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After further review, LPGA’s Angel Yin cleared from any rules infraction, leads CME by two

Yin has now pulled her second shot in the water on the fourth hole two days in a row.

NAPLES, Fla. — After second-round leader Angel Yin signed her scorecard at the CME Group Tour Championship, she and her caddie rode off with LPGA rules official Sue Witters to review footage from the fourth hole.

The question centered around a drop Yin took on the par 4 after hitting her second shot in the water. There was concern that she’d taken the drop closer than allowed. Yin would go on to get up-and-down for bogey, making a six-foot putt.

“They wanted to ask me about the process of the drop, and if I used all my resources to be able to come to a determination of where I crossed and how I took my drop,” said Yin.

“So we talked it through. We even brought Narin (An) and (caddie) Justin (Dunbar) in, everybody from the group.”

After completing the review, LPGA officials determined that no further action was required and Yin maintained her two-stroke lead.

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Photos

“I think everybody is trying to hold up integrity and the rules of golf because it would be bad if we cheat, so we don’t want that,” said Yin.

“And anyway, we talked it through. It was all good.”

And the crowd goes wild for another @angelyinlol birdie 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ma3s7X7YPD

— LPGA (@LPGA) November 22, 2024

Yin’s second-round 69 puts her at 10 under for the tournament and two shots ahead of Hye-Jin Choi (68) and An (72). World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot 66 and trails by four along with 2023 CME champion Amy Yang, Jeeno Thitikul, Ruoning Yin and Ayaka Furue.

The winner of the CME will claim a record-breaking $4 million paycheck. Yin, 26, won for the first time on the LPGA last season and has earned $5.2 million over the course of her LPGA career.

Yin has now pulled her second shot in the water on the fourth hole two days in a row and had hoped to hit the range after the round on Friday but ran out of daylight.

Watch: One way or the ‘otter,’ there’s animals galore at 2024 CME Group Tour Championship

Tiburon Golf Club has had a slew of creatures roaming the fairways and greens this week.

Tiburon Golf Club, host of the CME Group Tour Championship, has had a slew of creatures roaming the fairways and greens this week.

On Friday, a river otter interrupted play on the 13th green, scampering across the putting surface before trudging across a bunker.

Well… this otter could’ve at least raked the bunker 🦦 pic.twitter.com/O8zDp7TH3b

— LPGA (@LPGA) November 22, 2024

It’s not just the otters. There’s also been several squirrel sightings at Tiburon.

Nasa Hataoka of Japan reacts to a squirrel on the third hole during the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship 2024 at Tiburon Golf Club. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

And then there’s the members of the animal kingdom you definitely don’t want to mess with, like this alligator.

Nelly Korda surges into contention for eighth LPGA title of 2024 at CME Group Tour Championship

“Golf is just crazy,” said Korda. “Always humbles you, but that’s what you love so much about it.”

NAPLES, Fla. — Nelly Korda, for all her otherworldly talent, echoed the masses on Friday at the CME Group Tour Championship.

“Golf is just crazy,” said Korda. “You go from playing so well last week to not being able to find the center of the club face yesterday. Always humbles you, but that’s what you love so much about it.”

Korda rebounded from an opening 72 with a dazzling 6-under 66 at Tiburon Golf Club on a sunny, windswept day in south Florida. The bogey-free round included a hole-out for eagle on the third hole.

The World No. 1 headed to the range after Thursday’s round and came away with one simple swing thought.

“I get kind of like slung open, and then when I swing my face open, then I just don’t hinge properly,” she said.

“So going straight back, which in a sense is like a closing club face on the way back, and then just hinging puts me in a good spot on the top.”

A hole out for eagle from the rough?!? @NellyKorda is UNREAL 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Bj4VZo71kF

— LPGA (@LPGA) November 22, 2024

Armed with a good plan, Korda headed back for a little room service and some much-needed rest. Her physio, Kim Baughman, came by to knock on the door early Friday morning for treatment on her neck.

“It’s getting better every day, yeah,” said Korda, who skipped the tour’s fall Asian swing after suffering the injury. “Doing a lot of rehab still with Kim, strengthening.”

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Photos

A seven-time winner on tour this season, Korda tops the LPGA’s money list with $4,164,430 but can nearly double that total with an historic $4 million winner’s check this week. Korda currently holds a share of fourth.

