Mayakoba, Quintana Roo, March 31, 2026.– One of the stars of women’s golf set to compete again in the second edition of the MÉXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba is Russian player Nataliya Guseva, who will once again attempt the feat of becoming the first golfer from her country to win an event on the LPGA Tour.
In her appearance at Mayakoba in 2025, Guseva finished tied with five other players for 26th place, posting a total score of 288 (even par), earning a prize of $21,499. A declared admirer of Lorena Ochoa, the Moscow-born player, now with greater experience and better knowledge of the El Camaleón course, aims to improve her performance at the Mexican stop, scheduled from April 30 to May 3.
Early in her career, Nataliya enjoyed a successful amateur trajectory, winning various international tournaments across Europe. At 18, she enrolled at the University of Miami in 2021, joining the Hurricanes women’s team, where she was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year.
The Russian player, who turned 23 last month, is currently ranked No. 96 in the women’s world golf rankings. She joined the Epson Tour for the 2022 season, where she recorded three top-10 finishes, including a victory at the Black Desert Resort Championship in Utah, earning her first—and so far only—professional title. Throughout her LPGA career, Guseva has recorded nine top-10 and 16 top-25 finishes, with total earnings reaching $1.6 million.
In 2023, she became the first Russian to earn an LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season, as well as membership on the Ladies European Tour (LET).
In 2024, her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, the Moscow native posted six top-10 finishes and was runner-up at both the Portland Classic and the LOTTE Championship, ending the year ranked 26th in the standings.
Last year, Nataliya Guseva competed in 29 events, making 22 cuts and earning $569,770. She achieved three top-10 finishes, including a season-best seventh place at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. She also finished ninth at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards in Las Vegas and 10th at the TOTO Japan Classic, ending inside the top 60 in the Race to the CME Globe standings to qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, where she placed 36th.
So far this season, the Russian has competed in four events. She finished 50th at the Honda LPGA Thailand and 52nd at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore. She missed the cut at both the Founders Cup presented by Fortinet and, most recently, the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass in Arizona.
The MÉXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba will be the 10th event of the LPGA season, featuring a $2.5 million purse. Nataliya Guseva joins other top Tour players such as American Nelly Korda and New Zealander Lydia Ko, as well as Mexican golfers Gaby López, Isabella Fierro, Clarisa Temelo, and María Fassi, all of whom have confirmed their participation.
