LPGA points races reach final stretch in penultimate event at Pelican
The LPGA is back stateside for its final two tournaments of the season.
Nelly Korda, the world No. 1 who has already clinched Rolex Player of the Year honors, returns from a neck injury (she’s been out since late September) to headline the 120-player field for this week’s The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. Upon completion of The Annika, the top 60 players in the Race to the CME Globe will then head down I-75 the following week for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples. Everyone else will enter the offseason – some still with an LPGA card, others with lesser status.
Thus, this week is make or break, points-wise.
Here are the races you should be watching:
Top 60
What it gets you: A spot in the 60-player CME Group Tour Championship, which boasts an $11 million purse with $4 million going to the winner. Unlike the PGA Tour, the LPGA does not technically have a season-long champion; the winner of the season finale wins the CME Race to the Globe, which means Korda’s 906-point lead over Haeran Ryu matters none.
Where things stand:
55. Ryann O’Toole, 713.6
56. Minjee Lee, 711.3
57. Leona Maguire, 704.2
58. Hyo Joo Kim, 697.2
59. Mi Hyang Lee, 688.9
60. Stephanie Kyriacou, 679.8
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61. Gaby Lopez, 665.6
62. Hinako Shibuno, 647.1
63. Carlota Ciganda, 639.5
64. Auston Kim, 637.9
65. Ashleigh Buhai, 625.7
It’s shocking to see Minjee Lee on the bubble, especially considering she’s not finished worse than 16th in points in nine seasons on the LPGA. But just four top-10s in 19 starts this season have her in danger of falling out of the top 60. Lopez is currently the first player out as she looks to avoid snapping a six-year streak of qualifying for the LPGA finale. She needs at least a two-way tie for 40th to move into the top 60. Perrine Delacour, at No. 108 in points, is the first player in the field who cannot crack the top 60 with a win.
Top 80
What it gets you: Category 1 membership on the LPGA next season, which comes with an exemption into the Chevron Championship and, depending on where a player ranks within this category, invites to the two early-season, limited-field tournaments in Asia.
Where things stand:
75. Georgia Hall, 465.1
76. Wei-Ling Hsu, 464.5
77. Kristen Gillman, 456.3
78. Gemma Dryburgh, 452.3
79. Yu Jin Sung, 446.5
80. Minami Katsu, 405.6
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81. Emily Kristine Pedersen, 387
82. Cheyenne Knight, 386.2
83. Lauren Hartlage, 371.8
84. Wichanee Meechai, 358.2
85. Aditi Ashok, 323.6 (not in Annika field)
Hall has qualified for the CME Group Tour Championship every season since earning her LPGA card at Q-School in 2017, though this year she has just one top-10 and is likely more worried about keeping her place in the top 80. She needs a two-way tie for sixth or better to guarantee her Category 1 status for 2025. Hall’s former Solheim Cup teammate, Pedersen has missed seven cuts in her last 15 starts while not finishing better than T-30 (last week in Hawaii) during that stretch. Knight won the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational with partner Elizabeth Szokol, so she has at least locked up at least Category 4 membership for 2025.
Top 100
What it gets you: Category 11 membership on the LPGA next season, which puts these players behind several categories, including recent tournaments winners (last two years), recent major champs (last five years) and the top 10 graduates from the Epson Tour. At the start of this year, No. 81 in the final 2023 points list slotted in as priority No. 118.
Where things stand:
95. Caroline Inglis, 244.7
96. Savannah Grewal, 242.7
97. Polly Mack, 240.4
98. Jiwon Jeon, 238.5
99. Celine Borge, 235.8
100. Yuri Yoshida, 229.4
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101. Bianca Pagdanganan, 228
102. Sofia Garcia, 218.9
103. Mone Inami, 218.2
104. Haeji Kang, 207.9
105. Mary Liu, 207.3
Grewal left Clemson midseason and has logged 20 starts so far as a rookie. She tied for fourth as a sponsor invite at the Blue Bay LPGA but also missed nine straight cuts shortly after. Inami is a 2023 winner, so she’ll likely play out of Category 4 next season. It’s worth noting that last year’s No. 101 finisher, Amanda Doherty, made just seven starts this year. Alexandra Forsterling, currently No. 135 in points, is the last player in The Annika field and needs at least a two-way tie for fifth to crack the top 100.