The first American to win seven times in a season since Beth Daniel in 1990, should she go on to win this week, Korda would be the first American to win eight times in a season since Nancy Lopez in 1979.

It’s also worth noting Korda came from behind to win four times this season, the most of since Jane Geddes in 1987.

Lydia Ko can’t stop the tears as Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam welcome her into LPGA Hall of Fame

Lydia Ko promised herself she wouldn’t cry.

NAPLES, Fla. — Lydia Ko promised herself she wouldn’t cry. Made a note of it, actually, on her speech.

But when Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez surprsing her by coming on stage to welcome her to the LPGA Hall of Fame Wednesday night at the Rolex Awards, Ko put the bouquet flowers in front of her face to hide the tears.

“To think that I’m in that prestigious club with them, it’s honestly hard to wrap my head around that,” said Ko after her opening round at the CME Group Tour Championship. “But just how welcoming they’ve been. Every time I win or play well, Nancy texts me like messages with, like, so many hearts and she’s just become more than just someone that played generations ahead.

“She’s been like an aunt, somebody that’s taken me in and I have really relied on. I’ve been fortunate to actually been able to spend some time with Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst the past few weeks before Pelican.

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Photos

“To hear some of their stories it’s funny, but back of my mind I’m like, oh, my God. I’m in the Hall of Fame with her. It’s just crazy.”

My favorite moment from last night! Lydia Ko said she wouldn’t cry, but Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam got her! Special moment welcoming her to the toughest Hall of Fame in all of sports. pic.twitter.com/hkKzDIqdCc
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) November 21, 2024

Before Ko even walked on stage to accept the Heather Farr Perseverance Award, the emotions started to kick in as she watched a highlight reel. The LPGA had sent her a similar video earlier in the year that showed her winning putt at the Olympics before transitioning to the putt that won her first LPGA title at age 15 and everything that followed.

“It’s weird because that’s really the only video I’ve been watching,” said Ko, “but I think it’s because it’s just like given me like flashbacks of all those moments. You know, the things in between as well that I can vividly remember.

“Like I have actually sat in the car and like watched that and shed a tear as well.”

Lydia Ko is recognized by Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam for qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame during the 2024 LPGA Rolex Players Awards at Tiburon Golf Club. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Ko opened the season-ending CME with a 5-under 67 to trail by three. A three-time winner this season on the LPGA, Ko won her third career major at the AIG Women’s British Open at St. Andrews two weeks after winning Olympic gold.

The winner of this week’s event earns a record $4 million. Ko won $1.5 million the the first time she claimed the CME title in 2014 (for winning the tournament and $1 million bonus). In 2022, she claimed the $2 million winner’s check.

LPGA major champion Sophia Popov makes debut as on-course reporter at CME

This is her first gig doing on-course work during a golf telecast.

NAPLES, Fla. — Sophia Popov woke up at 6 a.m. Thursday fired up to get to the first tee. She wasn’t nervous about the narrow opening shot at Tiburon Golf Club, however, because this time, she didn’t have to hit it.

Popov, 32, instead had on a headset as she went to work as an on-course commentator for the first time for ESPN. The 2020 AIG Women’s British Open champion is part of this week’s Featured Groups coverage at the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. She has twice commentated in the booth for other networks during the 2015 and 2024 Solheim Cups.

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Photos

“I’ve always thought about this as a career and I really want to do it,” said Popov, “and I think this is definitely where I see my future. But at the same time, I feel like my game has actually kind of come together towards the end of the year. I definitely would like to play another year and then kind of see how the year goes, and ease out of playing and more into broadcast and not make it a hard stop.”

Popov gave birth to daughter Maya Mae Mehles in June 2023 and returned to the tour in March.

Will Haskett and Amanda Blumenherst are in the studio for this week’s Featured Groups coverage while Chantel McCabe joins Popov on the course.

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CME Group Tour Championship’s $4 million winner’s prize both historic, life-changing on LPGA

Imagine what that kind of many can do.

NAPLES, Fla. — Before Angel Yin took any questions from the press on Thursday at the CME Group Tour Championship, she had her manager run to get her shades. Yin has an endorsement with a South Korean sunglasses company and wanted to make sure they were in the camera shot.

For a while, sponsorships were hard to come by for the always-entertaining Yin. She’d gone four years without a logo, and while she felt desperate about it at times, made the best of the situation. When Yin won the Aon Risk Reward Challenge at the end of 2023, she took home a $1 million bonus check.

