Inside the Ropes at the Reliance Matrix Championship

Walking with Future LPGA Talent on the Epson Tour

Spanish Trail Country Club | Las Vegas 2026

By Aaron G. Beebe | Founder of Gonna Happen / GonnaHappen

There’s something different about being inside the ropes at an Epson Tour event.

When you spend four straight days working scoring operations alongside professional golfers fighting for their futures, you don’t just watch golf — you witness pressure, momentum swings, personalities, resilience, frustration, professionalism, and raw determination unfolding in real time.

The Reliance Matrix Championship at Spanish Trail Country Club was a completely different experience for me this year because, for the first time ever, I worked as a volunteer cart scorer instead of my more familiar role as a marshal or LPGA standard bearer.

And honestly?
It gave me a whole new respect for tournament operations and for the athletes grinding every week on the road to the LPGA.

Scoring is a completely different world.

You’re learning live scoring systems, radio calls, penalties, drops, hole-by-hole updates, cart logistics, rules procedures, and communication with scoring central — all while trying to stay perfectly in sync with players competing under intense pressure.

At times it feels calm.
At other times it feels like controlled chaos.

But throughout the week, one thing stood out more than anything:

The hunger.

These women are competing for cuts, rankings, sponsorships, financial stability, LPGA cards, and ultimately the chance to live out dreams they’ve spent years chasing.

And you can feel that pressure every single round.

Thursday — Learning the Ropes

Players:

Maribel Ting
Becca Huffer
Gile Bite Starkure

Thursday was trial by fire for me.

The first round carried that classic tournament-opening energy — players settling in, trying to establish momentum early, and staying locked in mentally from the opening tee shot.

Maribel Ting entered the week already recognized as one of the rising amateur talents in women’s golf, while Becca Huffer immediately stood out to me because of how professionally she carried herself throughout the tournament.

Composed.
Respectful.
Focused.
Consistent.

Becca had the kind of attitude volunteers, scorers, marshals, and fans notice immediately.

Meanwhile, Gile Bite Starkure battled hard all day and stayed composed despite the pressure that naturally builds during tournament play.

The funniest moment of the day came when I suddenly discovered my scorer cart had geofencing restrictions enabled.

One second I was driving normally trying to learn cart procedures…
The next second the cart completely stopped moving.

My standard bearer instincts kicked in immediately.

I jumped out and started walking scoring by hand while trying to radio updates correctly and keep pace with the group. Eventually tournament staff and players explained the geofencing setup, and we all ended up laughing about it afterward.

Honestly, it became one of those classic “welcome to tournament operations” moments.

And throughout all of it, the players stayed supportive and patient while I continued learning the ropes.

Friday — Pressure, Mind Games & Competitive Fire

Players:

Jordan Fischer
Bridgette Thibault
Ashley Lau

Friday’s atmosphere felt completely different.

This group was battling hard to make the cut, and the competitive intensity was noticeably elevated throughout the round.

At this level, every shot matters.

You could feel the pressure building hole by hole as players fought to stay alive heading into the weekend.

There were also moments where you could sense subtle mind games, emotional swings, and tension between competitors. Nothing over the top — just the reality of professional golf when careers and opportunities are on the line.

That’s one thing casual fans don’t always understand:
Golf is incredibly mental.

Players are constantly reacting internally to scoreboards, momentum shifts, difficult lies, missed putts, crowd movement, and pressure situations while trying to remain emotionally controlled.

Some players internalize stress quietly.
Others wear it more openly.

What stood out most was seeing how differently each competitor handled adversity.

There were also hectic tournament logistics happening behind the scenes.

At one point, transportation and shuttle movement between areas got backed up, forcing everyone to improvise quickly to stay on schedule. One player even briefly had to hop onto my scorer cart because space was limited elsewhere.

That’s where years of working live events, festivals, and entertainment operations actually helped me stay calm under pressure.

I was still learning scoring systems and occasionally stressing about making sure every update transmitted correctly. One player even expressed concern about family and fans overseas following live scoring online.

I reassured her that scoring central eventually corrects discrepancies by the end of rounds, even if temporary online updates appear off during live play.

And honestly, that’s part of learning tournament scoring too:
everything moves fast.

Saturday — Confidence, Recovery & Professionalism

Players:

Carley Cox Pruette
Karen Chung
Becca Huffer

Saturday felt steadier overall, but it also became one of the clearest examples of how much resilience matters in professional golf.

I was fortunate enough to score for Becca Huffer again, and she continued to impress me throughout the day with her professionalism and positive energy.

Karen Chung and Carley Cox Pruette both battled hard as the round progressed, especially during stressful stretches late in the day.

And that’s something fans sometimes forget:
Even elite golfers make mistakes.

The difference is how they recover mentally afterward.

That’s what impressed me most about this group.

No panic.
No quitting.
No emotional collapse.

Just continued focus and determination to keep fighting through the round.

Karen Chung especially should feel proud of how she battled throughout the day.

