Icy temperatures and organizational issues shorten the LPGA season opener. Nelly Korda takes advantage and secures her 16th tour win.
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 very windy weather in the Sunshine State forced tournament officials to cancel the final round.
Two tournaments were held simultaneously on the course: the LPGA season opener played over 72 holes stroke play, and a separate event involving the top qualified amateurs from the Pro-Am competitions earlier in the week. Each professional player was paired with two celebrities or amateurs, who changed each round, and the amateurs competed using a Modified Stableford scoring system.
Nelly Korda Capitalizes on Chaos to Secure Her 16th LPGA Title
Nelly Korda surged to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday with a strong 64 and a three-shot lead. However, the tournament organization quickly unraveled as eight players had to halt their third round early due to dropping temperatures and strong winds. These players only completed their third round on Sunday afternoon, with Korda ultimately claiming her 16th LPGA Tour victory. Amy Yang finished second, three strokes behind, and Brooke Henderson took third place.
The decision to end the tournament early on Sunday was delayed, attracting criticism regarding the handling and communication by officials. The final day began with lows around -4°C and wind gusts up to 24 km/h. Multiple delays attempted to await better playing conditions, but when temperatures rose to only 4°C, it was confirmed the LPGA event could not continue, despite forecasts predicting warmer weather on Monday.
According to the LPGA, the combination of low temperatures and strong winds caused uncontrollable ball movement on the greens, making play impossible. In contrast, the amateur event proceeded at 10 a.m. with a nine-hole round.
Confusion Over Unequal Treatment of Players
Golf journalist Beth Ann Nichols from Golfweek, present at the event, reported that journalists waited since 10 a.m. for information on why amateurs played more than nine holes while LPGA players waited for a final round decision. The LPGA provided no updates for over four hours regarding the tournament’s continuation or format.
Following discussions between officials, staff, partners, and course management, it was announced that the Tournament of Champions 2026 would be shortened to a 54-hole event due to similar weather expected Monday, preventing a full 72-hole completion.
Conflicting Statements About Playing Conditions
Despite the cold, some involved disagreed with the cancellation. Swedish player Annika Sörenstam, competing in the amateur event, told Golfweek she found the course playable and was surprised by the decision. Former tennis player and amateur Mardy Fish described the greens as feeling like walking on concrete.
LPGA’s Chief Business and Operations Officer Ricky Lasky explained the hard ground affected shot performance during practice and justified ending the professional competition after 54 holes to maintain fairness, noting the tournaments were separate competitions with different formats.