Ryu Hae-ran clinches top LPGA rookie award
Ryu Hae-ran of Korea plays her shot from the eighth tee during the first round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican at Pelican Golf Club, Nov. 9 in Belleair, Fla., U.S. AFP-Yonhap
Korean Ryu Hae-ran has clinched the LPGA Rookie of the Year award with one tournament left this season.
Ryu is the first South Korean to grab the top rookie prize in the LPGA since Lee Jeong-eun in 2019.
Ryu arrived at the penultimate tournament of the season, The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican in Belleair, Florida, as the leader of the Rookie of the Year points standings with 847. Grace Kim of Australia was a distant second at 592 points.
Rookies earn 150 points for a tour win, with points doubled at each of the five majors. They receive points for a top-40 finish on a sliding scale, and those ranked 41st and beyond each receive five points if they make the cut.
And with all five major tournaments already in the books, Kim came into the Annika tournament having to win the two remaining events to give herself a chance to catch Ryu.
Kim, however, tied for 23rd at the event Sunday (local time) to collect 27 points, while Ryu tied for 12th to add 46 points to her total.
Ryu is the 14th South Korean player to be honored as the best rookie on the LPGA Tour.
"I am so proud of myself. This is an award that every rookie wants to win, and a lot of famous players have won this award," Ryu said. "I am really happy with this award."
Kim, born in Sydney to South Korean parents, beat Ryu to the winner's circle, notching her maiden LPGA win in April at the Lotte Championship. Ryu didn't capture her first title until Oct. 1 with her victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
In between, Ryu was the more consistent player of the two. She has had six top-10 finishes so far and has missed three cuts in 24 tournaments. Kim had only one other top-10 aside from her victory and missed the cut six times in 21 starts.
The 2023 season wraps up on Sunday with the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida. (Yonhap)