One thing I’ve learned working inside the ropes is that attitude matters more than people realize. Everyone notices the players who remain respectful and grounded regardless of what’s happening on the course.

And those qualities go a long way in this sport.

Sunday — Hungry Competitors & Mutual Respect

Players:

Jillian Hollis
Rachel Kuehn
Niaowen Yin

Sunday brought true final-round intensity.

This group might have been one of the hungriest groups I worked with all week.

Jillian Hollis stayed composed throughout the day, Rachel Kuehn battled hard under pressure, and Niaowen Yin delivered one of the biggest moments of the round with an eagle on 18.

There were even moments of heckling from spectators, adding extra pressure to an already stressful environment. But what impressed me most was how professionally the players handled it.

They stayed composed.
Stayed focused.
Stayed in the fight.

And by the end of the day, despite battling each other for four straight rounds, the players were hugging, smiling, and showing genuine respect for one another.

That stood out to me more than almost anything all week.

Because underneath the pressure, competition, and stress, there’s also something really special about the Epson Tour:

The professionalism.
The community.
The sisterhood.
The shared dream.

These women compete hard, but they also understand each other’s grind in a way very few people outside professional golf ever truly will.

After the round ended, Jillian Hollis accidentally left some belongings behind in my scorer cart, so I walked them back over to scoring headquarters for her.

By that point, everyone just looked exhausted, relieved, proud, and emotionally drained after a long week battling through pressure and expectations.

Why I Respect These Players

People probably assume you need to be some elite golfer or major golf executive to appreciate this world.

But honestly, that’s not what connects me to these players.

I’m not the greatest golfer.
I’m not at the top of the food chain.

But I understand hunger.

I understand rebuilding your life.
I understand setbacks.
I understand chasing something bigger than yourself even when life keeps punching back.

That’s why I respect these women so much.

Whether it’s the Epson Tour or the LPGA, many of these players carry the same mentality I’ve carried throughout my own journey with GonnaHappen:

Never quit.
Keep learning.
Keep fighting.
Keep showing up.
Outwork people.
Push through adversity.

Some people walk away when life gets difficult.
Others double down and keep going.

That mentality is something I recognize immediately when I’m inside the ropes.

These women are sacrificing years of their lives chasing a dream at the highest level of golf.

And honestly?
People with that kind of drive deserve recognition.

Because dreams should come true for people willing to keep grinding when nobody’s watching.

That’s why I do this.
That’s why I support these players.
And that’s why I believe people with that level of commitment eventually find their moment.

Final Thank You & Reflection

A huge congratulations to Chonlada Wongras on an incredible victory at the 2026 Reliance Matrix Championship with an impressive winning score of -26.

Winning at this level takes consistency, composure, confidence, and the ability to handle pressure over four long rounds — and she absolutely earned it.

I’d also like to recognize several of the players I had the opportunity to score for and cart alongside throughout the week:

Rachel Kuehn — -19
Xiaowen Yin — -16
Becca Huffer — -16
Mirabel Ting — -15
Jillian Hollis — -12
Karen Chung — -8
Carley Cox Pruette — -7

And congratulations as well to every player who competed in the field throughout the week.

I also want to thank:

The players
Tournament staff
Volunteers
Rules officials
Scoring teams
Shuttle drivers
Organizers
The Epson Tour
The LPGA
Reliance Matrix

…and everyone behind the scenes who helped make the championship possible.

Working my first tournament as a volunteer cart scorer gave me a completely different appreciation for how much work goes into professional golf operations at every level.

From scoring and transportation to rules, timing, volunteers, player services, and course operations — it truly takes a full team effort to keep everything running smoothly.

One thing I’ve learned from walking inside the ropes at both Epson Tour and LPGA events is this:

Golf can humble anybody at any moment.

But the hunger to compete, improve, adapt, and chase greatness never leaves the best players.

And honestly, that’s what makes this sport so special.

Final Thoughts

The Epson Tour deserves far more attention than it gets.

These players are elite competitors fighting for LPGA dreams while traveling city to city, week after week, under immense pressure, financial realities, expectations, and personal sacrifices.

Being inside the ropes gives you a completely different appreciation for their work ethic, mental toughness, professionalism, and commitment to their dreams.

What stood out most to me all week was the hunger, resilience, and sisterhood these women share while chasing the highest level of professional golf.

Some people see golf as an individual sport.

But spend enough time around these tournaments and you realize there’s also a deep level of respect and community between players who understand exactly how difficult this journey really is.

That’s why I do this.

I’m not the greatest golfer.
I’m not some top golf executive.

But I understand what it means to keep grinding toward something bigger than yourself.

And I respect anyone willing to keep fighting for their dreams when nobody’s watching.

Dreams should come true for people willing to put in that level of work, sacrifice, and commitment.

And honestly, I believe many of these women will eventually reach that next level.

More content, photos, player spotlights, and behind-the-scenes moments from the Reliance Matrix Championship coming soon.

— Aaron G. Beebe
Founder of GonnaHappen

Phone# 530-457-5988
aaron@gonnahappen.com

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