The LPGA Tour Enters its Critical Phase with Three Majors in Six Weeks
The professional women’s golf circuit, the LPGA Tour, is entering the most exciting part of its calendar, with three major championships scheduled in the next six weeks. The first of these is the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which starts this Thursday at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas. The defending champion is South Korean Amy Yang. This tournament marks the last major to be played in the United States this season. Subsequently, the Amundi Evian Championship will be held in France from July 10 to 13, followed by the AIG Women’s Open in Wales from July 31 to August 3.Key Points to Follow in Frisco
The Frisco tournament presents several points of interest that promise to keep fans on the edge of their seats.Will Nelly Korda Break Her Winless Streak?
The world’s number one, Nelly Korda, is seeking her first victory of the season. Despite not having achieved first place, she has maintained a consistent performance, with four top 10 finishes in nine appearances and a tie for second place at last month’s U.S. Women’s Open.This season, there hasn’t been a repeat winner in 15 LPGA Tour events. Mao Saigo of Japan and Maja Stark of Sweden secured their first major titles at the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, respectively. Korda was close to victory at the U.S. Women’s Open, finishing two strokes behind Stark. Despite leading in strokes gained off the tee and being fifth in approach, her short game cost her. Korda expressed her motivation: “It makes me feel hungrier. I hate making mistakes and I love to win. Being in contention is what drives me to work harder.”“That’s golf,” Korda commented. “Every year is different. The competition is getting better and better, and winning once or twice is really good.”
Nelly Korda
Thitikul Chasing Number One
While Korda seeks her first triumph, world number two, Jeeno Thitikul, has already celebrated victories on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. The 22-year-old will try to win her first major this week, which could bring her closer to world number one. Thitikul, from Thailand, was the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2022 and briefly reached number one in the world that season. Her best result in a major was fourth place at the 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.Thitikul leads the LPGA in total strokes gained and is second in scoring average. She has achieved six top 10 finishes in ten appearances, which puts her at the top of the season’s points standings. Thitikul commented on her expectations: “In each major, my goal is to make the cut. Winning would be fantastic, but I am happy with what I have achieved.”“I never thought I would reach number one in the world when I was 19,” said Thitikul. “But now, being number two, I feel like my job is the same.”
Jeeno Thitikul
New Venue for the Women’s PGA Championship
The tournament will be played for the first time at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, one of the two courses at the new PGA of America headquarters. The course already hosted the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2023, where Steve Stricker won. Designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, the course will host the Women’s PGA Championship in 2025 and 2031, and the men’s PGA Championship in 2027 and 2034.It is expected to be hot and dry weather after the first round, with temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit and southerly winds. Korda anticipates challenges: “All par 5s are three-shot holes for me. The holes with a tailwind will probably be the most difficult.”“This course is affected by the time of year it’s played,” Lydia Ko commented. “It will probably play longer than the senior men played a couple of years ago.”
Lydia Ko
