HOUSTON – Jin Young Ko and Sophia Popov are both headed to Naples, Florida, following the conclusion of the 75th U.S. Women’s Open. Ko’s second-place finish in Houston propelled her into this week’s CME Group Tour Championship. Popov isn’t in the field; she just happens to live there.
Popov, of course, won the AIG Women’s British Open in August. Because she was a non-member at the time, she did not earn the 625 points typically awarded for first place toward the Race to the CME Globe standings. The field was expanded to 72 players this year (including two sponsor exemptions). Popov finished 82nd on the final points list; she would’ve finished 16th if the AIG had counted.
Popov, who recently bought a house in Naples, thought she then might get one of the two sponsor exemptions that were on the table. On the eve of the opening round at the Pelican Women’s Championship last month, she found out those went to Natalie Gulbis and Sarah Kemp. Popov said she was shocked, saying that she felt she deserved to be there.
“It’s a fairness thing as far as playing ability,” said Popov. “It’s not like I haven’t earned it. It’s like I have earned it points-wise, technically.”
Terry Duffy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CME Group, told Golfweek that he wanted those two sponsor exemptions to ensure that his two ambassadors – Cheyenne Knight and Kemp – got into the field.
Typically, there are no sponsor exemptions for the CME, and Duffy said there won’t be any going forward. Like so many things about 2020, this was an exception. After Knight qualified on her own, Duffy had one more spot to fill.
“I’ve known Natalie since 2005, when I did my first event with clients,” said Duffy, who noted that Gulbis was instrumental in his decision to take the step toward title-sponsoring an event.
In January, Gulbis announced that she’d be retiring after the 2020 season. She then told the Toledo Blade back in August that she’d be returning in 2021 because there weren’t any fans out for most of the season.
LPGA Chief Tour Operations Officer Heather Daly-Donofrio said sponsor-exemption decisions are at the discretion of each week’s title sponsor, without input from the LPGA, as a benefit for their investment and partnership.
“The decision to add sponsor exemptions for the CME Group Tour Championship is for this year only,” said Daly-Donofrio. “In this abnormal 2020 year, the CME Group Tour Championship is slightly different than in the past, allowing more players in the field and offering two sponsor invites. In 2021, we expect to return to a 60-player field that is filled strictly off the Race for the CME Globe rankings.”
In 2019, the CME Group Tour Championship offered the biggest payday in women’s golf history – $1.5 million to winner Sei Young Kim. Duffy also raised the purse to $5 million, thereby raising the bar for the entire tour.
Ko earned enough points in just three starts on the LPGA, leaping up to 46th on the points list with finishes of 34th, fifth and second. The World No. 1 spent most of 2020 back home in her native South Korea.
“This week is my best finish at the U.S. Open, so I can play next week, as well,” said Ko. “I’m really thankful. This season is too tough with coronavirus, so I want to say thanks to USGA and all the volunteers.”
With Amy Olson, Ally Ewing and Marina Alex not playing this week, Brittany Lincicome, Anne van Dam and Maria Torres made it into the field.
The 72-hole no-cut event will offer a purse of $3 million. The winner will receive a check of $1.1 million, the highest first-place check on the LPGA.
Popov won’t be the only 2020 major champion missing from the field. U.S. Women’s Open A Lim Kim won’t be there either. Like Popov, she will have the option to accept a two-year membership for the tour beginning in 2021.
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