Lydia Ko’s recent impressive performance on the golf course has sparked discussion about her chances of overtaking Nelly Korda for the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year award.
While Korda had a strong start to the season with six wins in seven starts, Ko’s three LPGA titles, including a major, and an Olympic gold medal have also put her in contention.
However, Ko currently trails Korda by 100 points in the POY race, with only a few events left in the season to make up the difference.
Points are awarded for top-10 finishes, with double points given at major events. A regular event win earns 30 points, while a major win earns 60 points.
For Ko to have a shot at the POY title, she would need to win three more times this season and finish in second place in another event, assuming Korda does not earn more points.
While the Olympics does not count towards the POY race, Ko’s gold medal win in Paris helped her secure a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, raising questions about its significance in the POY points system.
In 2021, Nelly Korda won four LPGA events, including a major and Olympic gold, but lost out on the POY title to Jin Young Ko.
Ko’s five LPGA wins that season, coupled with 13 top-10 finishes, earned her the POY title by a margin of 14 points over Korda. If Korda had received points for her gold medal, the outcome may have been different.
Given that Ko has already secured a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, it is unlikely that she is too concerned about winning the POY title this year. However, moving forward, the Olympic results should be considered in the overall evaluation of an LPGA season.
The points system aims to remove bias and emotions from the decision-making process, but it is important for the structure to reflect the current landscape of the sport.
There is still time to make adjustments before the next Olympic cycle in 2028.
Nelly Korda of the United States celebrates with the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