This week, she could leave Naples with a record $4 million winner’s prize.

“It got my freedom,” said Yin of how last year’s seven-figure check changed her life. “Allowed me to hire people that I want, add more members to my team this year.”

Yin opened with a 7-under 65 at Tiburon Golf Club to trail leader Narin An by one stroke. LPGA Hall of Fame member Lydia Ko holds a share of fifth after an opening 67. No. 1 Nelly Korda, who won her seventh title last week, opened with an even-par 72.

Bailey Tardy remembers earning $30,000 for winning on the Epson Tour three years ago and thinking, “Wow, I’m set.”

“Then you kind of see how quickly the money depletes when you’re traveling on the road so much,” she said.

Fast forward to January 2024 when Tardy bought a house.

“I’d never had rent more than $1,000,” she said. “My mortgage is like $2,000 and I was really stressed about – not how I was going to pay for it – but managing my money on the road and then also being able to pay for my mortgage.”

Winning in March of this year took care of that when she earned $330,000 at the Blue Bay LPGA. She set aside her mortgage and utilities for the year and felt the financial stress lift away.

More money than three of the men’s majors

Imagine then, what $4 million could do. The runner-up this week earns $1 million and last place is guaranteed $55,000 of the $11 million purse.

“This $4 million prize is bigger than three out of the four men’s majors,” said LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, “and it’s what our players deserve. We’re super proud that we’re here.”

Lexi Thompson’s first big check came early. She was only 16 when she won the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic and the $195,000 winner’s prize. Thompson bought a black Camaro SS with custom body kit, billet grille and chrome rims.

“I actually still have it,” said Thompson. “My mom drives it.”

Andrea Lee’s biggest career check came earlier this year at the U.S. Women’s Open when she finished in a share of third and earned $664,778.

Lee, who still lives at home with her parents, describes herself as a saver.

“I think my parents have instilled that in me,” said Lee, who’s putting away for retirement. I won’t be playing my entire life, maybe 10 more years or so.

“Money is not going to always come my way, gotta save up as much as I can.”

‘Exciting to me to give away that $4 million’

CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy has been at the forefront of LPGA growth for some time, pushing prize funds into unprecedented territory.

On Wednesday, the LPGA and CME announced an extension of the CME Group Tour Championship and the season-long Race to the CME Globe through 2027.

“It’s exciting to me to give away that $4 million,” said Duffy, “and I hope I‘m turning on the TV in a few years and someone is giving them $10 million.”

Photos: Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and more LPGA stars walk green carpet at Rolex Awards

The event was streamed live on Peacock for the first time.

NAPLES, Fla. — Nelly Korda took to the stage at the Rolex LPGA Awards to celebrate her historic seven-win season. The World No. 1 received the Rolex Player of the Year award as well as the Rolex Annika Major Award.

The event, which was streamed live on Peacock for the first time, was held at the Ritz-Carlton Naples on the eve of the CME Group Tour Championship.

Other winners of the evening include Lydia Ko, who received the Heather Farr Perseverance Award and Ally Ewing, winner of the 2024 Founders Award. Both awards were voted on by players.

Other honorees included Rolex First-Time Winners Lauren Coughlin, Linnea Strom and Bailey Tardy.

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Photos

Here are photos from the glamorous 2024 event:

Watch: Lexi Thompson on green carpet at 2024 LPGA Rolex Awards: ‘Nights like this I’ll definitely miss’

For the first time, the awards are being live streamed on Peacock for fans around the world to watch.

It’s a big night for the LPGA.

And for the first time, it’s being live-streamed for fans around the world to watch.

The 2024 Rolex LPGA Awards Show is going to be shown live on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, on Wednesday night starting 7 p.m. ET.

Photos: LPGA stars go glam at Rolex Awards through the years, from Mar-a-Lago to the Ritz

There is a big “green carpet” gala to preview the event and then during the show, there will be three season-long awards handed out:

Rolex Player of the Year
Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year
Rolex ANNIKA Major Award

You can also watch a stream of the green carpet that preceded the awards show below. Lexi Thompson was stopped and asked what she’ll miss about not playing on the LPGA next season.

“Nights like this, I’ll definitely miss,” Thompson said. “A lot.”

