2019 was a very exciting year for the LPGA tour. There were first-time winners. There was a rookie winner. There were winners from several different countries. There were several tournaments that needed extra holes to determine the winner. There were four different major championship winners that came from three different countries. The year also included several winners that were not members of the LPGA Tour. All in all, it was one of the most interesting LPGA seasons ever.
Let’s take a look at the 2019 LPGA Season
SEVEN PLAYERS WHO WON THEIR FIRST LPGA TOURNAMENT
Celine Boutier – ISPS Handa Vic Open
Jeongeun Lee6 – U.S. Women’s Open Championship
Hannah Green – KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Cydney Clanton – Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational
Hinako Shibuno – AIG Women’s British Open
Ai Suzuki – Toto Japan Classic
Bronte Law – LPGA Mediheal Championship
THERE WAS ONE ROOKIE WINNER
Jeongeun Lee6 – U.S. Women’s Open Championship
THERE WERE WINNERS FROM NINE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Republic of Korea – 15 wins – Eun-Hee Ji, Amy Yang, Sung Hyun Park (2), Jin Young Ko (4), Sei Young Kim (3), Jeongeun Lee6, M.J. Hur (2), Ha Na Jang
United States – 6 wins – Nelly Korda (2), Lexi Thompson, Cydney Clanton, Cheyenne Knight, Danielle Kang
Japan – 3 wins – Nasa Hataoka, Hinako Shibuno, Ai Suzuki
Australia – 3 wins – Hannah Green (2), Minjee Lee
Canada – 2 wins – Brooke Henderson (2)
France – 1 win – Celine Boutier
China – 1 win – Shanshan Feng
England – 1 win – Bronte Law
Thailand – 1 win – Jasmine Suwannapura
THERE WERE FOUR DIFFERENT MAJOR WINNERS FROM THREE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Jin Young Ko – (ANA Inspiration & The Evian Championship) – Republic of Korea
Jeongeun Lee6 – (U.S. Women’s Open Championship) – Republic of Korea
Hannah Green – (KMPG Women’s PGA Championship) – Australia
Hinako Shibuno – (AIG Women’s British Open) – Japan
THREE TOURNAMENTS WERE DECIDED IN A PLAYOFF
BMW LPGA International – Ha Na Jang defeated Danielle Kang
LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship – Sei Young Kim defeated Bronte Law & Jeongeun Lee6
Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship – Nelly Korda defeated Minjee Lee & Caroline Masson
THERE WERE SEVEN MULTIPLE WINNERS
Jin Young Ko – 4 wins
Sei Young Kim – 3 wins
Hannah Green – 2 wins
Nelly Korda – 2 wins
Brooke Henderson – 2 wins
Sung Hyun Park – 2 wins
Mi Jung Hur – 2 wins
THERE WERE THREE WINNERS WHO WERE NOT MEMBERS OF THE LPGA TOUR
Hinako Shibuno – AIG Women’s British Open
Ha Na Jang – BMW LPGA International
Ai Suzuki – Toto Japan Classic
There you have it. The year 2019 was quite a year. Here’s hoping that 2020 will be even better!
Tony
Feature Photo of LPGA Player of the Year Jin Young Ko and other images by Women’s Golf Photographer Ben Harpring