The LPGA just lately accomplished one half of its 2025 schedule. It has been a particularly thrilling season to this point. We’ve not had a repeat winner but this season. In actual fact, we’ve had eighteen totally different winners (two winners within the Dow Championship) within the seventeen tournaments which were performed this yr. That’s undoubtedly one of many largest surprises of the yr up to now, however for my part, not the largest shock.
What’s the largest shock? The reply to that must be the play of the LPGA rookies from Japan. We’ve had nice rookie crops in previous seasons, however as of this writing the highest 4 rookies this yr within the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Yr standing are all from Japan! Sure, all from one nation.
Let’s check out the present standings:
1. Rio Takeda – Japan 730 factors
2. Miyu Yamashita – Japan 556 factors
3. Chisato Iwai – Japan 512 factors
4. Akie Iwai – Japan 364 factors
5. Miranda Wang – China 318 factors
6. Saki Baba – Japan 264 factors
Wow! Take a look at that, not solely does Japan have the highest 4, however 5 of the highest six.
I wish to focus on the stats for the highest 4 gamers now:
Rio Takeda (16 begins) – The highest rookie by a superb margin this yr. Rio received on the LPGA Tour final yr as a non-LPGA member. She has adopted that up this yr with the next:
A win on the Blue Bay LPGA.
A second place end on the U.S. Ladies’s Open.
Completed fifth on the Black Desert Championship.
She has completed within the high ten six occasions this yr, has eight high 20 finishes, and ten high 25’s.
Miyu Yamashita (13 begins)
Completed third on the JM Eagle LPGA Championship.
Had a 4th place end on the Founders Cup.
Had one other high 5 end on the ShopRite Traditional.
She has 5 high ten finishes this yr (sixth on the KPMG, a Main Championship), Seven high twenties, and eight high twenty-fives.
Chisato Iwai (13 begins)
Received the Mexican Riviera Maya Open by a formidable six strokes.
Completed 4th on the KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship.
She has three high twenty finishes and 6 high twenty-fives.
Akie Awai (13 begins) Twin sister of Chisato Iwai.
Second place finishes at each the Honda LPGA Thailand and the JM Eagle LPGA Championship.
She has three high ten finishes, in addition to 5 high twenties.
We’ve had different nations dominate the rookie charts earlier than. Korea has dominated this chart for the higher a part of the final twenty years. However this yr stands out above the remaining.
I say congratulations to the rookies from Japan this yr as they’ve made their nation one of many high picks to win this yr’s Worldwide Crown.
Characteristic Photograph: Akie Iwai at 2024 LPGA Q-Collection: Ultimate Qualifying Stage. Photographer: Ben Harpring.
