LPGA Q-School Restarts in Venice After Rain Ruin Left Players Thousands Out of Pocket

The LPGA's qualifying school is finally back underway in Venice, Florida, three weeks after heavy rain washed out its original dates and left more than 200 hopefuls thousands of dollars out of pocket. The second stage of Q-School, the pathway to LPGA Tour status for 2027, was scrapped 90 minutes into the first official practice round on a Sunday in October after unplayable conditions at Plantation Golf and Country Club, where more than 50 inches of rain had flooded the courses and delayed construction work. Players organised quickly, building a group chat of more than 175 names and drafting a letter asking for a partial refund of entry fees that ran to $4,500 for exempt players and $3,500 for those who advanced through pre-qualifying. Before the letter was sent, the tour announced a $1,000 refund. The rescheduled event runs November 3-6, with the original field of 204 reduced to 198, and the top 55 and ties advancing to final qualifying later this month in Mobile, Alabama. For players chasing a tour card, the delay was more than an inconvenience: flights, accommodation and lost practice time added up fast, and the episode has raised fresh questions about how the tour protects its lowest-paid hopefuls when weather intervenes.