Among the fringe benefits of picking up her first LPGA Tour victory at the ANA Inspiration is the fact that Patty Tavatanakit has the early lead in the 2021 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. The honor, first bestowed in 2014, goes to the player who accumulates the most points in the major championships.
To be eligible to win the RAMA, a player must win a major. Then the champion is determined by points awarded for top-10 finishes at each of the five majors.
The points distribution is the same as for the Rolex Player of the Year with first place getting 60 points; second 24; third 18; fourth 14; fifth 12; sixth 10; seventh 8; eighth 6; ninth 4; and tenth 2 points.
That puts Tavatanakit on top with 60 points while ANA Inspiration runner-up Lydia Ko has 24 points.
T-3 at the ANA and each getting 18 points are Nelly Korda, Sei Young Kim, Shanshan Feng and Nanna Koerstz Madsen. T-7 and getting 8 points are Inbee Park, Jin Young Ko and Ally Ewing. Sharing tenth-place and getting 2 points each are Megan Khang, Moriya Jutanugarn and Mirim Lee.
The next major is the U.S. Women’s Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, June 3-6. That’s followed by the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., June 24-27; the Amundi Evian Championship in France July 22-25 and the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland Aug. 19-22.
Those who’ve taken home the RAMA in the past comprise an impressive list. The first was Michelle Wie West in 2014 followed by Inbee Park, Lydia Ko, So Yeon Ryu, Ariya Jutanugarn and Jin Young Ko.
Sorenstam, whose 72 LPGA Tour victories include ten major championships, and Rolex both represent excellence. At Mission Hills this week the competition began for this year’s RAMA. No one has yet to win the honor twice. Could this be the year?
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