Two-time major champion secured award with six events remaining on the schedule
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., October 11, 2016 - With six events remaining in the LPGA season, In Gee Chun has mathematically clinched the 2016 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award.
Chun’s current 778 point lead over Megan Khang would mark the third largest margin of victory in the history of the award trailing only Karrie Webb over Mayumi Hirase in 1996 (1030 points) and Se Ri Pak over Janice Moodie in 1999 (929 points). Khang and Gaby Lopez, who sits in third place, are only scheduled to play in five of the remaining six events, mathematically eliminating them from the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
“I feel very honored to have won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year,” said Chun. “To play on the LPGA with all the top players in the world has been a dream of mine that I have been working toward, and in 2016 it came true. I was aware of the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year award, and players that have won this award have gone on to be LPGA and World Golf Halls of Famers, such as Juli Inkster, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and of course Se Ri Pak, so to have my name alongside those players is a thrill for me.”
Chun’s rookie campaign has been highlighted by her victory at the season’s final major, The Evian Championship, where she set a new major championship record - male or female - for 72 hole score in relation to par with her four-day total of 21-under. The win was the second of Chun’s career, adding to her 2015 U.S. Women’s Open victory as a nonmember.
“One of my goals at the start of the year was to try and win this award, so to actually achieve it is a tremendous honor,” Chun said. “Thank you to Louise Suggs, and all the LPGA Founding members, without you all, we would not have the opportunities we have today. I am sorry I wasn’t able to meet Ms. Suggs; however, I will do my best to uphold the honor bestowed upon me.”
In addition to her win at The Evian Championship, the 22-year-old has tallied nine additional top-10 finishes and has risen to No. 3 in the latest Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Chun currently ranks second in scoring average (69.52), fourth in Rolex Player of the Year points (145), fourth on the Tour’s money list ($1,405,054) and sixth in the Race to the CME Globe (2,382).
Since its inception in 1962, nine Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year winners have become members of the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame: Joanne Carner (1970), Amy Alcott (1975), Nancy Lopez (1978), Beth Daniel (1979), Patty Sheehan (1981), Juli Inkster (1984), Annika Sorenstam (1994), Karrie Webb (1996), Se Ri Pak (1998).
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