Japan’s Yamashita led all golfers most of the tournament with consistent bogey-free golf. She wasn’t big on distance. She didn’t lay out any high-powered drives to speak of at all. Round by round, she played consistently and steadily.
We can’t say the same for the competition.
England’s Georgia Hall finished 1 under par on Sunday. Her comeback is still in the works. Hall remains one of the top LPGA players when it comes to tournament top finishers.
Japan’s Takeda finished the tournament with a 71 for the final round. Her 7 under was not enough to compete with Yamashita’s dominating position on the leaderboard at 12 under at that time.
It appeared that both A.L. Kim and Charlie Hull were Yamashita’s top competitors.
A.L. Kim was all over the course off the tee. She could have used some of Yamashita’s top scrambling abilities to recover from a few of those tee shots landing in the rough. Nevertheless, she could not finish the final round any better than 1 over par, ending up tied for 4th with Takeda.
Hull tried her best to rev up the engine down the final round’s stretch but it just did not work out for her. She had 2 bogeys leading up to the final hole, narrowing her chances of chasing down Yamashita. At that rate, Hull was depending more on a mistake on Yamashita’s part than a great play on her own end.
It never went down that way.
Yamashita proved why big time players grab a lead and hold onto it relentlessly on the leaderboard. She offered no place for any of her competitors to break into the lead. She was composed. She was consistent. She was the epitome of a top player in the lead on display.
Not many amateurs make an impression when competing with the professionals. Lottie Woad left a lasting impression last year as an amateur. However, playing as pro makes a major difference, especially when it comes to expectations and pressure.
When it came to the 2025 Women’s Scottish Open, Lottie Woad did not disappoint on any level during any round in her professional debut on LPGA Tour.
Lottie Woad, a former No. 1 amateur in the world, stepped up at the Women’s Scottish Open to take home the victory and prize money. The English phenom took on Dundonald Links and did not let off the gas until she was raising the trophy to symbolize her first victory on the LPGA Tour.
In her pro debut, @LottieWoad becomes an LPGA Tour champion 🏆
This victory should more than proved she’s ready for the pressure of the professional game. Her final round of 68 led to her finishing the tourney at 21 under par. That was enough to clear secure her first professional victory while competing with Nelly Korda and other top LPGA pros. This victory marks Wood’s start and makes an impressive statement about what she plans to do on the LPGA Tour this year.
What else can we expect from this English golfer who has snagged the attention of women’s golf for the moment?
She should focus on staying on top of her game throughout this initial pro season. Even if she doesn’t kill another tournament like she did this one, she can remain relevant. It’s best that she not go dark or end up in some dark place due to depression and disappointment from the onslaught of public pressure .
Monday's Image of the Day needs no introduction. This one goes out to our 2024 RBC Heritage champion and world No. 1, Scottie Scheffler.🥇 pic.twitter.com/68JAKdEtbl
Scottie Scheffler is on a hot streak. While he’s not quite doing what Nelly Korda is doing in the LPGA, Scheffler is making a statement among the top golfers in the PGA. By winning 4 of his last 5 starts, Scheffler has positioned himself as the man to beat for 2024 at this point in the season.
The battle for the RBC Heritage plaid jacket saw Scheffler fend off some serious competitors like Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark, even Sahith Theegala who edged up to second place at 16 under. This win allowed Scheffler to earn another $3,600,000 on top of having recently won the Masters Tournament.
What’s next for Scheffler?
Who’s to say? Just like we saw Joel Dahmen say on ‘Full Swing’ via Netflix, “It’s so hard to win a golf tournament.” Let’s not overlook the feat that Scheffler just pulled off.
We got caught up and swept away by watching the drama play out as we saw UConn winning back-to-back NCAA championships during March Madness. That’s a feat that few colleges achieve.
Yet, what Scottie Scheffler is doing in 2024 is phenomenal and shows us how focused a pro golfer has to be to wipe out a slate of golfers hitting at 14 under or beyond. He’s doing that kind of stuff and I’m just trying to stay consistent enough to break 90 again and again.
