The LPGA Tour is entering a demanding part of its calendar, with three major championships scheduled over the next six weeks. This crucial stretch begins with the KPMG Women`s PGA Championship, which is set to start on Thursday at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas.
Amy Yang of South Korea is the reigning champion.
This event is the final major championship to be held on U.S. soil this season. Following this, the tour will move to France for the Amundi Evian Championship from July 10-13, and then to Wales for the AIG Women`s Open from July 31 to August 3.
Here are some of the main narratives to keep an eye on in Frisco this week:
Can Nelly Break Her Winless Streak?
A year ago, world number one golfer Nelly Korda had already secured six victories before the KPMG Women`s PGA Championship, including her second major title at the Chevron Championship. She concluded 2024 with seven wins after triumphing at The Annika in November.
However, this season, she is still seeking her first win. While she hasn`t claimed a victory, her performance hasn`t been poor; she has finished in the top 10 in four out of her nine starts and tied for second place at last month`s U.S. Women`s Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
“Yeah, it`s golf,” Korda commented. “Every year is just so different. Last year coming into this event, I had [six] wins. I think even Hannah Green had multiple wins under her belt too coming into this event.”
“It`s just golf. You kind of just have to ride the wave, and the competition is getting better and better every year. To win once, to win twice, it`s really good,” she added.
This season has seen no repeat winners across 15 LPGA Tour events so far, and both Mao Siago of Japan and Maja Stark of Sweden secured their first major championships at the Chevron Championship and U.S. Women`s Open, respectively.
Korda remained in contention at the U.S. Women`s Open until the closing moments, finishing at 5-under 283, two strokes behind Stark. She led the field in strokes gained: off the tee (+1.82) and was fifth in approach (+1.67), but she ranked 52nd in putting (-.42).
“I think it just makes you hungrier,” Korda reflected. “For me, I hate making mistakes; obviously, I love winning. You don`t get to win often, but there`s nothing like being in contention, so I think that`s kind of what makes me hungrier to come back and to work harder and put myself into that position.”
“At the end of the day, I did put myself into that position. I was still in contention and feeling the adrenaline rush on 18, trying to win a major championship. That`s the reason why I play this game, and I love it so much,” she concluded.
Thitikul`s Aim for World No. 1
While Korda is still looking for her first win of the season, world number two Jeeno Thitikul has already achieved victories on both the Ladies European Tour (PIF Saudi Ladies International on February 15) and the LPGA Tour (Mizuho Americas Open on May 11).
The 22-year-old is set to compete for her first major championship title this week. Should Thitikul win, she would move even closer to overtaking Korda for the world number one ranking. Thitikul, who hails from Thailand, was the 2022 LPGA Rookie of the Year and briefly held the top ranking that same season.
Her best result in a major tournament was a solo fourth place finish at the 2022 KPMG Women`s PGA Championship held at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
“Never thought I was going to reach No. 1 in the world when I was 19,” Thitikul stated. “But now No. 2 in the world, I still feel the same how I put the work [in] because I feel like [no matter what number I am], my job is the same.”
Thitikul, who resides in the Dallas area, currently leads the LPGA Tour in strokes gained: total (2.70) and is second in scoring average (69.1).
She has recorded six top-10 finishes in 10 starts and missed only one cut, which significantly contributes to her leading position in the LPGA`s season-long points race.
“Every major I just want to make the cut, to be honest,” Thitikul admitted. “It would be really great to win it, and definitely I can tell that it would be like everyone`s dreams to win a major. To me, what I have now under my belt. I`m pretty happy with all I`ve achieved. If I can get it, it would be great, but if not, I don`t have anything to regret about.”
New Venue for the Women`s PGA Championship
This week marks the first occasion the world`s elite women golfers will compete at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, one of two courses located at the new headquarters of the PGA of America.
The course previously hosted the 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in May 2023, where Steve Stricker defeated Padraig Harrington in a playoff, finishing with a winning score of 18-under 270 over 72 holes.
Designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, the course is also slated to host the Women`s PGA Championship again in 2025 and 2031, and the men`s PGA Championship in 2027 and 2034.
“I feel like this kind of golf course, it`s dictated a lot by what time of the year you play,” commented three-time major champion Lydia Ko. “It`s not that firm and fast yet, and I think there may be a little bit of rain in the forecast. So I think the course is probably going to play a lot longer than maybe how the senior men played it a couple years ago.”
After Thursday`s opening round, conditions are expected to be hot and dry. Weather forecasts predict high temperatures in the low to mid-90s Fahrenheit, accompanied by southerly winds ranging from 10 to 18 mph.
“I think it all plays pretty difficult depending on the wind,” Korda observed. “All the par 5s are pretty much three-shot holes for me, so just dialing in. The downwind holes, I think are going to play probably the hardest just because it`s quite hard to hold the green. If you do hit it a little bit short with that fluffy Bermuda, it kind of just stays, so you can`t play for a run-up.”
Closing in on Annika Sorenstam`s Record
At the age of just 28, Lydia Ko is already the youngest inductee into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She boasts 23 victories on the LPGA Tour, 38 wins worldwide, and is the reigning Olympic gold medalist in women`s golf.
With another victory or two, Ko could potentially surpass 10-time major champion Annika Sorenstam in career earnings on the LPGA Tour. Sorenstam achieved an impressive 72 wins and earned approximately $22.6 million before retiring after the 2008 season.
“In [a way], it`s unfair because she`s won 70-something times,” Ko remarked. “I`m proud of my 23, and I`m hoping to have a few more by the time I`m done. We are just playing in a very different era.”
Ko has already accumulated around $20.8 million in earnings since turning professional in 2013.
“I think I`ve said multiple times in women`s golf and women`s sports in general, we`re just on such a high,” Ko stated. “I think it`s very fortunate in this generation to be able to ride it.”
“I`m very lucky to be born in this era, so it`s kind of hard in the sense of being even compared to Annika, who has done much more than me. I think that`s why it`s our duty as players, or just the whole organization, to be able to keep growing it and give more opportunities for the future generations and the kids that are coming out here to watch us play,” she concluded.
Joy for J.J. Spaun`s Major Win
Maja Stark has experienced a whirlwind couple of weeks since triumphing over Korda and other competitors at Erin Hills to secure the biggest victory of her career. The former Oklahoma State golfer is now ranked sixth globally.
She took the previous week off to fully absorb the significance of her win. Stark mentioned that she didn`t cry immediately after winning, but she did shed tears when J.J. Spaun claimed his first major title with a 64½-foot putt on the final hole of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“I cried after J.J. Spaun won because I was so excited for him,” Stark shared. “Just like when you see the reaction and how happy he was, hearing he almost quit last year and just like him crying, finishing with two birdies and finishing in this fashion, that was just crazy.”
“Seeing his kids, you know, hug him. That just makes me emotional for anyone. I`m just like a little crybaby,” she added.
