Why CME Group Tour Championship is the Perfect Show Stopper For the LPGA Tour?

The thrilling 2023 CME Group Tour Championship has come to an end. The greens in Florida this time around saw some really intense play. Amy Yang came out as a winner, and her out-of-the-blue victory roared through the lush greens of the Tiburon Golf Club. In a pretty close call, Nasa Hataoka took the second spot. 

The to-and-fro between the player kept the audience on the edge of their seats, and in the end, the win came with a sweet taste and an unexpected turn. Now, as this successful leg has finally come to an end, here is why the CME Group Championship is the perfect headliner of the LPGA Tour. 

What seals the CME Championship’s status as the ultimate finale on the LPGA Tour?

This year, LPGA tourneys saw some really fat winner payouts. Where Annika Sorenstam’s event made a huge noise for its individual purse some weeks back, the CME Championship took that title as the top contender soon after—a giant reason why the tourney is a perfect event for LPGA Tour to end its professional golfing year with.

Another reason is the testimony. In a recent X update, the LPGA Tour updated the golf silo about the CME Group Tour Championship’s donation to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The tweet stated that this year’s grand 20 holes-in-one season made a gracious collective total of $400,000 which will be donated to the hospital and the cause.

Other than that, further donations have been made from events—concerts and the pro-am that took place in the previous week—and now, as a result of all that, the overall amount donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by CME Group has reached an impressive $1.3 million.

The 2023 season clearly did make a big difference in the scene but what awaits next is even more exciting because, unlike the 2023 $7M purse, the 2024 season will have an $11 million sack—which will include a $4 million winner’s check. 

A recap of the game scene from the 2023 CME Group Championship greens

The four days of the game saw some great golf. As the sun of the last game day cast its spell, Hataoka and Yang found themselves neck and neck at 21 under. Initially, Hataoka was a step ahead after her three-stroke lead, which kind of hinted at a win. But later, Yang somehow managed to show all her colors at once as she fully responded with strategic birdies. This brought the score level to 23 under.

Read More: A Dive Into the History of the CME Group Tour Championship: Past Winners, Record Holders, and More

The big defining moment of the game came on the par-4 13th, a hole that saw Yang’s gracious skills. With a hole-out eagle from 80 yards, the golfer glamorously bought herself to a lead that would otherwise prove overwhelming to some. 

As the sun set on the CME Group Tour Championship, it marked not just the end of a season but a celebration of some really remarkable achievements, unexpected bouts of happiness, and the spirit of competition in the world of women’s golf. What were your thoughts seeing this year’s play unfold? Let us know in the comments!

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