Kim Kaufman was diagnosed with breast cancer immediately after 2024 Epson Tour season ended.
At this time last year, Kim Kaufman was putting together a plan to fight breast cancer.
Now cancer-free, Kaufman can book her trip to the final stage of LPGA Q-School, an event she had to pull out of in 2024 after the diagnosis. The Epson Tour and LPGA veteran had a lumpectomy last November and started chemo treatments in January. After those wrapped up in April, she did seven weeks of radiation, which ended in early June.
“Everyone obviously wants to talk about having cancer, which was awful, but you know, since then, it was actually a weird year in the sense that I have been home almost since June, really practicing,” said Kaufman. “I've had a ton of time to prepare. Maybe almost too much time.”
Thank you to everyone for all the support!! On to final stage of #qseries in December. Exactly one year to the day after my cancer diagnosis. 🙏🙏 Let’s go!! @sanford_glf@sanford_complex#sanfordsports@CallawayGolf@FootJoy@Titleistpic.twitter.com/pRcun6kTfN
— Kim Kaufman (@KimKaufmanGolf) October 19, 2025
Kaufman, 34, was one of 50 players out of a field of 194 to advance through the second stage of Q-Series (now known as Qualifying Stage) at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. She’ll tee it up next at Final Qualifying, which will begin Dec. 4 in Mobile, Alabama.
Kaufman took a share of 29th after finishing 4 under for the 72-hole event. The cut fell at 3 under.
Former FSU standout Mirabel Ting of Malaysia shared medalist honors with Kokona Sakurai, a five-time winner on the Japan LPGA, at 14 under. Ting’s Qualifying Stage journey began on the three-year anniversary of her father’s death.
“I think the first word would be he's actually really proud,” said Ting. “But at the same time, he would be saying to me, ‘Keep working hard, and the journey is still really far ahead, so keep your head high and continue doing what you're doing, and you'll be fine.’”
Ting was the 2025 Annika Award winner and No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking behind teammate Lottie Woad before turning professional.
Recent Pepperdine grad Lauren Gomez of Murietta, California vaulted up the board more than 60 places after a final-round 65 put her a share of 26th.
Emily Odwin, who last year became the first golfer from Barbados to qualify for any major championship at the 2025 U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills, tied for 29th.
Carla Bernat Escuder, the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, made the cut on the number as did 17-year-old Gianna Clemente, the 2024 AJGA Rolex Player of the Year. Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, the 2025 Juli Inkster Award Recipient from Wake Forest, finished in a share of 18th while Megan Streicher, a medalist at the Pre-Qualifying Stage in California, took a share of eighth. South Africa’s Streicher is a senior at North Carolina.
Players have until Nov. 14 to declare their professional status to be eligible to compete in the Final Qualifying Stage in December.
Notables who missed the cut include Maria Fassi, Jennifer Song, Sarah Kemp and Latanna Stone.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Veteran player advances to final stage of Q-School after cancer battle
Category: General Sports
