Women’s NCAA Division I Champion Adela Cernousek Turns Professional

Adela Cernousek takes a shot at the Women's Amateur

Adela Cernousek has announced she is turning professional

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 18 November 2024

Texas A&M's Adela Cernousek has announced she is turning professional.

The French player, who won the individual title in May's NCAA Division I Championship, revealed the news on her Instagram account.

After thanking those who have helped her during her time at Texas A&M, she concluded her statement by writing: “Growing up in France, I could never have imagined any of this but after so many years of hard work I am excited to announce that I am turning professional and chasing my dream of playing on the LPGA Tour.

“I can’t wait for this next chapter of my life and to make my dreams come true.”

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Cernousak's announcement comes less than a month after she appeared to rule out the chance of turning professional after finishing joint top of the leaderboard in the second stage of LPGA Tour Q-Series.

To take up her place in the field for final stage and the chance to earn an LPGA Tour card for next season, she needed to turn professional by 5pm ET on 15 November.

Following the event, she indicated her desire to return to Texas A&M for her senior year, saying: "I think that's the plan.”

Following her apparent change of heart, Cernousak leaves behind a glittering college golf career. As well as her individual title in the women’s NCAA Division I Championship, where she beat Lottie Woad by three in the biggest college golf tournament, she achieved a scoring average of 69.94 in her junior year - the lowest in school history and the first under 71 by a woman.

She also won the professional event the Open des Aisses in her homeland in 2021 and represented France in the 2023 Women's World Amateur Team Championship. Cernousak was also a member of the International team at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.

Cernousak’s decision comes after two other college players who advanced to the final stage of LPGA Tour Q-Series, UCLA’s Zoe Campos and Mississippi State’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, also turned professional ahead of the deadline.

Zoe Campos takes a shot at the Augusta National Women's Amateur — UCLA's Zoe Campos has also opted to turn professional recently

Meanwhile, per Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan, two others who reached the final stage of LPGA Tour Q-Series, Western Kentucky’s Catie Craig and UCLA’s Caroline Canales, will retain their amateur status, although they will get to compete on the developmental Epson Tour in 2025.

Cernousak’s decision comes days after it was reported that the LPGA will launch a women's version of PGA Tour University, which will offer clear pathways for amateurs including college golfers to make it to the professional game.

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Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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