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2024 LPGA Drive On Championship: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

ByDaiemah Malik

Jan 23, 2024 | 3:30 PM EST

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After a power-packed season-opening weekend at the Lake Nona Golf Course, the LPGA Tour is now set to move on to the second event on its 2024 calendar. The 2024 LPGA Drive-On Championship is the second of the two season-opening events taking place with a star-studded field and a lot of money at stake. The event is set to begin on January 25th in Bradenton, Florida.

The 120-player field for this event will feature some of the brightest stars from the women’s side of the golf world. It will encompass past champions, top-ranked professionals, and even some players with interesting world records. But who among these many talented faces has the best shot at shining the brightest?

Who has the best shot at winning the 2024 LPGA Drive On Championship?

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The 2024 golf season is expected to be full of surprises, just like 2023. While nothing can be guaranteed, a neat look through the field reveals some promising candidates with a great chance of ruling the field in the coming weekend.

The field has many players topping the charts of the Rolex World Rankings, players like Yani Tseng, who was a former world number 1 and five-time major winner, and 2022 champion Leona Maguire, among others. However, in our opinion, the following players may win the trophy and give fierce competition to their fellow golfers.

1. Lilia Vu

As the current world no. 1 Lilia Vu is a part of the field, she becomes an obvious choice in the minds of golf fans owing to the blockbuster year she had last season. Vu had a powerful year with four wins, six top-five finishes, and eight top-ten finishes. Her stellar finishes also included two major victories. Vu carded herself as one of the most integral female golfers in the past season.

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If the 26-year-old intends to keep up her world number-one record, this win becomes crucial to her after finishing 18th at the HGV Tournament of Champions. Considering Vu’s consistent performance throughout last season, she may make the Drive-On Championship her first win this season.

2. Ruoning Yin

Following Lilia Vu, Ruoning Yin, the currently second-ranked women’s professional golfer according to the Rolex World rankings, is also a part of the competition. Yin will likely steal the limelight this season from under Vu’s feet and emerge as the strongest player.

After making her debut in 2022, in 2023, the 21-year-old played 21 events, out of which she made 19 cuts. She also recorded nine top-10 finishes, including wins at the DIO Implant LA Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (her first major win). She finished in the top 20 in the first event of the 2024 season, as she ended her game at T19.

With the determination to be a winner once again, the 1X major winner could lift the trophy and the winner’s share of the prize money for this event.

3. Celine Boutier

Next up on our list of possible winners is the defending champion, Celine Boutier. Boutier had won against Georgia Hall in a playoff last year. Thanks to the famous birdies she shot on the 72nd hole and the first extra hole,

The French professional golfer will be making her season debut at the Bradenton Country Club. She is also currently ranked 3rd in the Rolex world rankings. Thus, she becomes a powerful force to be reckoned with in the first full-field event of the 2024 LPGA Tour season.

4. Lydia Ko

Adding to the list of potential winners is the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions 2024 winner, Lydia Ko. The 26-year-old star overcame self-doubt to emerge as the victor at the first event of the season.

Ko will likely display similar patterns at this event, so closely placed from her first win, making this her second win of the season.

5. Nelly Korda

Even though Nelly Korda has had a winless drought over the past season, as the event is being held in her hometown, Bradenton, it is highly likely that this intricate fact will play in her favor and help her achieve her first win in a long while. With her zeal and stunning skills, the 1-time major champion finished in the 16th spot last weekend. She is looking for a chance to bounce back; this week could be it!

Her familiarity with the course and the weather are important factors in her favor. Moreover, her motivation to prove her critics wrong and climb further up the Rolex World ranking, coupled with her unmatchable talents, can all potentially help her win the trophy.

But what will these players gain upon winning?

The prize-money-related juicy information

The 2024 LPGA Drive-On Championship is an upcoming event on the LPGA Tour’s schedule. It is set to have a massive prize purse of $1.75 million. This is a massive share of the record-breaking $118 million purse of the LPGA Tour for the 2024 season.

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Out of the $1.75 million purse, the winner’s share would be around $262,500. Whereas, the runner-up will earn $165,070, and the player finishing third will earn a total of $119,746.

The event will be streamed live on the Golf Channel and Peacock. The schedule is as follows:

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January 25: Golf Channel (ET) 12:00–3:00 p.m. (Golf Channel and Peacock)
January 26: Golf Channel (ET) 12:00–3:00 p.m. (Golf Channel and Peacock)
January 27: Golf Channel (ET) 4:00–5:00 p.m. (Golf Channel); 2:00–5:00 p.m. (Peacock)
January 28: Golf Channel (ET) 2:00–5:00 p.m. (Golf Channel and Peacock)

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