Tag: Mao Saigo

A dozen LPGA rookies to watch in 2024, including Gabriela Ruffels, a 13-time winner from Japan and the first Russian member

A U.S. player hasn’t won the Rookie of the Year Award since Paula Creamer in 2005.

This year’s rookie class of 26 players represents 12 countries, highlighting the global nature of the LPGA.

One of the most well-known rookies of the 2024 class is former U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Gabriela Ruffels, who many thought would be a veteran by now were it not for a paperwork error. The Aussie topped the Epson Tour’s money list to earn her card.

There are plenty of players who have won multiple titles on their home tours in this year’s class, including a teen from China.

The Class of 2024 includes only five Americans: Gurleen Kaur, Auston Kim, Kaitlin Milligan, Malia Nam and Gigi Still. A U.S. player hasn’t won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award since Paula Creamer in 2005.

Here are a dozen LPGA rookies to keep an eye on in 2023:

Here are 10 players to watch at historic Muirfield, where the AIG Women’s British Open will be contested for the first time

Who’s going to capture the final women’s major of the year?

Whoever wins this week’s AIG Women’s British Open will forever hold a special place in women’s golf history. Three years ago, Muirfield, host of 16 men’s British Opens, invited its first female members in the club’s 275-year history.

The club was actually removed from the R&A’s rota of British Open host venues after a 2016 membership vote failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to change the rule to admit women.

The membership voted again in 2017 and pushed it through. Needless to say, the final major of 2022 carries great significance.

Jennifer Kupcho, winner of the first female event ever hosted at Augusta National, won the final Chevron Championship at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course to kick off major season. Minjee Lee’s dominant performance at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles followed.

Then, In Gee Chun nabbed her third different major at the KPMG Women’s PGA, and two weeks ago, the Amundi Evian saw Brooke Henderson snap a six-year drought between her first and second major titles.

Here’s a look at 10 players to keep an eye on at Muirfield: