DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Nelly Korda clinched the points-based LPGA player of the year on Tuesday, her second such award in three years and moving her one victory away from qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Korda won four times this year, including two majors at The Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera, her signature win during another dominant season.
She won the award when double major winner Haeran Ryu of South Korea had
to withdraw last week in Malaysia due to injury, and Miyu Yamashita of Japan and Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand did not enter The Annika next week in Florida.
That left them mathematically unable to catch Korda.
Korda's season was so stellar she wrapped up the LPGA's top award with three tournaments remaining on the schedule — she also did that when she won the award in 2024. Korda skipped the entire four-week Asia swing, as she often does. The 28-year-old American plans to play the final two weeks in Florida.
Those tournaments — The Annika and the CME Group Tour Championship — suddenly take on extra meaning. The LPGA player of the year gives Korda 26 points, one short of the getting into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She could get the last point by winning either of the next two tournaments.
Korda would not be the youngest player to qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Inbee Park reached the requirements when she was 27.
Park also was a finalist this year for the World Golf Hall of Fame, separate from the LPGA's hall with players and contributors from around the world selected by a panel of administrators, Hall of Fame members and media.
Korda had an astonishing start to her season. She won the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida, that was cut short to 54 holes because of bitter cold and wind. That was the start of six consecutive tournaments where she won or was runner-up.
The streak ended with a tie for eighth, only for Korda to win the U.S. Women's Open, the major she had her eyes on because it's the biggest tournament in women's golf and was held at fabled Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles for the first time.
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