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The LPGA retains getting stronger annually as confirmed by the truth that that they had winners from 16 completely different nations in the previous couple of seasons. This makes it so very tough to slim this down to only 40 gamers.
Listed here are my high 40 picks for the 2025 season in reverse order: (final 12 months’s precise Participant of the Yr end is in parenthesis).
40- Sarah Schmelzel (37) – Sarah had her most interesting 12 months in 2024. She acquired off to a scorching begin with 4 consecutive high ten finishes very early within the 12 months, however cooled off some after that. She did end with seven high tens, and contributed two factors to staff USA of their Solheim Cup victory.
39- Alexa Pano (65) – Alexa recorded her first LPGA victory in 2023. Final 12 months she took a small step backwards. A future star, she should do higher than her 123rd place end final 12 months in fairways hit. She is simply 20 years previous, making her one of many youngest gamers on tour (if not the youngest). She has all of the instruments to be a high participant quickly. I search for her to rebound this season.
Alexa Pano on the 2024 Portland Basic – Photographer Ben Harpring
38- Jennifer Kupcho (40) – Jennifer received thrice through the 2022 season, however has not introduced house a trophy since. She made 24 of 27 cuts final season, so she is all the time round for the weekend. Her seven high tens final 12 months present she nonetheless has the power to contend regularly.
37- Leona Maguire (67) – The season that Leona had in 2024 is inexplicable! The earlier three years she was twentieth, eighth, and twelfth within the Participant of the Yr race. In 24 begins final 12 months she had only one high ten. In her final 15 begins she couldn’t produce a high 25. She is simply too good a participant for her to try this once more.
36- Charley Hull (46) – In case you needed to guess what number of profession wins she has, would anybody say simply two? As exhausting as it’s to imagine, that’s the right reply. She takes quite a lot of day without work and teed it up simply 17 instances final 12 months. Her 5 high tens is ok for therefore few begins. I believe she’s going to transfer up some this 12 months, however I can’t put her increased if she performs simply half of the LPGA schedule.
35- Andrea Lee (31) – Andrea teed it up 23 instances final 12 months with 5 high ten finishes. She may be very brief off the tee (158th on tour) so the remainder of her sport must be sharp for her to contend. I anticipate comparable outcomes this 12 months.
34- Allisen Corpuz (59) – Allisen was the winner of the U.S. Open in 2023 performed at Pebble Seashore. She hasn’t been capable of observe that up as that’s her solely victory. She fell again final 12 months with solely three high ten finishes in 26 begins. She will go both approach this 12 months, however I’ve a sense she’s going to rise again into the highest 40.
33- Celine Boutier (37) – Celine completed 2nd within the Participant of the Yr race in 2023 when she received 4 instances. A drop off in 2024 was anticipated, however she fell additional down than might have been predicted. She didn’t win in any respect final 12 months, and had simply 5 high tens in 25 begins. I don’t anticipate her to have one other profession 12 months, however she is simply too good a participant to not be holding one other trophy quickly.
32- Gabriela Ruffles (31) – She completed third within the Rookie of the Yr race final season. In 26 begins she made 21 cuts and had 4 high tens. A really strong participant who I believe will end on this space for years to come back.
31-Sei Younger Kim (22) – Sei Younger is a twelve time winner on the LPGA Tour. She teed it up 24 instances final 12 months and had 5 high ten finishes. Her final victory was 5 years in the past, so I can’t place her increased than this till she exhibits that she will be able to win once more.
30- Narin An (25) – Narin teed it up 27 instances final 12 months and recorded 5 high ten finishes. She is a really strong participant however lacks size off the tee, ending 144th on tour. She has began 77 LPGA tournaments in her profession and not using a single win. When she exhibits that she will be able to convey house a trophy, I’ll place her increased.
29- Angel Yin (23) – Angel performed damage a superb a part of final season, however nonetheless managed 7 high tens in simply 20 begins. If wholesome this 12 months she will be able to end a lot increased than this.
28- Jasmine Suwannapura (22) – Jasmine did get her third win on the LPGA Tour final season, however the remainder of her 12 months wasn’t a lot to put in writing house about. She teed it up 30 instances (greater than any participant on tour) however solely had 4 high tens. She completed one hundred and thirtieth in driving distance and 113th in placing. Not a system for fulfillment on the LPGA Tour. Her 71.79 scoring common has to enhance.
