SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Two years ago, KPMG launched an analytics platform to help narrow the information divide between the men’s and women’s games. The program, similar to what’s offered on the DP World Tour, relies on caddies to gather information and turn in a special card after each round. KPMG pays the caddies a small stipend.
It’s an evolving system that gets more useful over time as data accumulates.
Scorecard numbers can only tell so much of the story, and as the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship kicks off this week at historic Baltusrol for the first time, we take a closer look at the Performance Insights numbers of five players to keep an eye on in New Jersey.
From the current No. 1 to a past champion and last week’s champion, here’s what the numbers tell us about these noteworthy stars:
Jin Young Ko
A two-time winner this season, Jin Young Ko heads into the second major of the season full throttle. It wasn’t long ago that Ko couldn’t practice at all after rounds due to a prolonged wrist injury. Now she’s back to working round-the-clock when her coach comes to town.
As a result, Ko’s tee-to-green numbers once look like those of a World No. 1.
Ko ranked 40th in greens in regulation last season and is now third. She ranks second in strokes gained approach per round and second in strokes gained tee-to-green. It adds up to the most strokes gained total per round on the LPGA in 2023.
Nelly Korda
Nelly Korda, the 2021 KPMG champion, will make her first start in a month at Baltusrol. Korda withdrew from the Mizuho Americas Open last month to address soreness in her back.
While Korda hasn’t won this season, she’s notched six top-six finishes in 2023. In fact, she’s one of four players ranked in the top 20 this season in both strokes gained off-the-tee (third) and strokes gained putting (16th).
Korda trails only Jin Young Ko in strokes gained total per round.
Rose Zhang
It’s no surprise that Rose Zhang’s strokes gained numbers at the Mizuho Americas Open were eye-popping. The 20-year-old triumphed in her LPGA debut thanks to a game that was exceptionally strong from tee to green.
Zhang ranked fourth in strokes gained off the tee among those who made the cut, 11th in approach shots and second in strokes gained around the green.
She ranked 47th in strokes gained putting, but it didn’t matter.
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire picked up her second career LPGA title on Sunday at the Meijer LPGA Classic, playing the last six holes in 6 under. She credited countryman Padraig Harrington with saving her shots around the green in Michigan.
Maguire spent time with the three-time major winner working on her short game ahead of the AIG Women’s British Open last summer and soaked it in.
The former Duke star has been consistently stellar around the green the last two seasons, ranking sixth on tour in strokes gained around the green last year and seventh this season after her victory in Michigan.
Sunday’s 64 was Maguire’s 15th bogey-free round since the beginning of last season. Only three players have more in that span.
Linn Grant
Linn Grant’s vaccination status kept her from competing on U.S. soil until just last month when she played an LET event in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the LPGA match-play event in Las Vegas.
Grant ranks 22nd in the world despite having to play a limited LPGA schedule since turning professional. She makes her KPMG Women’s PGA debut this week at Baltusrol.
Since last season, Grant’s driving stats on the LPGA have been crucial to her success. The former ASU player has averaged nearly eight-tenths of a stroke gained per round with driver, which accounts for 48.6 percent of her strokes gained total.