I had my hope set on seeing Ruoning Yin defend her title through the final round at Fir Hills, but that fell by the wayside on Sunday as Nelly Korda nabbed the $300,000 prize for herself at the end of the day. Yin’s failure to retain the lead through 18 holes on Saturday became her own downfall for defending her title. This left the title open for anyone to take advantage and dominate.
It’s still early for the ladies in the LPGA. I can’t wait to see what happens as we go into the summer months. Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson have yet to break out from the pack in the chase for CME Globe points. This latest victory places Korda in first place just ahead of Ko who is in second with Henderson trailing behind at 5th place. There’s still plenty of golf to play in 2024,
Golf can be one of those ventures that has big rewards and payoffs for taking certain risks. Yet, it also has some real simple consequences for taking other types of risks. That’s just some conventional wisdom for the course for you to nibble on to start out right now.
What I really wanted to dig into was the multiple hole playoff between Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand and rookie sensation Jesper Svensson at the Porsche Singapore Classic. Those powerful drives amid strong gusts of wind along with those clutch putts made for stellar drama on the 18th hole. however, even that storyline had to take a back seat to what I witnessed among the LPGA players at Fir Hills for the Seri Pak Championship.
Ruoning Yin added a whole load of drama to the uneventful closure of the third round at Fir Hills. Everyone seemed to make more of a thing about former USC golfer Malia Nam returning to LPGA play and standing out among the top players at Fir Hills, but it appears that Yin was intent upon taking big risks to finish the day off. And that’s one thing that stole the spotlight from Malia Nam’s steady play for remaining in contention for a share of the lead and a potential shot at victory.
Yin was ahead of her fellow players at -11 coming into the 18th hole. Her tee shot landed her in the rough amid some trees with low-hanging branches. That left her with a decision to make. And this is where many of us recreational golfers could both readily and easily empathize with the Chinese golfer’s agonizing decision. She decided on a low punch shot between the trees rather than a high percentage shot like a pitch back into the fairway from the rough.
As I watched on, I recognized the predicament. No one was within any closer to her than 2 strokes. She had the outright lead and her game seemed to be working for her.
Yin Pays the Price
Yin drew back and made an attempt at punching it, and then all you heard was the thud of a golf ball striking bark. Anyone who has played on a course with any kind of woods on it knows that sound. It’s so distinct that it’s almost haunting.
In fact this sound was merely the awakening of a steady dwindle on a downward spiral with little to no chance of return or even redemption.
And that’s putting it lightly.
Ruoning Yin TRIPLED her last hole so she went from solo 1st to T3 two strokes back after round 3.
Consequences continued to come against her as she and her caddie sought some relief from her ball ending what looked like a drain and within a club length of a work shed. But even with that drop and hitting 4 from the rough, Yin ended up short of the green on the 18th. That left her pitching upward to try to finish up the hole.
Things didn’t work out well for her at all on 18. She finished the hole with a triple bogey. She finished the round even at 71 for the day. She ended up tied for third at -7 after holding onto the lead most of the day.
Look at the Lesson
Yin isn’t by herself.
I’ve been there before.
How about you?
Have you ever had that one hole that just tore up everything that you have put together throughout a decent round? I bet it burned you intensely. I would imagine how badly it would feel to have everything going right and then BOOM! It all just falls apart.
Yin is the defending champion for the tournament. She even had a better understanding of the course layout and structure from the prior year’s victory. Hopefully, she recovered and can make the most of this final round at Fir Hills today. But, like many of us, she took a high risk and it cost her enough strokes to shock her. Either way, it surely caught my attention away from Svensson and Aphibarnrat battling for a new Porsche and $450,000.
Who knows? If given the opportunity again, I might try to punch it through the trees, too.
Bradenton, Florida, provided the perfect backdrop for a battle that took the most recent LPGA tournament down to the wire.
