As the current LPGA Tour season approaches its end, things have started heating up. The penultimate event of the current season is in progress, and the competition to retain Tour cards for the next year is real now. Besides fighting for their cards, the players will also have to fight for a better status in the tour.
Anyone who finishes within the Top 100 positions won’t lose their cards. But finishing in the Top 80, or Top 60 has its own advantages. As of now, several players are on the edge and are battling to have a desirable finish for the season. Here is a list of five players, including Lydia Ko, who are fighting the battle most fiercely.
Top 5 LPGA players whose careers are at stake
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To do all that is mentioned above, the players will need to have a good position in the CME points table. The CME Tour Championship will be the final showdown in the LPGA schedule this year. To make it to the event, players will have to finish the current tournament within the top 60 positions in the CME points table. Now, let’s move on to our list.
Lydia Ko currently stands at the 101st position in the points table. Although her CME points are low this season after she hit a slump, she performed well. Her great finishes in some of the events were not considered for CME points, since Ko played them based on sponsor invites.
However, her position is not really under threat. Since the winners of the past two seasons and the current season were exempted, she will be able to play in the next season. That won’t stop her from fighting for a better position this season though.
Azahara Munoz currently stands at the 100th position in the Race to CME standings. With her shared 10th position in The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican after the second round, it looks like she might improve in her CME points and get more comfortably placed in the Top 80, or even the Top 60, perhaps.
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Muni He, as of now, holds the 113th position in the CME points table. Her impressive performance in the ongoing tournament has put her in a shared 4th position with Jin Young Ko. Her 8-under score is merely 4 strokes behind the current leader. At this rate, she stands a real chance of making it to the CME Championship.
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Cydney Clanton is at the 137th position in the CME points table. Her shared 40th position in the current tournament doesn’t look very promising. However, we can’t rule out her chances of jumping into the Top 100 at least. And with two rounds to go, her stand in The ANNIKA could improve as well. With golf, nothing is certain until the last round is over.
Dani Holmqvist is currently holding the 97th position in the CME points table. She didn’t make the cut at the ongoing ANNIKA Championship. So naturally, her final position post this event is out of her control now. However, if luck favors her, she could retain her Top 100 position and sustain her card for the next year.
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Did we miss anyone who should have been a part of this list? And who are you rooting for to have the big win this week? Tell us in the comments below.
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