© Getty Images Sport – Cliff Hawkins / Staff
Amy Yang picked a great time to win her first title on the LPGA at the CME Group Tour Championship. With a birdie on the last two holes and a final 66 (-27 overall), Yang won the CME Group Tour Championship and was awarded the $2 million prize pool, the largest in women’s golf.
Amy Yang, statements
“I was very nervous at the end,” said the South Korean champion. “But I tried to tell myself, ‘I can do this.’ I can do it’ I’m so happy I made it.” This is her fifth victory on the Tour Major for the 34-year-old player.
Nasa Hataoka closed with a 69 and Alison Lee with a 66 to tie at -24 for second place. Lee never managed to get within two strokes of the leader at Tiburon Golf Club. The American champion, still winless on the LPGA Tour, closed her season with three second places and a victory in Saudi Arabia on the Ladies European Tour .
Lilia Vu, two-time Major champion in the current season and number 1 in the women’s world rankings, closed with a 65 to finish alone in fourth place (-21), winning the player of the year award. Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul closes the top5, fifth at -20.
The last match of the season for the LPGA Tour champions will take place from November 16th to 19th at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida where they will compete for the CME Group Tour Championship. The champions in the field will compete for a prize pool of $7,000,000 which is the largest of all non-Major tournaments and 500 points in the Race to the CME Globe.
Last edition was won by New Zealand player Lydia Ko with a score of 17 strokes under par. On the field there will be the best 60 players in the seasonal ranking of the Race to the CME Globe. In 60th place in the Race to the CME Globe standings is Madelene Sagstrom, who earned last place at the Tour Championship, despite missing the cut at Pelican Golf Club last week.
Two notable players who will not be participating in this year’s CME Group Tour Championship are Lydia Ko, becoming the first tournament winner not to qualify for the following season, having finished the year in 100th place in the Race to the CME points standings Globe.
Additionally, Lexi Thompson, who won the Tour Championship in 2018, will also miss this year’s tournament for the first time in her career. Thompson attempted to move up the rankings at last week’s The ANNIKA, but her 7th place finish wasn’t enough to get her into the top 60 and she ended the season in 79th place in the rankings.
Among the various titles that will be awarded we can find: the Rolex Player of the Year, the Vare Trophy, the Money Title, the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and the AON Risk Reward Challenge. Two prizes have already been awarded, Angel Yin won the AON Risk Reward Challenge and will take home the $1 million prize.
Meanwhile, Hae Ran Ryu captured the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award with her 12th-place finish at ANNIKA, becoming the 14th player from the Republic of Korea to win the title and the sixth Korean since 2015. The Rolex Player of the Year still remains to be determined, and has been awarded to two players: Lilia Vu and Celine Boutier.
Vu earned her fourth win of the season at ANNIKA. Boutier now leads Vu by just 27 points heading into the Tour Championship, and depending on their performance in Tiburon, either player could take home the prize on Sunday.
Source: Tennis World USA