
• 2 points – for highest WAGR ranking of #2 or #3
• 1 point – for highest WAGR ranking of #4 or #5 Ranking

2. LPGA Official Tournament Finish Position

Players can only earn one of these achievements per finish points (if a player has a T-25 finish in a major she win only earn 2 points, she will not be awarded 3 points for a made cut.)

• LPGA Majors – 2 points for Top-25 (and ties) OR 1 point for cut made
• Non-Major LPGA Official Tournaments – 2 points for Top-10 (and ties) OR 1 point for Top 40 (and ties)

3. Amateur Championships

• 2 points – the Champion of each of the following:
• Augusta National Women’s Amateur
• European Ladies Amateur Championship
• The Women’s Amateur Championship
• World Amateur Team (Individual Champion)
• United States Women’s Amateur Championship
• Division 1 NCAA Championship Individual Champion

• 1 point – the Champion of each of the following:
• United States Girls Junior Championship
• Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship
• Women’s Amateur Latin America

4. Awards

• 4 points – McCormack Medal winner.
• 2 points – ANNIKA Award winner
• 2 points – Women’s Golf Coaches Association Player of the Year
• 1 point – AJGA Player of the Year
• 1 point – Division I Inkster Award Winner

5. Teams

• 2 points – each Amateur Player competing as an official member of a Curtis Cup team.
• 1 point – each Amateur Player competing as an official member of the Arnold Palmer Cup team.

As it stands, Florida State junior Lottie Woad, the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion, has 16 points, the most of any current amateur.

Woad's point break down:

• 2024 McCormack Medal (4)
• WAGR No. 1 (3)
• 2024 ANWA (2)
• 2024 Chevron top-25 (2)
• 2024 AIG Women’s Open top-25 (2)
• 2024 Curtis Cup (2)
• 2023 Palmer Cup (1))

When does it start?

The program is already underway. Starting Jan. 1, of this year, players will be able to count points earned in 2025 plus anything accrued since Jan. 1, 2022.

Is it the same as PGA TOUR University?

You may be wondering how does this program compare to PGA Tour U, which has been producing a number of tour cards for men's college athletes over the last few seasons.

LEAP is modeled after the PGA Tour University’s accelerated program, yet the biggest difference between the two is that players don’t have to be in college. It casts a broader net for all amateurs to qualify, and if deemed eligible, they can start earning points at any time.

What's the "point"?

I get it, that was a lot of math that was just thrown at you, but, in a way, that's the point. This isn't just some easy, "walk-on the tour" scenario, it's far from it actually. The gist is that exceptional players will be rewarded for being exactly that. Based on the current structure of the points system, only three current tour players would have met the criteria when they were amateurs: Rose Zhang, Leona Maguire and Lydia Ko—three top names in the contemporary era of women's golf.

Is the system perfect? It's certainly too soon to tell, but I like the idea of the LPGA mirroring what's been working in the men's game and creating their own version. It's a unique way of expanding and exploring options for young talent across the world to have a shot at earning a playing card.

The "grind" of professional golf is antiquated. It shouldn't be this difficult or costly for golfers to pursue playing ambitions. We've seen alternative leagues come into the fold and introduce new pathways, we've seen college athletes thrive in PGA Tour U, now it's time for girls and young women reap the benefits of their talent and showcase it, the sooner the better.