For the first time since her unlikely major championship victory at the 2020 AIG Women’s Open, Sophia Popov has won a professional event, The Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic.
Popov got there with three fantastic rounds. There was the lone hiccup in Friday’s second round, where she shot a +2 73, but the other days she went 64, 64 and 69 while playing in the harsh Arizona heat.
“I always say, winning a second time is harder than winning the first,” said Popov after the win. “It doesn’t matter what event, on what tour the nerves were there just as much, especially because it’s mother’s day, and my daughter is here and my mom is here and I knew it would be so special to win.”
This was Popov’s first time winning since giving birth to her daughter in 2023. She did it in the midst of temperatures floating around 100 degrees and at times some heavy afternoon winds.
Popov got off to a quick start with a birdie on the first hole, but immediately followed it up with a bogey. Playing with a four-stroke lead coming into the day though, she had some room for error. Like Jeeno Thitikul on the LPGA Tour this week, Sunday was about maintaining the lead, more than extending it.
The closest contender to Popov was Michelle Zhang, who fired a final-round 66 to clinch her highest finish of the season. With three top-12 finishes already in 2025, Zhang is one to watch out for in the Race for the Card.
Speaking of, Popov immediately jumped to No. 8 in the Race for the Card standings, despite this being the first start of the season for the 32-year-old from Germany. If she decides to make some more starts on The Epson Tour this season, she could make a run at getting her LPGA Tour status back in 2026.
The Epson Tour next travels to Utah for the Copper Rock Championship.
(Photo by Jesse Morrison: Fore-All.com)
