USA Today via Reuters
Jun 25, 2023; Springfield, New Jersey, USA; Rose Zhang reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 25, 2023; Springfield, New Jersey, USA; Rose Zhang reacts after completing the 18th hole during the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
The LPGA Tour’s 2024 season has surely started with ample changes being put in place. One major change was the $12 million purse for the 2024 US Women’s Open, and another one is being implemented concerning the non-members of the famous women’s professional golf league.
It has been recently revealed that going forward in 2024, even these non-members who secure a win on any of the Tour’s events in the future will be receiving both the Rolex Person of the Year points as well as the Rookie of the Year points for their specific victories.
Moreover, the talented golfers (even non-members) from the USA’s side will also be receiving points for the 2026 Solheim Cup. Undoubtedly, the LPGA Tour has made transformations its priority in the days to come.
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Happy to report that non-members who win on the LPGA in 2024 will now receive Rolex POY points and Rookie of the Year points for the victory! (This came up after Rose Zhang won.) U.S. players will also receive Solheim Cup points for the 2026 period.
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) February 2, 2024
Unlike many of its counterparts, who choose not to offer non-members and amateur golfers the same level of acknowledgment that the pros receive, the LPGA’s new rule change is truly revolutionary. It was mentioned that this change has been brought forward since Rose Zhang‘s win. Let us find out how the Stanford star played an integral part in the trajectory of this revolutionary change.
What was Rose Zhang’s role in bringing forth this change?
After her win at the Mizuho Americas Open last year, Rose Zhang not only set an example but also inspired change. The 20-year-old shocked the golf world by winning her very first professional golf tournament. This is expected to be the major reason that led to the thought of the need for changes and benefits to be rewarded to these non-members.
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Read More: Lydia Ko: Why the New Zealander Is Still the LPGA Tour’s Biggest Asset
The LPGA Tour seems to recognize that talent is at the forefront of the game of golf, and their recently introduced changes follow from the same thought stream. As Zhang set an example by participating in the Solheim Cup in her rookie year and performing exceptionally well, this has possibly acted as a reinforcer in the Ladies Tour’s decision to award the U.S. players who are winners but not members points for the 2026 Solheim Cup.
Alongside, their recently implemented scheme for awarding other above-mentioned crucial points to these non-member high-achievers will not only act as an incentive but is also a measure that will ensure that no talent goes unnoticed just because it does not affiliate with the Tour yet.
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What do you think about this new measure undertaken by the LPGA Tour? Share your views in the comments section below.
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