Lydia Ko & @NellyKorda are battling it out at the @LPGA Drive On Championship.
Korda looks for her first win in 14 months.
A victory for Ko would qualify her for the LPGA Hall Of Fame, reaching the 27-point threshold needed. ⁰⁰Finishing now on @GolfChannel in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/6LxTSTtvcy
It was an intense weekend for an entire slate of top LPGA players. Korda maintained a steady lead with consistent play, while Ko and other contenders remained on the hunt for the top spot on the leaderboard.
That was about the story until Korda had multiple errors on a three-hole stretch going into the 17th hole. It cost her four strokes. Meanwhile, Ko powered her way into further contention as Megan Khang struggled to remain in the hunt and Korda dropped strokes.
That led to a playoff between Korda and Ko, requiring both players to replay the 18th hole.
Playoff Hole 1
Playoff hole #1 was totally dramatic. Korda missed a birdie putt. Ko worked her magic for an up-and-down par save. This forced a second playoff hole.
Playoff Hole 2
While Korda ended up long on the 18th hole this time, Ko ended up on the green. Victory appeared to be in line for Ko until her par putt lipped out. That left Korda enough room to bury her par putt and claim the victory.
Why All of the Hype Over LPGA Golf?
Top-ranked players don’t always deliver on their potential. Winning a golf tournament requires either steady or stellar play on the course over an entire weekend. Unlike many of their male counterparts, LPGA players are scrambling for less prize money and fewer endorsement deals.
The LPGA is currently in good hands. I say that with all kinds of confidence.
Given the degree of play demonstrated in the final round at Bradenton Country Club on Sunday, we’re seeing golf greatness on display. As the Race to the CME Globe continues, Ko still holds the top spot with Nelly Korda the next closest player ranked at number 2. Sunday gave us a faceoff of the top 2 contenders for the season’s ultimate prize.
Say the name Lydia Ko a few weeks back and you might get a few confused looks. That was pretty much the type of response that the young lady’s mere mention seemed to elicit while her fellow LPGA competitors like Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson seemed to be headed on a track of increasing popularity. Add Lexi Thompson’s steady top 10 finishes and competitive Sunday rounds and you could see where Lydia Ko might not have risen to the top of many people’s radar.
Personally, I remain delighted to see Korda, Henderson and Thompson play their hearts out. I think that they all are deserving of the fury of fandom that has arisen for them. However, I find that Lydia Ko has demonstrated another side of professional golf that many fans seem to forget along the way.
Promising Early Years
Look back on Lydia Ko’s early years in the professional ranks. At one point up until 2017, Ko was the youngest player to win an LPGA event at age 15. She set the record on August 26, 2012, when she won the Canadian Women’s Open at age 15. That’s remarkable but not the only thing.
In 2015, Ko rose through the LPGA ranks to become the youngest golfer on the LPGA Tour ranked No. 1. Considering the level of competition and the amount of hard work and dedication required to maintain throughout a professional golf tour, Ko demonstrated an ability to hang among the top players early on in her career.
The Struggle Got Real for Ko
Professionals are not immune to what happens in the world. In fact, their world seems to either explode or implode based upon what’s happening around them and within them and their inner circle. The emotional drain and the pressure from the press can seem to eat away at the joy of fulfilling a lifelong dream of success at the sport a pro loves to compete in time and time again.
Lydia Ko was not immune to the bad press either, especially as she sought to remain among the top-ranked LPGA players. During her down times, it probably didn’t help her professional motivation when she was struggling professionally and people started pointing fingers in the press. Her former coach David Leadbetter blamed her parents in 2019.
Her struggles on the course showed up in different ways:
Even physical issues seemed to plague Ko’s comeback to a degree
The fat-shaming and other psychological stress can take it’s toll on a person, even a professional golfer with promise and potential. In an interview with Henni & Hally, a more personal side of Lydia Ko was shown to reveal how “she’s just like everybody else.”
