Salute to the 2024 LPGA Season with this Ode

The LPGA enjoyed an incredible year which featured Nelly Korda winning 7 times including 5 tournaments in a row, capturing LPGA Player of the Year, while pocketing $4.4 million.

As we approach the end of 2024,

We’ve seen performances that will go down in L-P-G-A lore.

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Those seven wins by Nelly Korda deserve top billing,

As her five straight wins were simply thrilling.

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Lydia Ko is a super star on the LPGA Tour winning 3 times, capturing the 2024 Heather Farr Perseverance Award and 2024 LPGA Hall of Fame inductee.

After Nelly won Chevron, she jumped in that big pond.

It’s a Chevron champions’ aquatic bond.

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Hannah Green had two wins in Asia and one in L-A.

Her Wiltshire win was a clinic of how to play on the L-P-G-A.

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There were another three victories by Ronny Yin,

One was a victory in Shanghai, a hometown win.

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Lauren Coughlin breakout year began with a win at the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament.

Lauren Coughlin had two wins in her breakout year.

Expect more success from Lauren as I don’t expect her to disappear.

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What can be written or said about Lydia Ko that we already don’t know?

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Her Olympic win put her in the L-P-G-A Hall of Fame.

To earn that honor, you must have a top-notch game.

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Lydia Ko of New Zealand, poses with the AIG Women’s Open trophy following victory on Day Four of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 25, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland.

Lydia is the only golfer with Olympic medals colored bronze, silver, and gold.

That kind of athletic success is historic and never gets old.

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One of Lydia’s big wins was The Open at St. Andrews on the Old Course.

She won because she avoided the pot bunkers and the thick, nasty gorse.

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The Evian winner was Ayaka Furue who won in France.

She prevailed because she knew when to throw caution-to-the-wind…..and take a chance.

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jeena
Jeeno Thitikul won the LPGA Tour Championship presented by CME Group and record $4 million 1st place check.

At Evian, Jodie Ewart-Shadoff missed the cut by far,

But her first-round ace won her a brand new Porsche car!

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Yuka Saso’s U.S. Open win was the result of superior play.

She clearly loved that U.S. Open layout in Lancaster, P-A.

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2024 U.S. Women’s Open Champion Yuka Saso of Japan meets with the media after capturing her second major championship victory at Lancaster Country Club.

Amy Yang won the P-G-A, sponsored by K-P-M-G.

That Sahalee win was simply meant to be.

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Linnea Strom’s final-round Shoprite-60 was finished well before TV coverage began.

To win, she had to patiently wait and watch the golf like a fan.

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Jasmine Suwanapura picked up her third career win at Walmart’s Pinnacle C-C.

That means she’ll wear three facial victory stars for all to see.

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Megan Khang (left) and Lexi Thompson line up a putt on the 18th green during their foursome match at the Solheim Cup.

The Solheim Cup attracted a large crowd every day.

The vast majority of fans were there to cheer for Team U-S-A.

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U.S. captain Stacey Lewis led her team with her heart and soul.

Winning the Solheim Cup was always her goal.

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At Solheim, the most enthusiastic U.S. player was Megan Khang.

She led by example for the rest of the U.S. gang.

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This poem also honors Ally Ewing and Brittany Lincicome who are jumping off the L-P-G-A ‘train,’

They will soon start living life in a different lane.

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Lexi Thompson has been a vital player & brand on the LPGA and her early retirement at age 29 will surely be a negative impact in 2025.

We will still see Lexi Thompson compete from time to time.

But, the exact details won’t be revealed in this year’s rhyme.

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Finally, Jeeno Thitikull’s win at CME will go down in history,

The key to her win was the 3-3-3 finish to secure the victory.

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Roses are red and violets are blue.

It’s always an honor crafting this poem for each of you.

https://www.lpga.com/

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Mike May is a freelance golf writer based in Wellington, Florida. Mike, a frequent golfer, and travel writer is the editor-in-chief of the Indiana Golf Journal, a correspondent for Golf Central Magazine, a senior writer for Team Insight Magazine, a contributor to Midwest Golfing Magazine, and a correspondent for both the Michigan and Ohio Golf Journals. He is also a member of the Golf Writers Association of America. Mike traces his roots as a golf writer to The 1983 (British) Open Championship which was held at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club near Southport, England. He attended all four days of the event and then voluntarily wrote his own account of that major championship. In addition to being a golf writer, Mike is a broadcaster for high school sports in Florida, officiates high school soccer in Florida, and works in the scoring division of R2 Innovative Technologies, which implements and oversees scoring at LPGA golf tournaments. As an avid exercise enthusiast, he also serves on the board of directors of PHIT America which is focused on bringing daily P.E. back to all U.S. schools. Mike is a 1985 graduate of the University of Florida where he earned a degree in broadcasting. Mike can be reached by email.

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