27- Chanettee Wannasaen (17) – Chanettee received for the second 12 months in a row final season so you’re most likely questioning why I don’t have her increased up on this listing. My purpose is that she disappears for many of the season. She began 29 instances final 12 months (tied for 2nd place) however solely managed 4 high tens.
26- Ina Midday (N/A) My first of three rookies on this listing. Ina could be the perfect saved secret in ladies’s golf. So secret that her biography web page is clean on the LPGA web site. What’s nicely documented is that she was caught dishonest on the KLPGA (her caddie threatened that he would go public if she didn’t flip herself in). She was then suspended for 3 years! I wager no participant goes to cheat over there once more. What is evident although is that this participant can play golf. She had an incredible 11 high fives and 14 high tens on the KLPGA final 12 months, and is ranked twenty ninth within the Rolex World Rankings.
Ina Yoon at 2024 LPGA Q-Sequence: Remaining Qualifying Stage – Photographer Ben Harpring
25- Maja Stark (14) – Maja had an honest 12 months final 12 months with 4 high tens in 22 begins, however has not received for the reason that 2022 season. If she lifts one other trophy I’ll rank her increased.
24- Megan Khang (27) – Megan teed it up 23 instances final 12 months and had 5 high ten finishes. She appears to play her finest in huge occasions. She received all three of her matches within the 2024 Solheim Cup.
23- Amy Yang (11) – The spotlight of her 2024 season was profitable the KMPG Girls’s PGA Championship. It was her first Main Championship win. Aside from that she didn’t do a lot. She had only one different high ten and missed the reduce in a single third of her begins. She might be turning 36 this season and it’s important to determine her finest years are behind her.
22- Patty Tavatanankit (12) – After a down 2023 season, Patty bounced again properly final season. She picked up her first LPGA victory in three years and had 4 different high ten finishes. There are occasions when she appears like one of many high gamers within the sport, however we don’t see that always sufficient.
21- Mao Saigo (16) – Mao tied for 2nd place with 29 begins final 12 months. She had seven high tens and received the Rookie of the 12 months award. Search for her to have the same season in 2025.
20- Jin Hee Im (31) – I anticipate an enormous 2025 for this participant. She completed second within the Rookie of the Yr Race final 12 months. In 24 begins final season she solely missed three cuts, and had six high ten finishes. She had a number of possibilities to win on Sunday, however couldn’t shut the deal. She might be holding a trophy very quickly.
19- Nataliya Guseva (25) – Possibly the largest shock on the LPGA Tour final season. After a really underwhelming begin, she was a high participant the second half of the season. In her final 10 begins she had 5 high ten finishes. In her final two begins she completed 2nd on the Lotte Championship and seventh on the CME Group Tour Championship. She is a bomber, averaging 275 yards off the tee and completed ninth on tour in placing. If she retains these drives on the golf green….be careful!
18- Yuka Saso (10) – She completed within the high ten for Participant of the Yr final season solely due to her one victory. In 22 begins she managed simply 2 different high ten finishes. She completed 98th in driving accuracy and eighty fifth in hitting greens in regulation. Yuka additionally missed one third of her cuts. Method too many negatives there for me to suppose that she’s going to repeat final 12 months’s end.
17- Brooke Henderson (17) – Brooke is a 13 time winner on the LPGA Tour. Final season was the primary season in her profession that she didn’t win, excluding the shortened Covid season. She did handle to garner ten high tens final 12 months and in 25 begins missed simply 2 cuts. Don’t wager in opposition to her getting win quantity 14.
16- Rio Takeda (N/A) My second rookie on this listing. Simply 21 years previous, Rio received as a non-LPGA member final 12 months. A 9 time winner on the KLPGA Tour, she is already ranked quantity 16 within the Rolex World Rankings.
15- A Lim Kim (27) – I’ve had the benefit of already seeing the LPGA play their first two occasions this 12 months. Kim received considered one of them. She did win late final 12 months to show round what would have been a poor season. She performs quite a bit (possibly an excessive amount of?) as she teed it up 28 instances final 12 months however had solely 3 different high tens, whereas lacking eight cuts. She is actually able to profitable once more this 12 months and ending within the high ten for Participant of the Yr.
14- Lilia Vu (9) – When wholesome Lilia is likely one of the high gamers on tour. Final 12 months she performed in simply 19 tournaments, however nonetheless managed a victory and 4 high tens. She already missed the primary two tournaments this 12 months, and can begin her season this week in Thailand. She missed simply 2 cuts final 12 months and has made her final 13 straight.