At the end of the day, Lydia Ko struggled for a matter of time within her career. Let’s not get too judgmental about it, though. Tiger had his struggles. Lefty has had his low points. We could name a slew of pros who haven’t always made it to the top 10 finishes and some who have not always made the cut. Ko’s struggles are not limited to her career alone.
One golf journalist called Ko’s swing “picture perfect.” Some have pointed out how the slow motion videos of her golf swing reveal her training to achieve that turn. I think that her golf swing, especially with a driver, stands out as one of her mainstays.
In Round 1, Lydia Ko made her presence known and set the tone for much of the tournament, finishing atop of the leaderboard ahead by 1 stroke. Going into Round 2 with such a slight lead, Lydia Ko separated herself from the leaderboard pack with a 66 as other top players averaged higher scores. By the time Round 2 ended, Ko had a comfortable 5 shot lead.
But any of us who have played the game of golf know that means nothing when there is plenty more golf to play.
Things heated up when Leona Maguire shot a 63 in Round 3. Shooting a 70 in Round 3 didn’t help Ko’s quest for regaining a Rolex Player of the Year Award, but it was enough to keep her tied at the top of the leaderboard. Both players ended the round 5 strokes ahead of 2 players tied for third place on the leaderboard as well as 6 strokes ahead Brooke Henderson and Anna Nordqvist tied for fifth place.
Stellar play in that third round helped both Maguire and Henderson make their runs for the top of the leaderboard. Maguire shot a stunning 63 for the round to match her 66 and 66 for the first 2 rounds, while Henderson shot a solid 65 to make a strong push towards the top after sitting tied for 26th going into Saturday’s round. Nordqvist has remained in contention for a top 10 finish since Round 1.
What I Like So Far
You’ve most probably read my prior post on the stakes of higher prize money for this event. The possibility and prospect of bagging $2 million to wrap up the season is a great focal point for plenty of the top 60 LPGA golfers in the field. That’s a key factor in this final round for the CME Group Tour Championship. Throw in that Rolex Player of the Year Award and you’ve got you a battle going on for the final event of the season for the best of the best.
Lydia Ko is demonstrating steady play. Her 70 shot in the third round isn’t a sign of her losing it. She still remains poised and positioned to play for the title. Brooke Henderson did something amazing by climbing to the top 5 of the field from being 11 strokes behind Ko’s lead in Round 2. The type of play that we’re seeing from Maguire, Henderson, Ko, and even Nordqvist shows what happens when you put the top 60 players in the same field for the same top prize.
What This Does for the Game of Golf
The $2 million purse alone will not end the gender pay gap in professional sports. However, this type of finish for any segment of sports stands out as a new standard in a new era.
In my opinion, sports fans need truth serum every so often just to bring folks back to reality. Watching the season opener of the Lakers, I was disappointed. The shot selection was horrible. Every single NBA pro isn’t a 3-point shooter. Maybe that memo got missed. I can critique all that I want to and all day long. That doesn’t change the fact that they’re pros and I am nothing but a fan of both the sport and team.
I can Monday quarterback all that I want to in hindsight as I explain why the Raiders are losing the way that they keep losing and break down how it’s not all on Derek Carr until I am out breath and totally drained of ideas. That doesn’t change a single thing. That has me thinking I can do better. Or, better yet, it has fans like me basically saying that what the pros need to do is listen to me.
That’s not going to work.
What the current CME Group Tour Championship is doing sets a tone for pros and fans. We see the top 60 players entering a field that is wide open for a coveted prize. The best performers will rise to the top as their best remains on display before the world.
I’m a fan, not a pro. I am just trying to break 90 consistently. Heck, I’ll settle for the leisure time to be able to truly play consistently. I’ve got nothing of substance to offer Lydia Ko when she shoots a 70 in a round of tournament golf.
And where does that leave us as fans? We’re either watching our TVs or standing on this side of the ropes in admiration of what the players put out there.
