Icy temperatures and organizational issues shorten the LPGA season opener. Nelly Korda capitalizes to claim 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 the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida. However, unusually cold and windy weather in the Sunshine State forced 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 the top amateurs from the week’s Pro-Am competition. Each professional was paired with two celebrities or amateurs, rotating partners each round. A modified Stableford system was used for the celebrity and amateur teams.
Nelly Korda Seizes Opportunity to Win Her 16th LPGA Title
Nelly Korda surged to the top of the leaderboard on Saturday with an impressive 64, holding a three-shot lead. However, tournament organization reportedly deteriorated as freezing temperatures and strong winds caused eight players to halt their third round prematurely on Saturday. These players only completed their rounds by Sunday afternoon. Ultimately, Korda secured her 16th LPGA Tour victory. Amy Yang finished second, three strokes behind, with Brooke Henderson placing third.
The decision to end the LPGA tournament early on Sunday was delayed and sparked criticism regarding the process and communication. The final day began with temperatures around -4°C and winds up to 24 km/h. Organizers postponed the final round multiple times to wait for better conditions. When temperatures only rose to 4°C, officials concluded that play could not continue despite forecasts of warmer weather on the following Monday.
According to the LPGA, the combination of cold and wind caused golf balls to roll unpredictably across the greens, rendering play unfeasible. Conversely, the amateur event commenced at 10 a.m. with a nine-hole round.
Confusion Over Unequal Treatment
Golf journalist Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek was present and highlighted the situation on social media. Journalists waited since 10 a.m. in the press room for explanations as to why amateurs played more than nine holes while LPGA players waited for decisions. Even after four hours, the LPGA provided no updates on the tournament’s continuation.
Later, an official LPGA statement confirmed the tournament would be shortened to 54 holes due to forecasted continued poor weather, preventing a full 72-hole completion.
Contradicting Views on Conditions
Not all parties agreed with the decision. Swedish player Annika Sörenstam, competing as an amateur, told Golfweek she found the course playable, surprised by the cancellation. Former tennis professional and amateur participant Mardy Fish described the greens as felt like concrete on Sunday morning.
LPGA Chief Business and Operations Officer Ricky Lasky noted the extreme firmness of the course affected shot trajectories during practice and emphasized that two separate competitions were taking place: the modified Stableford for amateurs and stroke play for professionals. To preserve fairness and championship-level competition, officials chose to end the professional event at 54 holes.