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MALIBU, Calif. — A trio of Pepperdine women’s golf alumnae have recently qualified for professional tours ahead of the 2026 circuit.
The Waves were led to a fifth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championship by Lion Higo, Kaleiya Romero and Lauren Gomez. This week, the three completed the qualifying process to start their professional careers on the JLPGA and EPSON Tours.
Higo qualified for the JLPGA Tour while Romero and Gomez earned spots on the EPSON Tour.
“We are very proud of how Lion, Kaleiya and Lauren have begun their professional careers,” said head coach Laurie Gibbs. “The tour qualifying stages were highly competitive and each of them played well throughout. The status they earned gives them the opportunity to plan their 2026 tournament schedules.”
Higo went through five stages in Japan to secure status on the JLPGA tour. In Pro Test Stage 1 she finished 2nd with a score of 15 under par. In Stage 2 she was t-7th at 6 under par and then Stage 3 t-18th at even par. Next up was the JLPGA Qualifying Tournament, where Lion finished Stage 1 in t-17th with a score of 1 over par and then in the Final Stage she finished t-22nd at 5 under par.
The JLPGA is a professional golf tour for women organized by the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association. The tour was founded in 1968 and is the second richest women’s golf tour in the world.
Romero and Gomez started with the LPGA 54 hole Pre-Qualifier in September where Gomez finished t-2nd and Romero was t-15th. Next was the 72-hole Qualifier in Florida in October where Romero was t-8th and Gomez finished t-26th. The Q-Series Final Qualifier this week in Alabama had numerous weather delays and Romero finished 72 holes in a t-56th while Gomez was t-67th.
The EPSON Tour is the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour, now entering its 45th season. The EPSON Tour is the primary pipeline for golfers to eventually qualify for the LPGA Tour.
Gomez was a four-time All-WCC First Team honoree with the Waves while earning WCC Player and Freshman of the Year in 2021-22. A two-time WCC Championship-Medalist, she recorded a 72.89 scoring average across 43 tournaments and 129 rounds with the Waves which ranks third all-time in program history. Overall, Gomez had 17 top-10 and 25 top-20 finishes in her collegiate career.
Higo earned four All-WCC First Team honors as well during her time with the Waves, winning WCC Player of the Year in 2023. Higo posted 15 top-10 finishes in 39 collegiate tournaments, placing in the top-20 on 24 occasions. Her scoring average at Pepperdine came to 73.47 across 116 rounds which is sixth all-time in program history.
Romero was also a four-time All-WCC First Team honoree as a Wave, earning medalist honors at the 2023 WCC Championships. Across 38 tournaments with the Waves, Romero recorded 14 top-10 finishes and placed top-20 on 18 occasions. She totaled a 74.27 scoring average in her collegiate career in 113 rounds, which is 11th all-time in program history.
Finishing the fall tied for eighth in the Scoreboard National Rankings, the Waves will kick off the spring campaign at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge from Feb. 1-3 in Palos Verdes, Calif.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN’S GOLF
Pepperdine women’s golf has consistently been one of the top collegiate programs in the country under head coach Laurie Gibbs, exemplified by the current streak of 26 straight seasons with an NCAA Regional appearance. Having advanced to the NCAA Championships on 14 of those occasions, the Waves also boast 21 WCC Championships since 1998. Since the year 2000, 15 athletes have garnered All-American honors with a total of 31 selections.
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ABOUT SVN2 INDOOR GOLF
The Pepperdine women’s golf 2025-26 season is sponsored by SVN2 Golf. SVN2 Golf is a Southern California based premium indoor golf simulation experience that uses advanced TrackMan technology to provide realistic gameplay, instant swing feedback, and practice tools for golfers of all levels. The facility offers a high-tech, immersive experience with a wide variety of legendary and exclusive courses, a relaxed, self-service environment, and opportunities for leagues and events. Facilities in Newbury Park and Malibu will be joined in 2025 by new venues in Woodland Hills and Santa Clarita. For more information, visit www.svn2golf.com.