Equal pay for equal work is an argument for social equity and economic equality. The “pink tax” (also known as the “tampon tax”) has been an example of women working for less pay on the job (many times the same exact position) and paying more for consumer products. It also includes a higher degree of markup in costs for certain consumer products targeted towards women, items men do not have to even consider like tampons, pantyhose, and makeup.. This has been played out across the board in corporate America as well as among K-12 educators and higher ed institutions.
Sports are a totally different ball game when it comes to the gender pay gap.
Originally hitting the mainstream through the the lawsuit filed for equal pay by U.S. Women’s Soccer team in 2019. Despite winning back-to-back titles, the FIFA World Cup prize money for the women and men has a gap of 114.89%. In terms of dollars, that boils down to $360,000 difference.
What we’re seeing being done through the LPGA and CME Group Tour Championship is literally a move in the right direction to close the gender pay gap.
Prior Attempts at Gender Pay Equality
The U.S. Open made efforts to close the gender pay equality gap this season. With such a wide gap in pay between women and men professional golfers, the tournament’s move to raise the prize money this season has been seen as a sign and gesture of both good faith and a step in the right direction. This stemmed from a newly-established partnership reported in January of this year where the USGA secured a major sponsorship from ProMedica in order to provide top a record $10 million purse for the U.S. Open. The 2022 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles included a winner’s share of $1.8 million.
Rising LPGA Prize Money Not Resulting in Equality
In March of 2021 by BBC Sport shared research reports that showed an ‘overwhelming majority’ of sports offering ‘equal prize money’ to both men and women at the top level. Given the rise in LPGA prize money, the gender pay gap has yet to arrive at a point of closure. LPGA golfers still run the risk of losing money after making the cut for certain tournaments and in certain situations.
As Kikue Higuchi reports for the LPGA, the top 60 women professional golfers of the LPGA Tour will compete for a $2 million winner’s purse at the CME Group Tour Championship, the final event for the 2022 season. This represents “the largest purse of any non-major tournament,” a total purse of $7 million for the tournament prize money. The prize money for the tournament winner of the CME Group Tour Championship is 28.57 percent of the overall purse. In comparison to average LPGA Tour events, 28 percent is 13 percent higher than the average percent of the overall purse to the winner.
These are major shifts towards closing the gender pay gap. Golf seems to be doing its part to bring more attention to the women who are playing on the course. The LPGA has established partnerships and sponsorships to push forward with making headway in this area.
The gap has yet to see widespread moves towards closure throughout sports.
Maria Fassi’s 62 in Round 1 set the tone for the tournament. Round 2 lived up to the test and did not disappoint.
Fassi held her ground among the top competitors to stay in the upper echelon of the leaderboard. She sits 1stroke back from the lead behind Allisen Corpuz. Fassi is currently tied for second place at -9 with Lexi Thompson and Maja Stark.
The second round of the Pelican Women’s Championship was filled with highlights. Maja Stark had the best showing of all players in the field with the top score of 63 at seven under for the round. Lydia Ko showed her skills with a remarkable recovery from under a tree. Nelly Korda swept up sand from the greenside bunker and sent her ball sailing right near the hole. Yet, Corpuz dazzled with her 65 on her scorecard.
Rookie Corpuz Takes the Lead
LPGA rookie Allisen Corpuz made a great showing in Round 2. Her 65 showed her LPGA competitors that she could compete and contend for a potential championship victory. Currently ranked at 51st on the LPGA money list, the 24-year old Corpuz has a CME ranking at 44th. Despite her being a product of USC, I can see her skills on display throughout the tournament thus far.
As the field enters into Round 3, the LPGA rookie currently has a 1 stroke lead. Not far in the distance, Nelly Korda is 2 strokes behind along with Carlota Ciganda.
Impressive Early Rounds Intensify Round 3
Round 3 seems to be fueled with intensity. In a golf season that has seen 11 first-time winners, Corpuz and Fassi seem to be making a push for a potential #12 first-time winner on the tour. The Pelican Women’s Championship could foster a star-studded competition for the victory.
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