LPGA TOUR 2024 PREVIEW
2023 was a wild ride on the LPGA Tour. We saw so many first time Champions on tour. We saw Ruoning Yin begin the year ranked 153rd in the world and finish the year ranked second. She was even ranked as the #1 golfer for a time. Lilia Vu and Celine Boutier established themselves as the consistent contenders with 4 wins each. Perennial contenders Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Jin-young Ko had comparatively down seasons.
So what should we expect in 2024?
First of all their are a few Rookies to keep an eye on. Yuri Yoshida from Japan has had a lot of success on the JLPGA including a Major Win at the Salonpas Cup. Gabriela Ruffels from Australia is my early pick to win the Rookie of the Year title in 2024. She has the game to make an impact early on. Jin Hee Im from South Korea has been a constant contender on the KLPGA. She has a precise game but could find some of the longer courses a challenge. Last but not least Trichat Cheenglab from Thailand looks to continue the recent success Thai women have had on the LPGA. She was the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year last year, and looks to follow that up as the LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2024.
I expect two players to establish themselves as top contenders in 2024. Similar to what we saw from Vu and Boutier in 2023. I expect Linn Grant and Rose Zhang to be at the top of a few leaderboards this year. Both players proved they could win on the LPGA Tour last year. With a season of experience and a powerful game that can attack any course. I believe Grant and Zhang will be the players to beat at many events this year. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them won a Major, and I expect both of them to finish with multiple victories in 2024.
Don't count out Nelly Korda and Jin-young Ko in 2024. These two players have the ability to win every time they Tee off. With no real weaknesses when they are on their games. Expect a bounceback year from both of them. They are especially dangerous at big events so I wouldn't be surprised if either of them won a Major.
A player I'm a bit skeptical about maintaining her level of success is Ruoning Yin. I find her game to be a bit too streaky to finish the year in the Top 10. Now that being said she does play tough courses extremely well. So a Major Win isn't out of the question. If she can accomplish that she will obviously have proven me wrong.
One player I am really rooting for in 2024 is of course Xiyu Lin. She is now at 25 Top 10 finishes without an LPGA Tour Win. She finished 2nd at the Portland Classic and the JM Eagle LA Championship in 2023. I think she finally hoists a trophy in 2024.
Let us know who you have your eye on in 2024, and who you think will finish the year as the top ranked player to finish the year.
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