Kiara Romero: A Closer Look at Her Journey to LPGA Membership

Last year, the LPGA introduced a new player pathway for elite amateurs to earn Tour membership through other avenues outside of the Epson Tour and Final Qualifying a.k.a Q School pipelines.

As you can imagine, the road from amateur star to LPGA pro is one of the toughest climbs in sports. In an effort to give the game's best amateurs a clearer path forward, the LPGA launched the Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) in January 2025. At its core, it's a points-based system that rewards elite performances in amateur championships and professional events.

While it shares the same goal as PGA TOUR University, LEAP extends beyond college golf, recognizing excellence wherever it occurs. By the end of last summer, the program had already produced its first success story in Lottie Woad. The former top-ranked amateur and 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion became the first player to earn LPGA membership through LEAP and has wasted no time proving she belongs, winning in her professional debut last July before adding a second LPGA title at last month's Kroger Queen City Championship.

Nearly a year removed from Woad's triumph, Kiara Romero is on the verge of joining her as the second player to earn her card through LEAP. Romero is the current World No. 1 in the WAGR and is coming off a strong performance in the U.S. Women's Open and the Curtis Cup, earning her four LEAP points.

'It's definitely a bit of a motivator,' Romero said in her pre-tournament presser. 'It's something I've been kind of working towards, and I'm obviously super grateful they created this program for us and it's a great opportunity to go out there and get your LPGA card without having to go to Q-School and stuff...It's not something I like to be thinking about when I'm out there playing. I'm more just trying to stay in the present moment and focus on the shot that's right in front of me.'