Amidst Fierce Competition, the LPGA Tour raises nearly half a Million for a Better Cause

The LPGA Tour 2023 season is coming to a close. Three more events will be played, including the 2023 CME Globe Championship. While the players show fierce competition on the course, they also work for a larger-than-life cause.

The LPGA Tour, in collaboration with the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, donates $20,000 for every ace made in the game. The charitable program is designed so that research for childhood cancer can be diagnosed and treated better.

CME Group raises close to half a million for St. Jude Hospital

The CME Group started the CME Group Cares Challenge — Score 1 for St. Jude campaign in 2018. Since then, through LPGA it has raised $3.3 million for the research of childhood cancer. The campaign pledges to donate $20,000 for every ace made in the current season of the LPGA Tour.

In the 2023 season, the golfers made 18 hole-in-ones and raised $360,000 for St. Jude Hospital cancer research in treating and caring for children better. The latest hole-in-one came in the Maybank Championship by Ashleigh Buhai in the third round. 

With only three events remaining in the LPGA Tour, the players are fighting for the Race to CME Globe points while also helping a good cause. The campaign also guarantees a minimum of $500,000 to the St. Jude Hospitals, regardless of how much the Score 1 Challenge raises.

In 2022, the campaign raised $660,000 from 33 aces and in 2021 donated $888,156. The tour goes to Japan for the TOTO Classic and then will commence The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. The conclusion event, the CME Group Tour Championship will have the top 60 players on the Race to CME Globe list. Who are the players who may miss the championship?

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Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson are on the verge of missing the 2023 season-end event

The defending champion Lydia Ko stands at 101st on the Race to CME Globe point list. With only two top-10 finishes in the last 18 runs, Ko might not have a chance of defending her title at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.

Meanwhile, Lexi Thompson has had a winless season till this month. After coming solo fifth at the Ascendant LPGA event and making history on the PGA Tour, Lexi has missed three events since then. She stands at 88th in the race with only 184,410 points behind the top 60. 

The LPGA Tour has 2 events remaining and both golfers can try to give their best performance before the final championship. Celine Boutier with her 4 victories this year is leading the Race to CME Globe list while the likes of Nelly Korda and Megan Khang stand at 15 and 20, respectively.

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