SHIGA, Japan (AP) — Nelly Korda clinched her first award for LPGA player of the year on Sunday when it became mathematically impossible for anyone to catch her in the points-based competition.
Korda had to skip two tournaments during the Asia swing because of a minor neck injury that limited her practice. Ayaka Furue of Japan would have had to win the rest of the LPGA events to catch Korda. Furue tied for 10th in the Toto Japan Classic.
Korda won six times this year, including a major championship. She won five straight tournaments earlier in the season to tie the LPGA record.
This marks the second straight year an American player has won the biggest LPGA award. Lilia Vu won the award in 2023 on the strength of two majors. The last time Americans won LPGA player of the year in successive years was Betsy King in 1993 and Beth Daniel in 1994.
Korda, the No. 1 player in the women's world ranking, still has two tournaments left as she tries to win the Race to CME Globe, which is decided in the season finale Nov. 21-24.
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The Associated Press
