The LPGA retains getting stronger annually as confirmed by the truth that that they had winners from 16 totally different nations in the previous couple of seasons. This makes it so very tough to slim this down to simply 40 gamers.
Listed below are my prime 40 picks for the 2025 season in reverse order: (final 12 months’s precise Participant of the 12 months end is in parenthesis).
40- Sarah Schmelzel (37) – Sarah had her most interesting 12 months in 2024. She obtained off to a sizzling begin with 4 consecutive prime ten finishes very early within the 12 months, however cooled off some after that. She did end with seven prime tens, and contributed two factors to group USA of their Solheim Cup victory.
39- Alexa Pano (65) – Alexa recorded her first LPGA victory in 2023. Final 12 months she took a small step backwards. A future star, she should do higher than her 123rd place end final 12 months in fairways hit. She is barely 20 years previous, making her one of many youngest gamers on tour (if not the youngest). She has all of the instruments to be a prime participant quickly. I search for her to rebound this season.
38- Jennifer Kupcho (40) – Jennifer gained thrice in the course of the 2022 season, however has not introduced dwelling a trophy since. She made 24 of 27 cuts final season, so she is at all times round for the weekend. Her seven prime tens final 12 months present she nonetheless has the power to contend frequently.
37- Leona Maguire (67) – The season that Leona had in 2024 is inexplicable! The earlier three years she was twentieth, eighth, and twelfth within the Participant of the 12 months race. In 24 begins final 12 months she had only one prime ten. In her final 15 begins she couldn’t produce a prime 25. She is simply too good a participant for her to do this once more.
36- Charley Hull (46) – In the event you needed to guess what number of profession wins she has, would anybody say simply two? As arduous as it’s to imagine, that’s the right reply. She takes lots of day off and teed it up simply 17 occasions final 12 months. Her 5 prime tens is ok for therefore few begins. I feel she’s going to transfer up some this 12 months, however I can’t put her larger if she performs simply half of the LPGA schedule.
35- Andrea Lee (31) – Andrea teed it up 23 occasions final 12 months with 5 prime ten finishes. She could be very quick off the tee (158th on tour) so the remainder of her sport needs to be sharp for her to contend. I count on related outcomes this 12 months.
34- Allisen Corpuz (59) – Allisen was the winner of the U.S. Open in 2023 performed at Pebble Seashore. She hasn’t been capable of comply with that up as that’s her solely victory. She fell again final 12 months with solely three prime ten finishes in 26 begins. She will be able to go both approach this 12 months, however I’ve a sense she’s going to rise again into the highest 40.
33- Celine Boutier (37) – Celine completed 2nd within the Participant of the 12 months race in 2023 when she gained 4 occasions. A drop off in 2024 was anticipated, however she fell additional down than might have been predicted. She did not win in any respect final 12 months, and had simply 5 prime tens in 25 begins. I don’t count on her to have one other profession 12 months, however she is simply too good a participant to not be holding one other trophy quickly.
32- Gabriela Ruffles (31) – She completed third within the Rookie of the 12 months race final season. In 26 begins she made 21 cuts and had 4 prime tens. A really strong participant who I feel will end on this space for years to return.
31-Sei Younger Kim (22) – Sei Younger is a twelve time winner on the LPGA Tour. She teed it up 24 occasions final 12 months and had 5 prime ten finishes. Her final victory was 5 years in the past, so I can’t place her larger than this till she reveals that she will win once more.
30- Narin An (25) – Narin teed it up 27 occasions final 12 months and recorded 5 prime ten finishes. She is a really strong participant however lacks size off the tee, ending 144th on tour. She has began 77 LPGA tournaments in her profession with no single win. When she reveals that she will carry dwelling a trophy, I’ll place her larger.
29- Angel Yin (23) – Angel performed harm a very good a part of final season, however nonetheless managed 7 prime tens in simply 20 begins. If wholesome this 12 months she will end a lot larger than this.
28- Jasmine Suwannapura (22) – Jasmine did get her third win on the LPGA Tour final season, however the remainder of her 12 months wasn’t a lot to put in writing dwelling about. She teed it up 30 occasions (greater than any participant on tour) however solely had 4 prime tens. She completed one hundred and thirtieth in driving distance and 113th in placing. Not a components for fulfillment on the LPGA Tour. Her 71.79 scoring common has to enhance.
