Freezing temperatures and organizational issues shorten LPGA season opener. Nelly Korda takes advantage and claims her 16th tour victory.
The LPGA Tour season-opening tournament, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, was originally scheduled to take place from January 29 to February 1 at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. Unusually cold and very windy weather in the ‘Sunshine State’ prompted tournament officials to cancel the final round.
Two tournaments were run concurrently on the course: the LPGA season opener in a 72-hole stroke play format, and a separate event featuring the top qualified amateurs from the pro-am competition held earlier in the week. Each professional player was paired with two celebrities or amateurs, with the celebrity partners rotating each round. A modified Stableford system was used for the celebrity and amateur contest.
Nelly Korda Seizes the Chaos to Secure Her 16th LPGA Title
Despite a strong 64-round on Saturday that gave Nelly Korda a three-stroke lead atop the leaderboard, the tournament’s organization soon deteriorated, according to on-site observers. Eight players had to halt their third round prematurely on Saturday due to dropping temperatures and heavy winds, completing it only on Sunday afternoon. Korda ultimately secured her 16th LPGA Tour title. Amy Yang finished second, three strokes behind, followed by Brooke Henderson in third.
The decision to shorten the LPGA tournament on Sunday was delayed significantly by officials, sparking heavy criticism over the handling and communication. The final day began with temperatures as low as -4°C and wind gusts up to 24 km/h. The start of the final round was postponed multiple times to seek optimal conditions. When the temperature climbed only to 4°C, officials declared that play could not continue, despite forecasts for warmer conditions Monday.
The LPGA explained the course was unplayable as low temperatures combined with strong winds caused balls to roll uncontrollably across the greens. Conversely, the amateur tournament began with a nine-hole round at 10 a.m.
Confusion Over Different Treatment of Competitions
Golf journalist Beth Ann Nichols from the US newspaper Golfweek, present at the site, took to social media to express confusion over why amateurs could play more holes while LPGA players waited in the clubhouse for a decision. For four hours, the LPGA provided no updates about how or if the tournament would continue.
After consultations among officials, staff, partners, and course maintenance, the LPGA announced the tournament would be cut to a 54-hole event, pointing to similar weather forecasts for the next day that would prevent completion over 72 holes.
Contradictory Statements on Course Conditions
Not all were in agreement with the decision. Swedish player Annika Sörenstam, participating in the amateur competition, told Golfweek she believed the course was playable, noting good shots and that balls sometimes held their position on the greens despite the cold. Former tennis player and amateur Mardy Fish described the practice green as feeling like concrete early Sunday morning.
LPGA Chief Business and Operations Officer Ricky Lasky said the