It's possible that Nelly Korda could wrap up the LPGA's Rolex Player of the Year award while in the midst of a two-month break.
The world No. 1 Korda currently leads South Korea's Haeran Ryu by 75 points. Ryu, who hasn't played on the LPGA since the FM Championship in late August, would need to do one of the following to have a chance at beating Korda: 1) win three tournaments or 2) post two wins, a second-place finish and an eighth-place finish.
No. 3-ranked Ryu is in the field for this week's BMW Championship in South Korea as well as the Maybank Championship in Malaysia. She is not playing the Toto Japan Classic. If the point differential exceeds 60 points after the Toto, Korda will mathematically clinch the title with two events remaining.
Otherwise, Ryu is already slated to play both The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican and the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
Jeeno Thitikul needs three wins to overtake Korda. Right now she's slated to play Toto and the CME. She has until Nov. 3 to sign up for The Annika.
Miyu Yamashita needs four wins to overtake Korda.
The Rolex Player of the Year award is worth one LPGA Hall of Fame point. With 25 points, Korda, 28, is two points shy of the 27 needed to make the Hall of Fame.
In 2024, Korda clinched the POY award with two events left to play.
A four-time winner this season, Korda won the first two majors of the season while Ryu won the next two. Korda didn't finish outside the top two in her first six starts in 2026. She won four of her first eight events this season before cooling off in the back half.
Over the last 10 years, the POY race was decided at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship seven times.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women's golf. Follow her on X/Twitter (@GolfweekNichols).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Nelly Korda could wrap up LPGA Player of the Year while sitting at home