27- Chanettee Wannasaen (17) – Chanettee gained for the second 12 months in a row final season so you’re in all probability questioning why I don’t have her larger up on this checklist. My cause is that she disappears for a lot of the season. She began 29 occasions final 12 months (tied for 2nd place) however solely managed 4 prime tens.
26- Ina Midday (N/A) My first of three rookies on this checklist. Ina could be the very best saved secret in girls’s golf. So secret that her biography web page is clean on the LPGA web site. What’s effectively documented is that she was caught dishonest on the KLPGA (her caddie threatened that he would go public if she didn’t flip herself in). She was then suspended for 3 years! I wager no participant goes to cheat over there once more. What is obvious although is that this participant can play golf. She had an incredible 11 prime fives and 14 prime tens on the KLPGA final 12 months, and is ranked twenty ninth within the Rolex World Rankings.
25- Maja Stark (14) – Maja had a good 12 months final 12 months with 4 prime tens in 22 begins, however has not gained because the 2022 season. If she lifts one other trophy I’ll rank her larger.
24- Megan Khang (27) – Megan teed it up 23 occasions final 12 months and had 5 prime ten finishes. She appears to play her finest in large occasions. She gained all three of her matches within the 2024 Solheim Cup.
23- Amy Yang (11) – The spotlight of her 2024 season was successful the KMPG Ladies’s PGA Championship. It was her first Main Championship win. Apart from that she didn’t do a lot. She had only one different prime ten and missed the lower in a single third of her begins. She will likely be turning 36 this season and you must determine her finest years are behind her.
22- Patty Tavatanankit (12) – After a down 2023 season, Patty bounced again properly final season. She picked up her first LPGA victory in three years and had 4 different prime ten finishes. There are occasions when she seems like one of many prime gamers within the sport, however we don’t see that always sufficient.
21- Mao Saigo (16) – Mao tied for 2nd place with 29 begins final 12 months. She had seven prime tens and gained the Rookie of the 12 months award. Search for her to have the same season in 2025.
20- Jin Hee Im (31) – I count on an enormous 2025 for this participant. She completed second within the Rookie of the 12 months Race final 12 months. In 24 begins final season she solely missed three cuts, and had six prime ten finishes. She had a number of probabilities to win on Sunday, however couldn’t shut the deal. She will likely be holding a trophy very quickly.
19- Nataliya Guseva (25) – Perhaps the most important shock on the LPGA Tour final season. After a really underwhelming begin, she was a prime participant the second half of the season. In her final 10 begins she had 5 prime ten finishes. In her final two begins she completed 2nd on the Lotte Championship and seventh on the CME Group Tour Championship. She is a bomber, averaging 275 yards off the tee and completed ninth on tour in placing. If she retains these drives on the green….be careful!
18- Yuka Saso (10) – She completed within the prime ten for Participant of the 12 months final season solely due to her one victory. In 22 begins she managed simply 2 different prime ten finishes. She completed 98th in driving accuracy and eighty fifth in hitting greens in regulation. Yuka additionally missed one third of her cuts. Approach too many negatives there for me to assume that she’s going to repeat final 12 months’s end.
17- Brooke Henderson (17) – Brooke is a 13 time winner on the LPGA Tour. Final season was the primary season in her profession that she did not win, excluding the shortened Covid season. She did handle to garner ten prime tens final 12 months and in 25 begins missed simply 2 cuts. Don’t wager in opposition to her getting win quantity 14.
16- Rio Takeda (N/A) My second rookie on this checklist. Simply 21 years previous, Rio gained as a non-LPGA member final 12 months. A 9 time winner on the KLPGA Tour, she is already ranked quantity 16 within the Rolex World Rankings.
15- A Lim Kim (27) – I’ve had the benefit of already seeing the LPGA play their first two occasions this 12 months. Kim gained one among them. She did win late final 12 months to show round what would have been a poor season. She performs so much (perhaps an excessive amount of?) as she teed it up 28 occasions final 12 months however had solely 3 different prime tens, whereas lacking eight cuts. She is actually able to successful once more this 12 months and ending within the prime ten for Participant of the 12 months.
14- Lilia Vu (9) – When wholesome Lilia is among the prime gamers on tour. Final 12 months she performed in simply 19 tournaments, however nonetheless managed a victory and 4 prime tens. She already missed the primary two tournaments this 12 months, and can begin her season this week in Thailand. She missed simply 2 cuts final 12 months and has made her final 13 straight.
