The 2022 LPGA season will be known as Lydia Ko’s comeback year. And while the one-time prodigy rightly grabbed all the headlines as the season came to a close, there were plenty of other storylines that captured our attention throughout 2022.
The Jin Young Ko/Nelly Korda budding rivalry was abruptly stopped due to health reasons. The two combined for nine LPGA titles in 2021 and won a total of two in 2022.
In their stead, a wave of first-time winners who ranged from rookies to thirtysomethings created plenty of feel-good moments. In fact, two first-time winners included on this list took home major championship trophies.
Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh became the LPGA’s 11th first-time winner of 2022 in Japan (winning a toilet!), which matches a tour record set in 1995. The players hailed from nine different countries.
In many ways, it was a milestone season, marked by record-setting purses, historic venues and plenty of memorable moments.
Here are the 10 best:
1
Lydia Ko's comeback season
Lydia Ko’s comeback season ended in a flurry as her victory at the CME Group Tour Championship locked up a host of year-end awards. Ko clinched her second Rolex LPGA Player of the Year Award and second Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average (68.99). Only Annika Sorenstam had previously averaged below 69.
After a record $2 million payday at the CME Group Tour Championship, she also clinched the LPGA money title with $4,364,404. That’s $591 shy of Lorena Ochoa’s all-time record in a single season.
Shortly thereafter, she rose to No. 1 in the world again for the first time since 2017.
2
Nelly Korda returns to No. 1
Nelly Korda rose to No. 1 once again in November after defending her title at the Pelican LPGA Championship. What made the victory extra special was the perspective gained after a blood clot scare that required surgery took her out of the game for months. It was a scary time for the entire Korda family.
“We’re just very fortunate she’s alive,” her father Petr said, moments after the trophy ceremony.
Nelly noted that the uncertainty of it all was the scariest.
“As a golfer, I feel like my life is planned out,” she said. “I know where I’m going next, I know what to do next, or you would hope to know, but just getting hit with something like this and just not knowing what to do or what my next step was.”
3
Lexi Thompson suffers another major heartbreak
For a second consecutive year, Lexi Thompson makes this list for the wrong reasons. Thompson led the KPMG Women’s PGA at Congressional Country Club by two strokes with three holes to play. The powerful player made a mess of the par-5 16th, however, carding a bogey, and then failed to convert a 10-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would’ve tied winner In Gee Chun.
As if that weren’t frustrating enough, Thompson was hit with a slow-play fine of $2,000 coming off the 18th green. The final group was put on the clock with two holes left.
Thompson hasn’t won on the LPGA since 2019; she hasn’t won a major title since 2014.
4
Jennifer Kupcho takes final leap into Poppie's Pond
Jennifer Kupcho broke through for her first LPGA title in memorable fashion, claiming the final major held over the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills. Kupcho, who won three times this season, made the final leap into Poppie’s Pond at the Chevron Championship.
Kupcho led by as many as seven on the front nine and watched that lead dwindle to two shots on Sunday afternoon. In the end, she made putts when she needed to.
“One of the biggest things I have fought over the last year is everyone is out here cheering for Nelly (Korda) or Lexi (Thompson) or someone else that I am playing with,” said Kupcho. “I don’t every hear ‘Go, Jennifer.’ That was really special today to have that. My caddie and his friends and all of my friends being out supporting me was special.”
5
U.S. Women's Open pays out historic $10 million purse
Minjee Lee became the first Australian to win the U.S. Women’s Open since Karrie Webb triumphed at Pine Needles 21 years ago. The entire purse in 2001 was $1.2 million, and Webb earned $212,500 for her efforts.
This year, Lee earned a then-record $1.8 million and runner-up Mina Harigae collected $1,080,000. The entire purse of $10 million represented a milestone week in the women’s game with ProMedica coming on board as the championship’s first presenting sponsor.
6
Ashleigh Buhai breaks through at history-making British Open
It took Ashleigh Buhai 221 starts over the span of a dozen years to win on the LPGA. That she broke through at a major, and one of historic importance, was massive icing on the cake.
Buhai pulled off a sensational bunker shot on the fourth playoff hole to edge In Gee Chun and become the first woman to win the AIG Women’s British Open at historic Muirfield.
Buhai became the third South African to win a British Open at Muirfield, joining her heroes, Ernie Els and Gary Player.
7
Rookie Atthaya Thitikul rises to No. 1
She wasn’t there long, but Atthaya Thitikul’s ascension to No. 1 in the world on Oct. 31 put a bow on a rookie season that surpassed expectations. Thitikul, 19, became the second teen to ascend to No. 1, following in the footsteps of Lydia Ko, who was 17 years, 9 months and 9 days when she reached the top spot in 2015.
Thailand’s Thitikul stayed on top of the world for two weeks before Nelly Korda knocked her off following her victory at the Pelican.
Thitikul won twice this season, both in playoffs, and clinched the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year award.
8
Brooke Henderson makes more Canadian golf history
Brooke Henderson became the first Canadian to win two majors when she drained a 9-foot putt for birdie on the 72nd hole to capture the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship. Henderson won her first major title in a playoff against Lydia Ko at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA.
She started the week with record-setting back-to-back 64s and held on to edge rookie Sophia Schubert with a final round of even-par 71, good for a $1 million payday.
The winningest Canadian player in history, Henderson won twice in 2022 and now boasts 12 career LPGA titles.
9
Leona Maguire becomes first Irish winner
Leona Maguire headed into the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship in a tie with Marina Alex and stepped into history as the first Irish woman to win on the LPGA after a closing 67.
Maguire, who led Europe to victory with 4 ½ points at the 2021 Solheim Cup, spent a record 135 weeks at the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings before joining the LPGA. It’s no coincidence that Maguire’s success coincides with the return of the Irish Open to the LET schedule in 2022 for the first time in a decade.
The former Duke standout currently ranks 11th in the world.
10
In Gee Chun claims third different major
In Gee Chun shot 75-75 over the weekend at Congressional Country Club, but that didn’t stop the South Korean from claiming her third different major championship title at the KPMG Women’s PGA.
Chun, who led by as many seven over the weekend, was still shaking long after it was over. It was only a week prior that Chun talked to her sister and longtime coach about quitting the tour and going back to South Korea.
“I’m just so happy to make win after all that happened,” she said, crying. “I just want to keep saying, like, I’m so proud of myself.
“That’s why I want to keep saying thanks to everyone who believed in me and never gave up on me.”
11
*Bonus! Gianna Clemente MQs for three straight events
Gianna Clemente isn’t an LPGA member. Heck, she can’t even drive a car. But the 14-year-old now holds a piece of history on the LPGA after Monday-qualifying for three straight events: CP Women’s Open, Dana Open and Kroger Queen City Championship. The only other player to do so was Hee Won Han in 2001.
“I’ve learned that this is definitely what I want to do with my life,” said Clemente, “and this is where I want to belong in the future. I stick out a little bit now because I look young and I am young.”
Lydia Ko knows a thing or two about that, too.
