Epson Tour Rookie, Yana Wilson, Snags Maiden Win at Home

Just five events into her professional career, Yana Wilson, can now check off that maiden win.

Unlike many of her peers, the 18-year-old made the bold decision to forgo a collegiate golf career and enrolled herself into LPGA Q-School last summer. She told Golfweek in October during the the second stage of qualifying, "I didn't go to college. So, turning professional early, I think I just really wanted to just grow my game earlier on, and it doesn't matter whether it's on the LPGA or Epson Tour."

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For her, pro golf was the dream—the journey didn't really matter—and she's reaping the benefits of her decision early. Though Wilson failed to earn LPGA status for 2025, she's now a rookie on the Epson Tour and is making quite the impression.

So far, Wilson's Epson Tour journey has included five made cuts in five starts, three top-10s to her name and now, a win to add to the resume.

"It feels great," Wilson said on Sunday after her win at the Reliance Matrix Championship in Las Vegas—her hometown. "Honestly, I didn't expect to win this early in the season, so it's really cool that I got to do that. And also, doing it in my hometown is pretty cool."

Wilson's winning performance isn't coming out of thin air, no matter where she decided to take her talents, college or the pro circuit, she was going to be a force. Her career as an amateur was a formidable one.

She was a three-time Augusta National Women's Amateur participant (2022, 2023, 2024), a two-time Drive Chip and Putt National Champion at Augusta National, and most notably, we saw her alongside Rose Zhang at the inaugural Mizuho Americas Open when she won the AJGA portion in 2023.

Wilson will be the first player in the tournament's history to win the amateur portion and return to the event as a professional.

The Mizuho Americas Open is a dual-field event, with 120 LPGA player entries and 24 of the top-ranked AJGA players in a field for a unique experience for the amateurs to get to be inside the ropes at a premier pro event played at the iconic Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City.

Wilson's participated in the last two Mizuho's, will the third time be her chance to hoist the pro trophy?