13- Lauren Coughlin (7) – A marginal participant for a number of years on the LPGA Tour, Lauren turned her profession round final season. Not solely did she seize her first two LPGA victories, however had eight prime tens. She additionally went 3-0-1 within the USA’s Solheim Cup victory. Logic says she had a profession 12 months that she gained’t replicate in 2025. I see newly discovered confidence and one other robust 12 months.
12- Hye-Jin Choi (20) – Name me loopy for placing her this excessive on the checklist as she has not gained any of her 77 LPGA begins. She appears to at all times be in competition which is confirmed by her 20 profession prime tens, eight of which she earned final 12 months. If she fails to win once more this 12 months I promise to drop her approach down, however I’ve a sense that first win is coming actual quickly.
11- Yealimi Noh (48) – As I stated earlier, the primary two LPGA tournaments have already been performed. Yealimi has gained a kind of tournaments. My pencil has an excellent eraser, and I used to be capable of change my preliminary prediction. She appeared to search out it late final season, not lacking the highest 30 in her final eight occasions, with two prime 5 and three prime ten finishes over that interval. If she will maintain it on the green (118th final 12 months) she will likely be a prime participant.
10- Miya Yamashita (N/A) – My third and ultimate rookie on this checklist. She has gained 13 occasions on the JLPGA tour and continues to be simply 23 years previous. She was the medalist on the ultimate spherical of the LPGA Qualifying Sequence to earn her LPGA card. She additionally completed in 4th place on the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games.
9- Rose Zhang (15) – Rose has gained in every of her two seasons on the LPGA Tour. She continues to be attending lessons at Stanford College which limits her LPGA begins. Juggling schooling {and professional} golf isn’t a straightforward factor (simply ask Michelle Wie). Rose was the Solheim Cup MVP for the USA group the place she went an incredible 4-0-0. Now we have not but seen her at her finest. The most effective is but to return.
8- Hannah Inexperienced* (5) – Hannah had the very best 12 months of her profession final 12 months when she gained thrice and had six prime ten finishes. She is simply too good a participant to fall again too many spots this 12 months. (*Function Picture)
7- Jin Younger Ko (12) – Final 12 months Jin Younger did not win a match for the primary time in eight years. A 15 time winner on the LPGA Tour (2 Main Championships) she solely missed 2 cuts in 18 begins final 12 months. She now has 20 Corridor of Fame factors (27 is required for induction), however these final seven are at all times the toughest to get (see Christie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Laura Davies). If she stays wholesome, don’t wager in opposition to her getting there.
6- Ruoning Yin (6) – The numbers had been all there final 12 months. Twenty begins, solely two missed cuts, three wins, seven prime tens. A profession 12 months? I don’t assume so. Search for her to do it once more.
5- Lydia Ko (2) – In nearly another 12 months, Lydia would have been primary in 2024. She began 21 occasions, made 19 cuts, gained thrice and had eight prime tens. Oh, she additionally gained the Gold Medal on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris and gained induction into the LPGA Corridor of Fame. A small letdown is possible in 2025, however only a small one.
4- Haeran Ryu (5) – Haeran hit the winner’s circle final 12 months for the second time in her profession. In 26 begins she missed simply three cuts and had a league tying 13 prime ten finishes. Taking part in with the lead late in tournaments has been her one downside. I search for her to show a few of these prime tens into victories this 12 months.
3- Ayaka Furue (3) – Led the LPGA final 12 months in cuts made share, as she solely missed one lower in 24 begins. She had one victory and 12 prime ten finishes. She is so constant you could’t drop her down on this checklist.
2- Jeeno Thitikul (8) – A prime ten machine that the LPGA has not seen in fairly a while. She led the LPGA in prime tens in each 2022 and 2023. In 2024 an damage saved her out a very good a part of the season. She performed in simply 17 tournaments and nonetheless tied for the highest ten lead with 13. Can she make it 4 years in a row? Don’t wager in opposition to it.
1- Nelly Korda (1) – How are you going to not place her on prime once more this 12 months? In simply 17 begins she gained 7 occasions final 12 months and had 11 prime ten finishes. She additionally picked up 9 Corridor of Fame factors, giving her 19 for her profession. Don’t wager in opposition to her getting there actual quickly.
Gamers most definitely to make me look silly for leaving them off this checklist: The Jutanugarn sisters and the Iwai twins (each rookies).
Function Picture: Hannah Inexperienced on the 2024 JM Eagle LA Championship – All pictures on this article by Ben Harpring.
