Malaysia’s Natasha Andrea Oon feels that her time will come soon, following yet another impressive performance on the Epson Tour.
The 21-year-old recorded her third runner-up finish this season on Sunday in the US$225,000 Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber in Harris, Michigan. Oon was in excellent form as she signed in rounds of 67, 68 and 67 at Sweetgrass Golf Club for a 14-under-par total, tied for runner-up honours with Auston Kim of the United States. The duo finished one shot shy of winner Tsai Ching Tseng of Chinese Taipei, who claimed her maiden Epson Tour title in just her second start.
“I had such a good score today that I am not even mad with myself. There were some putts out there that I could have made, but with the rain and stuff, it was a little weird. I am really happy that I played this well,” said Oon, who turned professional in June last year following a stellar collegiate golf career with San Jose State University.
“Going into the next event, just knowing that I have been in contention all year, I feel like I could win soon,” she added.
The pay cheque for US$18,521 took Oon’s 2023 season earnings to US$82,257, consolidating second spot on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card standings. The young Malaysian now has six top-10 finishes in 11 starts. Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels, who skipped the Island Resort Championship to play in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, leads the Race for the Card with US$96,149.
Oon’s compatriot Alyaa Abdulghany finished joint 11th on seven-under-par following rounds of 71, 70 and 68 at Sweetgrass. The other Malaysian in the field, Ashley Lau, failed to make the 36-hole cut.
The Epson Tour is the official qualifying tour for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and has reached the halfway stage of its 2023 schedule. The top 10 players following the season-ending Epson Tour Championship in October will earn coveted LPGA Tour cards for 2024.
The next stop for the Epson Tour is the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship at Great River Golf Club in Milford, Connecticut, on July 14-16.
Epson Tour Race for the Card (Top 10 following the Island Resort Championship)
| 1. Gabriela Ruffels (AUS) | USD96,149 |
| 2. Natasha Andrea Oon | USD82,257 |
| 3. Gigi Stoll (USA) | USD63,560 |
| 4. Jenny Coleman (USA) | USD61,800 |
| 5. Savannah Vilaubi (USA) | USD60,822 |
| 6. Agathe Laisne (FRA) | USD57,699 |
| 7. Roberta Liti (ITA) | USD54,250 |
| 8. Alena Sharp (CAN) | USD52,016 |
| 9. Auston Kim (USA) | USD51,656 |
| 10. Jiwon Jeon (KOR) | USD47,975 |
