Freezing temperatures and organizational issues shorten the LPGA season opener. Nelly Korda capitalizes for her 16th Tour win.
The LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was scheduled to run 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 led officials to cancel the final round.
Two tournaments ran simultaneously on the course: the LPGA season opener in a 72-hole stroke play format, and a pro-am event featuring top-qualified amateurs paired with professionals and celebrities using a Modified Stableford scoring system.
Nelly Korda Takes Advantage of Chaos to Secure 16th LPGA Title
Nelly Korda surged to the top on Saturday with a stellar 64, holding a three-stroke lead. Yet, poor organization affected the tournament’s progress, with eight players forced to stop their third round early due to cold and wind, only finishing Sunday afternoon. Korda clinched her 16th LPGA title, followed by Amy Yang in second and Brooke Henderson in third.
The decision to end the tournament early was delayed, drawing criticism over communication. The final day began with temperatures around -4°C and winds up to 24 km/h, causing multiple postponements. Even when temperatures rose only to 4°C, officials concluded the event could not continue despite warmer forecasts for Monday.
According to LPGA, the combination of low temps and strong winds caused unpredictable ball rolls on the greens, making play impossible. Meanwhile, the amateur event started a nine-hole round at 10 a.m.
Confusion Over Different Treatments
Golfweek journalist Beth Ann Nichols highlighted delays and lack of information around why amateurs played more holes while LPGA players waited. After hours of uncertainty, the LPGA officially shortened the tournament to 54 holes due to similar weather forecasts preventing 72-hole completion.
Conflicting Opinions on Course Conditions
Despite the cold, some disagreed with the cancellation. Swedish player Annika Sörenstam, competing in the amateur event, stated she found the course playable and was surprised by the stoppage. Former tennis pro Mardy Fish described the putting greens as extremely hard, likening them to concrete.
LPGA’s Chief Business and Operations Officer Ricky Lasky cited the hard ground affecting shot flight during practice as part of the reason. She explained the need to maintain fairness since the stroke play competition’s CME points count towards the season, contrasting it with the separate pro-am Modified Stableford format.
Criticism of LPGA’s Communication and Waning Women’s Golf Drama
Beth Ann Nichols criticized LPGA’s delayed statements, claiming they fueled confusion without clear reasoning for postponements despite acceptable weather later. She blamed organizational flaws rather than weather alone and lamented fans missing out on a high-level event.
Professional Danielle Kang echoed dissatisfaction, noting that LPGA tournaments are increasingly shortened under questionable conditions, reducing excitement compared to the PGA Tour where cancellations are a last resort.