As the final putt dropped at the Epson Tour Championship presented by Indian Wells, everyone knew where they would be playing for the 2025 season except Karen Chung. While athletes were celebrating moving onto the LPGA Tour or accepting they would be returning to the Epson Tour to take another crack at a card in 2025, Karen Chung was at home, despite playing in the majority of the year's events and qualifying for the Tour Championship.
Chung joined the professional ranks in 2016 and moved straight to the LPGA Tour after finishing T19 at the Final Stage of LPGA Q-Series. During her rookie season, Chung made eight cuts and fell short of guaranteeing herself LPGA Tour membership for the next season. She dropped to dual status and split time between the LPGA and Epson Tours.
The New Jersey native played well on the Epson Tour, never falling outside the top 40 in the Race for the Card in the seasons she played. She even earned her LPGA Tour card through Final Qualifying once again for the 2023 season. Due to her status, Chung only earned nine starts on the LPGA Tour that year, making the cut in one. The results meant Chung was heading back to LPGA Q-Series and eventually found herself on the Epson Tour full-time.
The 2024 season felt like make-or-break for the veteran. The preparation and talent were all there for Chung, but unfortunately, the results were not. The 2024 season was tough for the 29-year-old, who made only half her cuts and had her worst season-long finish in the Race for the Card, finishing No. 68.
The off-season required a lot of reflection for Chung. Throughout her 2024 campaign, she was unsure if she would continue to play professional golf. Missing tournaments to work on her game and take a much-needed mental break. After talking with friends and family, Chung decided to give it another shot.
"It took a lot for me to come back this year, honestly, because I am turning 30 this year, and this is honestly not where I wanted to be at 30," explained Chung. "But I talked to my closest friends that golf that are still on tour, my family, and they see it in me. And sometimes you got to trust them and just go with it."
Now, in her ninth season, it is "all systems go." Chung has a new mindset on the season and her game.
"I think this year it's a small goal, but I think I'm not going to try to skip any events," said Chung. "I'm going to keep going until I can earn a break, or I deserve a break."
While it is a small goal, the bigger goal is still in the background of her mind: joining the LPGA Tour once again, but this time not through LPGA Q-Series.
"I mean, ideal would be to get my tour card back without going to final stage or second stage, because I've been there the last two years and it's been rough," Chung said.