Minjee Lee holds the trophy which has given her the lead in the money list race – photo Getty Images LPGA
Hannah Green’s excellent share of 4th place at last week’s keeps her in 18th position in the Race to the Globe standings and while she would need something special at this week’s CME Group Tour Championship in Naples in Florida to better her previous best season when 12th in 2019, she has taken her earnings beyond US$1 million and is about to complete another good season on the LPGA Tour.
Green is one of three Australasians to make it into the field for this week’s season ending event and with Lydia Ko leading the points table and Minjee Lee (3rd) there is a lot to play for this week in addition to the richest first prize in women’s golf (US$2 million).
Some of the most coveted awards of the year are still undecided – the Money Title, the Rolex LPGA Player of the Year and the Vare (Scoring average) Trophy – and won’t be until the final putt drops on Sunday.
Though Lee holds a $1.1 million lead over In Gee Chun, there’s too much cash on the line this week, leaving the money title hanging in the balance. The top eight players in official money have a chance to take the title if they capture the CME Group Tour Championship winner’s check.
Lydia Ko leads the race for Player of the Year, but Lee is hot on her heels – just one point behind the New Zealander. Brooke Henderson and Atthaya Thitikul are tied for third just 20 points out of the lead and are still in the running. Ko also leads the tour in scoring average at 69.049 and is well positioned to earn her second Vare Trophy in a row.
Lee’s significant lead in the race for the money title is a result of her win in the lucrative US Women’s Open where she earnt US$1.8 million for her second major victory.
But Ko has been consistent all season and more especially in the latter half of the season which has not been quite so productive for Lee. Ko now leads the Race to the Globe and the Player of the Year categories so the outcome of this week’s event will play a role in deciding several titles but for both players it has been a fine season.
If Ko was to win this week she would claim the Player of the Year and Race to the Globe titles for the third time and take her career earnings on the LPGA Tour to US$16.6 million.
Green has recorded top tens in four of her last five starts this season so is peaking at the right time for a possible best season ever.
Lee has a best of 5th in seven previous tarts in the event, Ko won in 2014 and has a best of 5th in eight other starts while for Green she finished runner-up in 2020 behind Jin Young Ko.
Lydia Ko with her BMW LPGA Trophy in October – photo LPGA Getty
