Arizona women’s golf’s Hou sisters earn LPGA Tour status, likely turning pro

Sisters Yu-Sang and Vivian Hou are ready to move on from the Arizona women’s golf program but for good reason.

On Sunday, the Hous graduated from LPGA Q-School to earn status on the 2022 Tour, as did former Arizona golfer Bianca Pagdanganan.

The Hous were two of four college golfers to earn Tour status and according to Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine, both sisters are likely to turn pro.

Q-School is a grueling 2-week, 8-round challenge that awards the top 45 finishers a spot in most tournaments on the upcoming Tour.

This year, Q-School was played at two venues in Alabama. To qualify for the second week, golfers had to survive the first week of cuts. Former Arizona 2018 national champions Haley Moore and Gigi Stoll both missed the initial cut.

The Hous both made it through Q-School with flying colors. Vivian was the top amateur scorer with a 10-under par, tied for 20^th overall. Yu-Sang shot 7-under, tied for 30^th.

Pagdanganan, who turned pro after graduating in 2019, shot 14-under to finish 10^th.

It’s no surprise that either Hou sister qualified; Vivian is the former No. 1-ranked world amateur, while Yu-Sang is a two-time Second Team All-American. Yu-Sang is also Arizona’s last remaining member of the 2018 national championship team.

With the Hous likely out of the picture for the upcoming spring season, Arizona coach Laura Ianello will have to rely even more heavily on upperclassmen Gile Bite Starkute and Ya Chun Chang as the Wildcats aim for a fourth consecutive NCAA Championships match play appearance.

UA returns to action with the Superstition Challenge Jan. 24-25 in Gold Canyon, Ariz.