Morning 9: LPGA POY race I Finau WD

Good Wednesday morning golf fans! Attention turns to the RSM Classic.

1. LPGA POY Race

Amy Rogers, Golf Channel, with the POY scenarios …”. Unlike the PGA Tour which chooses its Player-of-the Year by member votes, the LPGA’s Rolex Player-of the Year is based on a points-based system. Four players stand a mathematical chance to win this year’s title heading into the final event: Lydia Ko and Minjee Lee; Brooke Henderson; and Atthaya Thitikul.

• “Ko, who was named Player of the Year for 2015, leads the way with 150 points. He also holds a one-point lead – yes, one! Minjee Lee, a two-time champion this season, is now in the lead. Lee won the U.S. Women’s Open in Juni, but she has struggled throughout the year, and hasn’t been in the top 10 since August. Ko is 20 points ahead of Henderson and Thitikul.”

• “Henderson pulled out of last week’s Pelican Ladies’ Championship, making it more difficult for her to win the Player of Year award. These are the scenarios for each player who is in contention heading into season finale.

• With a win at the CME Group Tour Championship Championship, Ko or Lee would be victorious

• To be eligible for POY, Lee must finish at least 10th.

• If Ko and Lee finish third or worse, Henderson or Thitikul might win POY.

2. ICYMI — Rory Greg must go

Our Matt Vincenzi Rory McIlroy was addressing a pre-tournament conference for the DP World Tour.

• “The current number one in the world has been vocal in his criticisms of Norman. But his latest suggestion that Norman step down as CEO and say LIV needs “an adult present in the room” is a great move.

• McIlroy said Tuesday morning to media that Greg [Norman] must go. He needs to leave the stage. He’s done his job, but now it’s the time to tell him “Look, you’ve got the thing [LIV Golf] on the ground, but nobody will talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually attempt to mend fences.”

Max Schreiber, Golf Channel Last Year Ko won the CME Group Tour Championship while suffering from a wrist injury. Her pain was so severe that her caddie suggested she withdraw from Round 1. But she refused to give up and continued her journey to victory.

• “Twelve Months later, Ko has a wrist problem that’s worse than last year at the LPGA Season Finale.”

• The world No. 4 stated that her wrist hurts. She was asked by a reporter to rate her pain on a scale from 1-10.

4. LPGA Tour is quietly setting the standard for women’s sports

Doug Ferguson …”The AP’s Doug Ferguson The winner of the 60-player field at Tiburon golf club in Naples, Florida gets $2 million. This is the most valuable prize in women’s tennis.

• “That’s almost 10 times the amount of the highest base salary in WNBA, and more than 15 tournaments on LPGA Tour’s schedule.

• “At most six players are certain to go over $2 million for this year, which is twice the amount of the previous record in 2019 and 2014. Hye-Jin Choi is a rookie LPGA player from South Korea who has already surpassed $2 million without ever winning a tournament.

• “The LPGA has never seen more than 17 players earn more than $1million in a single season,” said the record holder in 2017. At least 24 players will reach seven figures this year.

• “All the more remarkable that this happens two years after LPGA Tour successfully negotiated the COVID-19 pandemic. A credit to Mike Whan, former Commissioner, for building up reserves and coming out stronger than ever before.”

5. Finau WD

Not surprisingly, Tony Finau was the betting favorite this week for RSM Classic. He’ll be relaxing and not trying to win back-to-back victories. Finau withdrew Tuesday from the tournament. Kevin Chappell will replace Finau. Next, the five-time PGA Tour champion is expected to be in action at Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in December.

6. Your 2026 Solheim Cup partner & host…

Today, LET report …”Bernardus was announced as the partner and host venue of the 2026 Solheim Cup. It is located in Cromvoirt, close to Eindhoven.

• “Bernardus was opened in 2018, and the Championship course, which Kyle Phillips, a renowned American golf course architect, designed, hosted the Dutch Open on DP World Tour twice (2021 and 2022), and will again host it in 2023.”

7. Morikawa misses out on DP World title defense

8. $300 penalty for not raking bunkers?

9. Photos taken at Sea Island

• Take a look at all the galleries we have from this week’s Tour stop.