Stats are a huge part of the game at all levels. Increasing numbers of amateurs use shot-tracking software like Arccos to record their rounds and analyse their data, many professionals work with data analysts – who look at everything from driving distance to left-rough percentage – and television networks incorporate facts, figures and trends into their broadcasts.
In that spirit, we've decided to start sharing some recent eye-catching data from around the professional tours, as well as more timeless nuggets that make for interesting reading. So, here goes...
Firstly, who has won the most LPGA Tour events in a season this century? Nelly Korda has enjoyed a stunning 2024, but she's still five events short of the single-season record set by Annika Sorenstam in 2002. The legendary Swede also registered ten wins in 2005, eight in 2001 and 2004 six in 2003.
Meanwhile, fellow Hall of Fame member Lorena Ochoa has notched eight-, seven- and six-win seasons this millennium.
On the subject of Korda, to the end of June, she'd averaged almost $344,000 per LPGA Tour event. For context, that sum would place her 78th on the 2023 LPGA Tour money list.
Someone else who enjoyed a nice financial boost with his win at the Italian Open – his sixth DP World Tour title – was German Marcel Siem. Incredibly, there were 1,066 days between his first title, the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Championship, and his most recent.
On the DP World Tour in 2024, eight nations have recorded multiple winners: England (3), Italy (2), Japan (3), Scotland (2), South Africa (5), Spain (2), Sweden (2) and the USA (4).
South African golfers have been the most successful on the former European Tour this season, perhaps unsurprising given the DPWT stages numerous events annually, typically co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour.
Blair Atholl, host of the 2024 South African Open, is the longest course to ever stage a DP World Tour event. This year, the course played to 8,231 yards. In 2023, it was 8,161 yards. Rounding out the top five are Copperleaf GC (also in South Africa) at 7,963 yards, Kiawah Island's Ocean course, host of the 2021 US PGA Championship (7,876 yards), and The Gallery At Dove Mountain, which staged the 2010 WGC-Match Play (7,850 yards).
Here are some other noteworthy tidbits from around the golfing world over the last couple of months:
– Justin Rose first attempted to qualify for The Open at the age of 14 at Scottscraig GC. Some 29 years later, he earned an Open spot at Burnham and Berrow en route to a second-place finish at Royal Troon.
– There were 50 years between Bernhard Langer's first and last DP World Tour events (1974-2024)
– Before Luke Clanton achieved the feat, it had been 66 years since an amateur recorded back-to-back top-tens on the PGA Tour
– Hayden Springer became the 13th player to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour at the John Deere Classic
