Icy temperatures and organizational issues shorten LPGA season opener; Nelly Korda claims her 16th Tour victory.
The LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was scheduled from January 29 to February 1 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. However, unusually cold and windy weather in the Sunshine State led officials to cancel the final round.
Two tournaments ran concurrently on the course: the LPGA season opener in a 72-hole stroke play format and a separate event featuring top amateurs from the Pro-Am competition held earlier in the week. Each professional was paired with two celebrities or amateurs, who rotated each round. A Modified Stableford scoring system was used for the celebrities and amateurs.
Nelly Korda Capitalizes on Chaos to Secure 16th LPGA Title
Nelly Korda surged to the top of the leaderboard with a strong 64 on Saturday, holding a three-stroke lead. However, the tournament organization reportedly became chaotic, as eight players had to abandon their third round on Saturday due to cold and windy conditions. These players completed their rounds on Sunday afternoon, allowing Korda to clinch her 16th LPGA Tour title. Amy Yang finished second, three strokes behind, followed by Brooke Henderson in third.
The decision to end the LPGA tournament early on Sunday was delayed and drew significant criticism regarding communication and management. The final day began with temperatures around -4°C and wind gusts up to 24 km/h, causing multiple start delays as officials awaited better conditions. When the temperature only rose to 4°C, it was decided the tournament could not continue, even though warmer weather was forecast for Monday.
The LPGA stated that play was no longer possible due to the combination of low temperatures and strong winds causing uncontrollable ball rolls on the greens. Meanwhile, the amateur event started a nine-hole round at 10 a.m.
Confusion Over Different Treatment of Players
Golf journalist Beth Ann Nichols from Golfweek, present at the event, noted on social media that journalists had waited since 10 a.m. for explanations as to why amateurs played more than nine holes while LPGA players waited in the clubhouse. After four hours, there was still no update on tournament continuation.
An official LPGA statement later announced the tournament would be shortened to 54 holes, citing poor weather forecasts for Monday that would prevent completing 72 holes.
Conflicting Views on Course Conditions
Not everyone agreed with the cancellation. Swedish player Annika Sörenstam, competing in the amateur event, said she found the course playable, expressing surprise over the decision. Former tennis player and amateur Mardy Fish described the ground as extremely hard, like cement.
LPGA Chief Business and Operations Officer Ricky Lasky explained the hard ground affected shot trajectories during warm-ups. She clarified that the LPGA stroke play event and the amateurs’ Modified Stableford competition are different, with every CME point being important, justifying the 54-hole cut to ensure fairness and championship-level competition.
Criticism of LPGA Communication and Impact on Women’s Golf
Beth Ann Nichols