The Epson Tour’s long road winds its way to El Dorado, Arkansas this week, and the stakes have rarely felt higher. The Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, entering its tenth edition, arrives at Mystic Creek Golf Club as the final proving ground before the season-ending Tour Championship. With $300,000 in prize money at stake—and a critical $45,000 winner’s share—the 108-player field knows there’s little room left for error.
Mystic Creek, measuring 6,592 yards and playing to a par-72, is no stranger to drama. Golf Digest once hailed it among the best new courses in America, and its reputation for firm fairways and devilish greens has tested the very best. Just ask Hannah Green, who still holds the tournament scoring records here with a closing-round 64 and a 54-hole aggregate of 14-under back in 2017.
A Field Full of Storylines
This event has helped launch countless LPGA careers—most recently Jenny Bae, who went wire-to-wire in 2024 before securing her LPGA card. In 2023, it was Natasha Andrea Oon; in 2022, Brittany Yada. Now, the spotlight turns to a field packed with both veterans and hungry rookies.
The headliners practically write themselves:
- Melanie Green (No. 1 in Race for the Card): Fresh off reclaiming her top spot with a playoff win in Prattville, Alabama, the rookie has already clinched her LPGA card. Yet, she insists she’s not easing off the gas. “Momentum matters in this game. Every tournament is another chance to prove yourself, and I want to carry this form into next year,” Green said after her victory.
- Yana Wilson (No. 2): The teenage sensation has been the Tour’s breakout story, with poise beyond her years. Already locked into LPGA status for 2026, Wilson still eyes her first Epson win in Arkansas.
- Gina Kim (No. 3): A steady hand all season, Kim has already clinched her LPGA return and is looking to cap her year with authority.
- Erika Hara (No. 4): Perhaps the quietest assassin in the top five. Hara’s precision game is tailor-made for Mystic Creek’s narrow corridors.
- Hailee Cooper (No. 7): A familiar name in El Dorado after finishing one shot back last year, Cooper knows exactly what it will take. “You can’t fake it here. Mystic Creek demands patience—hit the fairways, hit the greens, and take what the course gives you,” she explained earlier this week.
Movers to Watch
Not everyone arrives in El Dorado with security in hand. A handful of players have turned in timely surges, adding to the intrigue.
- Sadie Englemann leapt 44 spots in the standings after her T7 at the Guardian Championship. The rookie called it a confidence-builder: “It’s been a grind this year, but last week proved to me that I can hang with the best out here.”
- Kaitlyn Papp Budde, a Texas alumna, rode back-to-back 67s in Prattville to climb into 22nd place. With eight career top-10s, she’s angling for a late push into LPGA contention.
- Isabella Fierro is suddenly inside the bubble at No. 15 after her sizzling final-round 65 at the Guardian. The Oklahoma State standout is aiming for her third straight cut made.
Familiar Faces with Local Ties
The field also features players with roots in Arkansas. Julia Gregg, a University of Arkansas alumna, has been a steady performer with four top-10s in her rookie season. Fellow Razorback Cory Lopez joins her as a sponsor exemption. And veteran Kim Kaufman makes a contractual appearance, adding experience to the mix.
The Numbers Behind the Names
The Race for the Card standings couldn’t be tighter:
- Melanie Green – 2,390 pts
- Yana Wilson – 2,077 pts
- Gina Kim – 1,909 pts
- Erika Hara – 1,847 pts
- Briana Chacon – 1,686 pts
- Riley Smyth – 1,562 pts
- Hailee Cooper – 1,490 pts
- Laetitia Beck – 1,454 pts
- Minji Kang – 1,400 pts
- Sophia Schubert – 1,382 pts
- Michelle Zhang – 1,002 pts
- Samantha Wagner – 889 pts
- Carla Tejedo Mulet – 879 pts
- Laney Frye – 843 pts
- Isabella Fierro – 807 pts
Those margins underscore the tension. One hot week in El Dorado could vault a player into the promised land of LPGA security—or send dreams crashing with one bad bounce into Mystic Creek’s pine straw.
History and Legacy
Since its inception, the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout has been more than just a stop on the Epson Tour—it has been a career maker. For every winner, there’s been a defining story: Green’s record run in 2017, Bae’s steely finish in 2024, and Oon’s breakthrough the year before.
As Epson Tour communications producer Carly Haines put it, “This tournament is where futures are defined. It’s about more than golf—it’s about resilience, about players proving they belong on the LPGA stage.”
What’s at Stake
For the rookies, El Dorado represents a final push to make an indelible mark. For the veterans, it’s a reminder that the window is always closing. With the Tour Championship looming, the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout is more than just another tournament—it’s a pressure cooker.
By Sunday evening, the leaderboard will tell the story. Will it be another established contender solidifying her dominance? Or a surprise name etching herself into Epson Tour lore? One thing is certain: Mystic Creek won’t give anything away for free.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational and editorial purposes only. All player statistics, quotes, and tournament information are sourced from official Epson Tour pre-tournament communications.
