Rookie seasons are hard.
Indiana native Erica Shepherd learned that firsthand in 2024, and she would be the first one to admit it. After a highly successful amateur career at Duke University, which included being a two-time All-American selection and even making five of six cuts on the Epson Tour as an amateur, everything was on track for a successful transition.
When the 2024 season started, however, Shepherd missed her first seven cuts as a professional, a tough pill to swallow for any player making that transition.
"2024 was a really tough year for me," she said. "My first year as a pro. I think I was definitely just trying to search for some peace and trust in my golf game.
"Everybody talks about how hard it is, but I don't know if anyone can really put words to describe it or explain why. But I mean it's just so different going from being on a team and having your coaches there and like doing all your logistics and stuff to being literally all on your own."
The direction of her professional career changed around this time last season when Shepherd switched coaches. The changes were almost immediate as Shepherd made back-to-back cuts at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship and Otter Creek Championship.
"I just got lucky enough about this time last year to find a good coach who's just really helped me to stay solid and get back to playing the best type of golf that I play," said Shepherd, of Greenwood, Indiana.
While the changes helped, the now 24-year-old was still struggling to put together three really good rounds, but she did enough to maintain her Epson Tour membership for the 2025 season, although it was not the status she had hoped for.
Instead of getting down, it lit a fire under her. After spending time on the alternate list for the beginning of 2025, her season has completely flipped after making two cuts in two starts before the first reshuffle of the season.
"Yeah, I just started this year with not very good status," she said. "I was the second alternate for a couple of those West Coast swing events, and I went because I wanted to get in if I got the chance, and I didn't get in," said Shepherd. "Leaving those tournaments, being pretty heartbroken, that definitely fueled the fire to give me a lot of motivation to play well when I did get into events."
The reshuffle got her into the Midwest stretch of events, with the Epson Tour sophomore taking advantage once again. In her last two starts, she has finished T18 at the Island Resort Championship and T10 at the Great Lakes Championship. In what could have been a tough year, Shepherd finds herself in an advantageous position going forward.
She has played in just five events out of a possible ten and is currently No. 51 in the Race for the Card. A top 35 finish for the season will earn her a spot in Final Qualifying at LPGA Q-Series later this year, but if the good play continues, Shepherd could have her eyes on the top 15 and an LPGA Tour card by the time the season is over.
The second half of the season starts this week at the 2025 Otter Creek Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Indiana. It's a course Shepherd won on during her amateur career.
"It's just a good Indiana golf course," said Shepherd ahead of the Otter Creek Championship. "Some good bent grass greens. So, I'm excited just to play a pure golf course."