Ruixin Liu Picks Up Her Seventh Epson Tour Victory at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
Experience reigned supreme during the final round in Scottsdale, Ariz. The field of 132 was cut down to 71 after Friday’s round, and with conditions shifting on the weekend, Epson Tour veteran Ruixin Liu drew on all of her past experience to eventually come out on top and win her second career Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Championship by three shots.
Liu ended her week the same way she started it, signing for a 7-under 64 in round one and again in her final round. The rounds were similar as well, with Liu walking off No. 4 green 1-over before her game started to heat up. Following her bogey on the 4th hole during her final round, the 25-year-old made back-to-back birdies and finished her front nine eagle-birdie to turn 4-under on the day. Liu played the back nine bogey-free, rolling in three birdies, including a birdie on No. 18, which all but secured her first Epson Tour victory since 2021.
“It feels very special because I never won any events two times. And, you know, for me to win this before the U.S. Women’s Open and to have the biggest purse ever in Epson Tour history, it just feels amazing,” said Liu. “It is a big boost of confidence because I didn’t have a great year last year on the LPGA, and you know, to be able to come back out here and just to win, I just feel very good about my game right now, you know, to shoot 64 seven-under twice in four days, it really means something.”
The win at TPC Scottsdale – Champions Course is not only Liu’s second win at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic but also the second course she has won the event on. She first won at Longbow Golf Club in a playoff over the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup champion, Rose Zhang. The win is her seventh career Epson Tour victory, her third victory in Arizona, and she had her dad on the bag for all seven of her wins. Liu also moves to No. 8 in the Race for the Card standings with one event left to play in the West Coast Stretch.
“We have such a good relationship on the course, and I trust him 100%, and he knows that,” explained the seven-time Epson Tour winner. On the course, it’s a great team, and I just feel 100% confident, mostly relaxed, and calm. That’s very important for both of us.”
Mariel Galdiano finished in solo second place, taking home over $37,000 and a lot of confidence. Despite not feeling like her game was trending in the right direction at the beginning of the West Coast stretch, the 25-year-old is happy with the way the stretch is ending. The Hawaiian carded three birdies and a lone bogey to sign for a final round 2-under 69 and a tournament total of 11-under.
“I feel like it was a long time coming. In Tucson, I felt like my game wasn’t where it was. I knew a lot of better golfers out there,” said Galdiano. “Same thing in Beaumont. I came off of playing a U.S. (Women’s) Open qualifier, so I think I was pretty tired there. I’m happy to see where I am on the leaderboard.”