KUALA LUMPUR: It was certainly a week to forget for Malaysian golfer Kelly Tan.
Unable to compete in this week's Maybank Championship, the 31-year-old must now come to terms with losing her LPGA Tour status for next season.
Kelly failed in her bid to regain her full card after a disappointing performance in the second stage of the LPGA Qualifying Series (Q-Series), which concluded in Florida on Friday.
At the Plantation Golf and Country Club, Kelly carded rounds of 72, 78, 77 and 73 for a 12-over 300 total, finishing in a tie for 173rd place out of 194 competitors.
Fellow Malaysian Alyaa Abdulghany finished tied for 88th on 289.
Only the top 35 players will advance to the final stage, scheduled for Dec 5-9 at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Alabama.
Kelly was forced to return to Q-Series after a difficult season where she finished 186th in the Race to CME Globe points standings.
Only the top 100 players retain their tour cards.
She had previously succeeded at Q-Series on four occasions, including in 2013 as an amateur, which secured her LPGA debut in 2014.
She also earned her card through Q-Series in 2019 and 2021.
Kelly will now compete on the Epson Tour next season, the LPGA's developmental circuit, where the top 15 finishers earn promotion to the LPGA Tour.
Kelly had to give Maybank Championship a miss as it clashes with the second stage of Q-Series.
It was postponed from its original Oct 15-18 date due to Hurricane Milton.
Kelly is sponsored by Maybank, the tournament's title sponsor.