LPGA Players of the Year winners: Full list from 1966-2024 ft. Nelly Korda explored
World No. 1 Nelly Korda was crowned the 2024 LPGA Player of the Year for the first time in her career. While the PGA Tour decides its counterpart based on votes, the LPGA Tour has always preferred the points system.
All players are required to have a top-10 finish in LPGA Tour events to earn points. Major championships offer double the points. Korda was ahead of her next competition, the 2022 awardee Lydia Ko, by quite a margin.
Despite not playing in the Asian series of the LPGA Tour due to a neck injury, the American golfer's incredible run this season was more than enough. Korda won six titles this year, five of which were consecutive, and picked up her second Major win at the Chevron Championship in Texas.
She was also a part of the winning US team at the 2024 Solheim Cup. Nelly Korda spoke about winning the Rolex Player of the Year award in a press release (via Golf Digest):
"Winning the Rolex Player of the Year means so much to me. This season has had its highs and challenges, and I'm just really grateful for the people around me who have helped me get here. It’s been a team effort, and I’m proud to share this moment with them."
Now, with the LPGA Player of the Year trophy firmly in her hands, Korda is a point closer to the LPGA Hall of Fame. She currently holds 18 of the required 27 points to become a Hall of Famer.
1966 - 2024: Exploring the full list of the LPGA Player of the Year awardees
The LPGA Tour Player of the Year award was started in 1966. Its initial period was dominated by American golfer Kathy Whitworth. Her legacy of being an awardee for several consecutive years was later continued by Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam and Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa in the 2000s.
This year, the award was bagged by Nelly Korda. Here's the full list of the award winners from 1966 to 2024:
- 1966: Kathy Whitworth
- 1967: Kathy Whitworth
- 1968: Kathy Whitworth
- 1969: Kathy Whitworth
- 1970: Sandra Haynie
- 1971: Kathy Whitworth
- 1972: Kathy Whitworth
- 1973: Kathy Whitworth
- 1974: JoAnne Carner
- 1975: Sandra Palmer
- 1976: Judy Rankin
- 1977: Judy Rankin
- 1978: Nancy Lopez
- 1979: Nancy Lopez
- 1980: Beth Daniel
- 1981: JoAnne Carner
- 1982: JoAnne Carner
- 1983: Patty Sheehan
- 1984: Betsy King
- 1985: Nancy Lopez
- 1986: Pat Bradley
- 1987: Ayako Okamoto
- 1988: Nancy Lopez
- 1989: Betsy King
- 1990: Beth Daniel
- 1991: Pat Bradley
- 1992: Dottie Mochrie
- 1993: Betsy King
- 1994: Beth Daniel
- 1995: Annika Sorenstam
- 1996: Laura Davies
- 1997: Annika Sorenstam
- 1998: Annika Sorenstam
- 1999: Karrie Webb
- 2000: Karrie Webb
- 2001: Annika Sorenstam
- 2002: Annika Sorenstam
- 2003: Annika Sorenstam
- 2004: Annika Sorenstam
- 2005: Annika Sorenstam
- 2006: Lorena Ochoa
- 2007: Lorena Ochoa
- 2008: Lorena Ochoa
- 2009: Lorena Ochoa
- 2010: Yani Tseng
- 2011: Yani Tseng
- 2012: Stacy Lewis
- 2013: Inbee Park
- 2014: Stacy Lewis
- 2015: Lydia Ko
- 2016: Ariya Jutanugarn
- 2017: Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu
- 2018: Ariya Jutanugarn
- 2019: Jin Young Ko
- 2020: Sei Young Kim
- 2021: Jin Young Ko
- 2022: Lydia Ko
- 2023: Lilia Vu
- 2024: Nelly Korda