One player hits the ball so far off the tee that she regularly dials back to irons to ensure consistency. The other is so precise that placing a short iron in her hands regularly results in birdies. But despite the differing playing styles, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lydia Ko, the top two in the year end race to the Rolex Player of the Year award, both rely on a good attitude to get them by.
“Actually when I got here, I’m already happy,” Jutanugarn, whose pre-shot routine is to smile just before hitting every shot, said before this week’s LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. “I think the key for the week is just having fun with my caddie, enjoy all the spectators here and the great food here. I think all that can make me really happy this week.”
“I need to just enjoy it,” said Ko, the 2015 Rolex Player of Year, who regularly jokes with her caddie and playing partners between shots. “It’s been pretty cool to be in that front-row seat and just trying to play the best that I can. But I’ve just got to enjoy it, and I think I’m very fortunate to be in this position and have the chance to for Player of the Year again.”
Jutanugarn jumped into the top spot in the Player of the Year points two weeks ago prior to the LPGA’s fall Asian swing. She has 251 points, four ahead of Ko. Both are playing this week in South Korea and are currently scheduled to go head to head in three of the remaining five events on the 2016 schedule. Jutanugarn is in the field next week in China at the Blue Bay LPGA as Ko takes off and neither player is currently in the field at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. So it may come down to the final event, the CME Group Tour Championship, Nov. 17-20 in Naples, Fla.
The race mirrors last season’s drama where Ko and Inbee Park were neck and neck entering the final event. Both had won five times and Ko held a three-point lead. Park beat Ko by one stroke in the final tournament, but it wasn’t enough as Ko finished two points better for the season.
This year’s race also offers a historic occasion. In 1966 – 50 years ago – Kathy Whitworth won nine times on the season to capture the first Rolex Women’s Player of the Year honor.
In order to stay abreast of the race down the stretch, points are awarded for top-10 finishes. The points system is: 30 points for first; 12 points for second; 9 points for third; 7 points for fourth; 6 points for fifth; 5 points for sixth; 4 points for seventh; 3 points for eighth; 2 points for ninth and 1 point for 10th. The points-based system is different than the PGA TOUR’s routine for choosing a Player of the Year, which is based on a season-ending vote of the players. Dustin Johnson was voted PGA TOUR Player of the Year earlier this week.
Here’s a quick comparison between the two frontrunners (through last week’s Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship):
| CATEGORY | JUTANUGARN (RANK) | KO (RANK) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 20 | 19 |
| Wins | 5 (1) | 4 (2) |
| Earnings | $2,270,241 (2) | $2,417,989 (1) |
| Race to CME Globe | 4,166 (2) | 4,300 (1) |
| Rolex Rankings | 2 | 1 |
| Scoring | 69.865 (3) | 69.418 (1) |
| Low 9 | 28 (8-under) | 28 (7-under) |
| Low 18 | 63 (9-under) | 62 (9-under) |
| Rounds Under Par | 61 (6) | 62 (1) |
| Top-10s | 13 (T2) | 13 (T2) |
| Birdies | 381 (2) | 315 (8) |
| Putting | 29.18 (15) | 28.43 (1) |
| Greens in Reg | 72.5% (15) | 71.4% (23) |
| Driving Accuracy | 66.9% (98) | 71.2% (57) |
| Driving Distance | 265.8 (17) | 247.3 (120) |
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