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LPGA announces LEAP program, providing top amateurs with direct access to tour

Florida State junior Lottie Woad has 16 points, the most of any current amateur.

It’s finally here.

The LPGA announced Wednesday its LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), a program providing top amateur female golfers a new way to get on the LPGA starting in 2025.

Through LEAP, female amateurs who accumulate at least 20 points within the set criteria framework in the current year and the previous three calendar years will earn exempt Priority List status on the LPGA, provided they also meet all LPGA membership requirements.

“I think this will allow, like I said, the very elite to be able to bypass Q-Series and get right on to the LPGA. There won’t be a lot of these athletes. This isn’t going to happen every year. It might happen every couple of years. We don’t know, but it’s really reserved for the very best. We’ve done a lot of analysis to make sure that the points and the criteria will really produce that best athlete,” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said Wednesday during a news conference ahead of the CME Group Tour Championship. “This is just one step in our sort of analysis of pathways and figuring out how to get, continue to have the best players in the world competing on the LPGA Tour.”

Qualified amateurs turning professional through this program who earn their 20th point before July 1 of the current year have three options:

accept LPGA membership before July 1 of the current year and gain eligibility for the remainder of the current LPGA season only
defer LPGA membership until on or after July 1 of the current year and gain eligibility for the remainder of the current and the following LPGA season or defer LPGA membership until the following season
gain eligibility for the following LPGA season only

For amateurs who turn pro who earn their 20th point on or after July 1 of the current year have two options

accept LPGA membership for the remainder of the current LPGA season and the following LPGA season
defer LPGA membership until the following season and gain eligibility for the following LPGA season only

If multiple players meet the 20-point threshold within the same year, the player who reaches it first will have higher Priority List placement, per the tour.

Here’s a breakdown of how players can accumulate points:

1. World Amateur Golf Ranking: Points awarded based on the highest achieved career WAGR ranking, awarded only once.

3 points: WAGR No. 1 ranking
2 points: WAGR No. 2 or No. 3 ranking
1 point: WAGR No. 4 or No. 5 ranking

2. LPGA tournament participation: No limit on points awarded in this category.

2 points: top 25 (and ties) at an LPGA major championship
2 points: top 10 (and ties) at an official LPGA tournament (non-major)
1 point: made cut at an LPGA major championship
1 point: top 40 (and ties) at an official LPGA tournament (non-major)

3. Amateur championships: No limit on points awarded in this category.

2 points: the champion of each of the following: U.S. Women’s Amateur, Women’s Amateur Championship, European Ladies Amateur Championship, Augusta National Women’s Amateur, World Amateur Team (individual champion), Div. I NCAA Championship (individual champion)
1 point: the Champion of each of the following: U.S. Girls Junior Championship, Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, Women’s Amateur Latin America

4. Awards: No limit on points awarded in this category.

4 points: the McCormack Medal winner
2 points: the Annika Award winner
2 points: the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Player of the Year
1 point: the AJGA Player of the Year
1 point: Division I Inkster Award Winner

5. Teams: No limit on points awarded in this category.

2 points: each player competing as an official member of a Curtis Cup team
1 point: each player competing as an official member of the Arnold Palmer Cup team

Florida State junior Lottie Woad has 16 points, the most of any current amateur.

Photos: LPGA stars go glam at Rolex Awards through the years, from Mar-a-Lago to the Ritz

Here are photos from the Rolex Awards through the years.

NAPLES, Fla. — The 2024 Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony will be live-streamed on Peacock for the first time. The glamorous event kicks off with a photo call followed by the awards program, which begins at 7 p.m. ET. A livestream of the Green Carpet will begin at 6:15 p.m. ET on the LPGA’s Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages.

When the season-ending event was held at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the early aughts, the ceremony was held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club. It’s been staged at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, since 2014, when the tournament moved to Tiburon Golf Club.

Wednesday night’s program will be full of stars, with world No. 1 Nelly Korda accepting LPGA Rolex Player of the Year honors as well as the 2024 Rolex Annika Major Award.

In addition, Lydia Ko will be presented with the Heather Farr Perseverance Award while Ally Ewing will receive the 2024 Founders Award. Both awards were voted on by players.

Other honorees include Rolex First-Time Winners Lauren Coughlin, Linnea Strom and Bailey Tardy.

Here are some photos from the 2024 awards show.

Below are some photos from over the years: