The road to the final portion of the 2015 LPGA season was paved with good play for the first three-quarters of the year. In order to make it to the upcoming Asian Swing, the following event in Mexico and the concluding CME Globe Championship, players had to make it into approximately the top 62 on the LPGA money list.
Normally, LPGA fields consist of 144 players, with the final full-field event falling in late August at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala. The final major championship, The Evian Championship, has a field of 120 players and the final six events of the schedule all have more limited fields with no more than 62 LPGA players assured of receiving spots. Each field’s alternate list is filled as organizers go down the LPGA money list.
The smaller fields won’t affect the race for season-ending statistical contests and, ultimately, the second CME Globe champion title. Next week’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia begins six consecutive weeks of golf to conclude the season.
Here’s a look at the size of the remaining fields and some field guidelines:
| Tournament | Field Size | LPGA | Other Tours | Etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia | 75 | 63 | NA | 12 sponsor exemptions |
| LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship | 78 | 58 | 12 Korean LPGA | 7 sponsor exemptions |
| Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship | 81 | 61 | 15 Taiwan LPGA | 4 sponsor exemptions |
| Blue Bay LPGA | 81 | 61 | 15 China LPGA | 4 sponsor exemptions |
| TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC | 78 | 43 | 35 Japan LPGA | 0 sponsor exemptions |
| Lorena Ochoa Invitational | 36 | 36 | NA | 5 sponsor exemptions |
| CME Group Tour Championship | 72* | 72 | NA | NA |
| *-Top 72 and ties from the Race to the CME Globe points standings through the previous week’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational; those who have won one tournament during the season and non-members who have won. | ||||
Rookie battle
The race to capture the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race is still very active. There are 10 players within the top 59 players on the LPGA money list and in contention for the rookie award.
They include:
| Player | Rookie Points | LPGA $ Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Sei Young Kim | 1,200 | 4 |
| Hyo Joo Kim | 1,108 | 12 |
| Minjee Lee | 936 | 16 |
| Ha Na Jang | 694 | 17 |
| Alison Lee | 693 | 18 |
| Ariya Jutanugarn | 435 | 38 |
| Q Baek | 422 | 45 |
| Sakura Yokomine | 387 | 49 |
| Charley Hull | 339 | 58 |
| Wei-Ling Hsu | 339 | 59 |
Eye on Web.com Tour Finals
With the week off, LPGA eyes will be on the Web.com Tour Finals finale in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., mostly for family reasons:
- Lucas Lee is the older brother of Epson Tour player Luciane Lee and cousin of former LPGA player Angela Park. He has two runner-up finishes this season, his first on the Web.com Tour, and has secured his 2016 PGA Tour card by finishing 23rd on the regular season money list.
- Martin Piller has also secured his 2016 PGA Tour by placing second on the money list. He took off two weeks ago to travel to Germany to watch wife Gerina help clinch the Solheim Cup for the Americans. Piller has missed four consecutive cuts after attaining the second position.
- The Thompson brothers, older brothers to the LPGA’s Lexi, need a good week to get their PGA Tour cards. Curtis has missed all three cuts in the Finals. He is averaging 322.5 yards, No. 1 on the Web.com Tour in Driving Distance. Nicholas, who finished outside of the top 125 on the PGA Tour this year, has missed two of three cuts in the Finals.
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