13- Lauren Coughlin (7) – A marginal participant for a number of years on the LPGA Tour, Lauren turned her profession round final season. Not solely did she seize her first two LPGA victories, however had eight high tens. She additionally went 3-0-1 within the USA’s Solheim Cup victory. Logic says she had a profession 12 months that she received’t replicate in 2025. I see newly discovered confidence and one other robust 12 months.
12- Hye-Jin Choi (20) – Name me loopy for placing her this excessive on the listing as she has not received any of her 77 LPGA begins. She appears to all the time be in competition which is confirmed by her 20 profession high tens, eight of which she earned final 12 months. If she fails to win once more this 12 months I promise to drop her approach down, however I’ve a sense that first win is coming actual quickly.
11- Yealimi Noh (48) – As I mentioned earlier, the primary two LPGA tournaments have already been performed. Yealimi has received a type of tournaments. My pencil has an excellent eraser, and I used to be capable of change my preliminary prediction. She appeared to search out it late final season, not lacking the highest 30 in her final eight occasions, with two high 5 and three high ten finishes over that interval. If she will be able to hold it on the golf green (118th final 12 months) she might be a high participant.
10- Miya Yamashita (N/A) – My third and last rookie on this listing. She has received 13 instances on the JLPGA tour and remains to be simply 23 years previous. She was the medalist on the last spherical of the LPGA Qualifying Sequence to earn her LPGA card. She additionally completed in 4th place on the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games.
9- Rose Zhang (15) – Rose has received in every of her two seasons on the LPGA Tour. She remains to be attending courses at Stanford College which limits her LPGA begins. Juggling training {and professional} golf shouldn’t be a simple factor (simply ask Michelle Wie). Rose was the Solheim Cup MVP for the USA staff the place she went an incredible 4-0-0. We’ve got not but seen her at her finest. One of the best is but to come back.
8- Hannah Inexperienced* (5) – Hannah had the perfect 12 months of her profession final 12 months when she received thrice and had six high ten finishes. She is simply too good a participant to fall again too many spots this 12 months. (*Function Photograph)
7- Jin Younger Ko (12) – Final 12 months Jin Younger didn’t win a match for the primary time in eight years. A 15 time winner on the LPGA Tour (2 Main Championships) she solely missed 2 cuts in 18 begins final 12 months. She now has 20 Corridor of Fame factors (27 is required for induction), however these final seven are all the time the toughest to get (see Christie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Laura Davies). If she stays wholesome, don’t wager in opposition to her getting there.
6- Ruoning Yin (6) – The numbers have been all there final 12 months. Twenty begins, solely two missed cuts, three wins, seven high tens. A profession 12 months? I don’t suppose so. Search for her to do it once more.
5- Lydia Ko (2) – In nearly another 12 months, Lydia would have been primary in 2024. She began 21 instances, made 19 cuts, received thrice and had eight high tens. Oh, she additionally received the Gold Medal on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris and gained induction into the LPGA Corridor of Fame. A small letdown is possible in 2025, however only a small one.
4- Haeran Ryu (5) – Haeran hit the winner’s circle final 12 months for the second time in her profession. In 26 begins she missed simply three cuts and had a league tying 13 high ten finishes. Taking part in with the lead late in tournaments has been her one downside. I search for her to show a few of these high tens into victories this 12 months.
3- Ayaka Furue (3) – Led the LPGA final 12 months in cuts made proportion, as she solely missed one reduce in 24 begins. She had one victory and 12 high ten finishes. She is so constant which you can’t drop her down on this listing.
Ayaka Furue on the 2024 JM Eagle LA Championship – Photographer Ben Harpring
2- Jeeno Thitikul (8) – A high ten machine that the LPGA has not seen in fairly a while. She led the LPGA in high tens in each 2022 and 2023. In 2024 an harm saved her out a superb a part of the season. She performed in simply 17 tournaments and nonetheless tied for the highest ten lead with 13. Can she make it 4 years in a row? Don’t wager in opposition to it.
1- Nelly Korda (1) – How are you going to not place her on high once more this 12 months? In simply 17 begins she received 7 instances final 12 months and had 11 high ten finishes. She additionally picked up 9 Corridor of Fame factors, giving her 19 for her profession. Don’t wager in opposition to her getting there actual quickly.
Gamers most definitely to make me look silly for leaving them off this listing: The Jutanugarn sisters and the Iwai twins (each rookies).
Function Photograph: Hannah Inexperienced on the 2024 JM Eagle LA Championship – All pictures on this article by Ben Harpring.
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Publish date : 2025-02-21 23:35:36
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