Top 10 US Golfweek Players Without a Win
World No.10 Lin Xiyu Runner-Up 5 Times in 2 Years
Alison Lee 3 Consecutive 2nd Places Late Last Year
Choi Hye-jin 2 Runner-Ups Since LPGA Debut
Winning a professional tournament is not easy. Along with skill, luck must also be on your side. Most players retire without a single win during their tour careers. Last week, at the Blue Bay LPGA held in China, a first-time winner emerged. The protagonist was Bailey Tardy (USA). She halted the winning streak of major champions who have topped the leaderboard this year, including Lydia Ko (New Zealand), Nelly Korda (USA), Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), and Hannah Green (Australia).
Last year, 12 players lifted the winner's trophy for the first time, one more than in 2022. With her victory at the Blue Bay LPGA, Tardy jumped 85 spots in the world rankings to 84th. Golfweek USA revealed players dreaming of a life-changing win like Tardy’s. Here are 10 players still waiting for their first LPGA victory.
Lin Xiyu is ranked 10th in the world. She recently secured her third win on the European stage by winning the Ladies European Tour (LET) Aramco Team Series in Hong Kong. However, luck has not favored her in the United States. Over the past two years, she has finished as runner-up five times. At last year's major, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, she tied for third place. Lin often falters on the final day while competing for the title.
Allison Lee (USA), ranked 19th in the world, is also close to her first win. Last season, she played in 23 LPGA Tour events, making the cut 20 times, and finished as runner-up in the last three tournaments. She ranked 19th on the money list with earnings of $1,411,998. In October last year, she achieved a commanding eight-stroke victory at the LET Aramco Team Series. Allison Lee was expected to claim her first LPGA Tour win this year but suffered a setback in January when she was bitten by her boyfriend’s rescue dog and required stitches. She made a delayed comeback at last month’s HSBC Women’s World Championship but finished tied for 51st.
Choi Hye-jin is another player eager for a win. She is ranked 33rd in the world. She has accumulated nine wins on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour and finished runner-up as an amateur at the 2017 US Women’s Open. Debuting on the LPGA Tour in 2022, she was expected to win quickly but has yet to claim a title. In her third year on the LPGA Tour, she has played 54 events, finishing in the top 10 ten times, including two runner-up finishes. Her best result this year was a tie for third at last month’s Honda LPGA Thailand.
Aditi Ashok (India), ranked 40th in the world, is also close to winning. She is a strong competitor in Europe with five wins on the LET. In April last year, she nearly lifted the trophy at the JM Eagle LA Championship but lost in a playoff, shedding tears on the green. Ashok is a skilled golfer who finished fourth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. If she wins, she will become the first female golfer from India to claim a championship.
Japan’s pride, Mao Saigo, is also aiming for a win. She is a promising player who has collected six wins on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour over the past two years. She debuted on the LPGA Tour this year and finished tied for 12th at this month’s Blue Bay LPGA. Other players targeting their first win this year include Gabriela Ruffels (Australia), Lucy Li, Sarah Schmelzel (both USA), Alban Valenzuela (Switzerland), and Alexandra F?rsterling (Germany).
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