Your Rolex Player of the Year — Rio Takeda wins in Japan
The IX: Golf Thursday with Marin Dremock, Nov. 7, 2024
It’s awards season for the LPGA, and a huge one has just been announced. Nelly Korda has been named the 2024 Rolex Player of the Year after a stellar season on tour.
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Welcome back to Golf Thursday, golf fans.
Korda’s first half of the 2024 LPGA Tour season was definitely what propelled her to the top of the standings in the major awards, like the ANNIKA, Player of the Year and CME Globe. It’s what also helped her up to the top of the money list.
Korda’s run began in January with an early win at the LPGA Drive On Championship in Bradenton, Fla. In her hometown, Korda defeated Lydia Ko, who also had a career year on tour this season, in a playoff.
This win was a fight, as Korda started the day at 13-under but underwent a series of ups and downs on the leaderboard to finish tied for first with Ko at 11-under.
She snuck by Ko in the playoff, with a par on the second playoff hole to Ko’s bogey. It was the first win for Korda since 2022, when she won the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
“Yeah, I seem to always make it very dramatic and interesting, so there is no better feeling than to do it in front of a home crowd,” Korda said.
Victorious at the Drive On, Korda crossed the $9 million career earnings mark and earned 500 points towards the Race to the CME Globe. She became the 43rd American to win nine or more times on the LPGA Tour.
Korda then captured the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship in California on March 24, 2024. This win propelled her to the top position of the Rolex Player of the Year standings, which she held since then. And then she won the next three tournaments after that.
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The last of those five wins in five starts was her second major championship, the 2024 Chevron Championship at a Jack Nicklaus course in The Woodlands, Texas. Historic streak complete.
“It’s an amazing feeling because all the hard work and the doubt that I had in my head from 2021, I worked through it, and it’s been an amazing feeling these past couple weeks knowing that I can go on this stretch and that if I stay in my bubble and I keep golf in a sense simple and let it flow, then I can have so, so much fun out here,” Korda said.
“It’s just been an amazing time. To get five in a row, and my lucky number is 13, and for me to get it here in Houston and it to be a major feels even better.”
Putting $1,200,000 in her pocket in Houston, Korda earned 650 points in the Race to the CME Globe and climbed to the top of the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award standings.
Korda’s sixth win of her historic season came one month later at the 2024 Mizuho Americas Open at picturesque Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. Korda overcame a 2-over opening nine in the final round to end with a total score of 14-under, just one shot ahead of surging competitor and close friend Hannah Green.
With her win in Jersey, Korda continued to cement her spot as the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1. She climbed 500 more points up the CME Globe standings and nabbed another $450,000 to add to her season earnings.
Korda isn’t in the field for this week’s LOTTE Championship, taking some much deserved time off in preparation for the tour finales. But it’s been quite a year for her. An eventful and energetic Solheim Cup, six wins in eight starts and a handful of records tied and broken.
And there’s still golf to play. Buckle up, folks.
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Five at The IX: Rio Takeda fights for a win at the 2024 TOTO Japan Classic
Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 marked a special day for Japan native Rio Takeda, as she claimed the 2024 TOTO LPGA Classic in a six-hole playoff over Marina Alex. Her fifth start on the LPGA Tour this season, this was Takeda’s first victory on the LPGA and eighth on the JLPGA Tour. Here’s what she had to say after winning in her home country.
THE MODERATOR: All right, we’re here with Rio Takeda, winner of the 2024 TOTO LPGA Classic.
First of all, congratulations on your win. Can you just talk about this week as a whole and what it’s meant to you?
RIO TAKEDA: So I was able to be in a good pairing from the first round, and I think I had a very good three rounds, so overall I’m so happy to finish like this.
Q. Could you just talk about the playoff? It was a lot holes of golf. Very close between you and Marina. Talk about the emotions you felt while playing.
RIO TAKEDA: So that was my first time playoff, so I wasn’t expecting that the game was that long, but I managed to win so I’m really happy.
Q. Now this is your eighth win on the JLPGA, first on the LPGA. Can you summarize what this year has meant to you and how amazing it’s been?
RIO TAKEDA: So this week I could manage to have my eighth win and I’m surprised with that, but I have three more tournaments to go in Japan so I need to brace myself, and I just try to finish my year in a great way.
Q. You stood on the 16th hole of regulation three strokes behind; finished eagle, par, birdie. You played six playoff holes; played some amazing shots. Two birdies in those playoff holes. How were you able to muster up the courage under such intense pressure to get the job done?
RIO TAKEDA: I was three strokes behind when I finished the 15th, but I never give up so I think I could win.
Q. For this victory you have earned your LPGA Tour card. I assume this is something you dreamed about your whole life.
RIO TAKEDA: I was planning to take Q-School in December, and now I can skip that Q-School and go play next year on the LPGA Tour, which is exciting for me now.
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