Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 21 November 2019

LPGA finale a

sprint toward

a $1.5M prize

By DOUG FERGUSON withdrew. A cortisone shot,
AP Golf Writer ice every night, some rest,
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Jin and now she's in Florida try-
Young Ko won twice as ing to put a proper end to
many tournaments as any- a sensational year.
one else on the LPGA Tour "Still worried a little bit," Ko
this year. Her four victories said. "Hopefully getting
included two majors. Her better, but then this week is
dominance was so thor- the last, so it will be fine."
ough that she wrapped up It's a conclusion unlike any
the points-based award other in the LPGA Tour.
as player of the year with The tour abandoned the
three tournaments remain- format of resetting the
ing. points to give only the top
And with $1.5 million avail- 12 players a shot at winning
able to the winner in the the Race to CME Globe In this Thursday, April 4, 2019 file photo, Lexi Thompson hits her tee shot on the second hole during
season finale, none of that and its $1 million bonus, a the first round of the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in
matters. reward for having played Rancho Mirage, Calif. Thompson has gone five years since her only major title.
The CME Group Tour the best golf all year. Associated Press
Championship is a free- The objective this year tion to me, so I will keep try- day, I think it's great for golf a collapse, she will win the
for-all involving the richest was to qualify for the Tour ing harder," she said. to see the purses increase, Vare Trophy for the lowest
payout in women's golf. All Championship. Ko has the It should be easier to follow. and to have an opportuni- scoring average.
that was required was get- same chance at the $1.5 A year ago, Lexi Thomp- ty like this is unlike any other And she still has the inside
ting to Tiburon Golf Club million check as Stacy Lew- son won the tournament event we've ever played." track to the LPGA money
as one of the 60 players in is, who finished 60th in the and the $500,000 in of- The $1.5 million prize repre- title. That requires the most
the Race to CME Globe, in points standings and other- ficial money, while Ariya sents more than Thompson work because everyone
which points were accrued wise would have taken the Jutanugarn won the Race has won all year. starts from scratch and so
over 31 tournaments dat- rest of the year off to heal a to CME Globe and the $1 Ko, meanwhile, is still go- many players are lined up
ing to January. rib injury in her lower back. million bonus. The year be- ing to collect her share of behind her in the standings
Start on Thursday, it's a And because the money fore that, the roles were re- awards this week as part if Ko falters.
sprint. That's fine for Ko, pro- is official, any of the top versed — Jutanugarn won of the season-ending cel- A third-place finish still
vided "sprint" is merely a fig- 10 players who win have a the tournament, Thompson ebration. She already was would be enough for Ko to
ure of speech. mathematical chance to won the points race. presented a $100,000 bo- become the first woman to
The 24-year-old South Ko- capture the season money Brooke Henderson wasn't a nus for having the most top- make $3 million in a season.
rean was playing in Taiwan title. Ko was so good this big fan of the new concept 10 finishes (12 in 21 events), Nelly Korda, one of seven
three weeks ago when she year that she is $721,791 when she first heard about winning a tiebreaker be- players with multiple vic-
felt a tug in her left ankle. ahead of Jeongeun Lee6 it. "I had worked so hard the cause of her four victories. tories this year, summed
She couldn't swing. She on the money list. Any oth- last few years to be in those She will get the Rolex LPGA up the chase for the $1.5
asked the other players to er year, and Ko already top positions to have a Player of the Year award million prize in the simplest
play ahead of her to give would have wrapped up chance at winning the big Thursday night at the of terms. "To win this tour-
it some time, and she man- the money title. money," said Henderson, awards dinner, along with nament, you have to play
aged to hit her shot. But Just not this one. And she's who is No. 2 in the stand- the Annika Major Award for good golf," Korda said. "At
then it hurt walking. Midway OK with that. ings with two victories this having the best record in the end of the day, who-
through the third round, she "That is really great motiva- year. "But at the end of the the majors this year. Barring ever wins deserves it."q

Koepka withdraws from Presidents

Cup, replaced by Fowler

in the world who led all jury in Korea, I have been had stem cell treatment
qualifiers for the Ameri- in constant contact with on his left patella the day
can team, said Wednes- Tiger and assured him that after the Tour Champion-
day the injury he suffered I was making every effort ship because his knee had
Oct. 18 at the CJ Cup in to be 100% in time for the been bothering him over
South Korea is not recov- Presidents Cup in Austra- the last five months of the
ering well enough for him lia. However, I need more season. Two weeks later,
to complete Dec. 12-15 at time to heal." he was walking down a
Royal Melbourne in Aus- Koepka was coming off slope off the tee at the
tralia. U.S. captain Tiger a season in which he par-5 third hole in the sec-
In this Aug. 25, 2019, file photo, Brooks Koepka hits from the Woods replaced him with won three times, includ- ond round of the CJ Cup
second tee during the final round of the Tour Championship Rickie Fowler. ing a second straight PGA when his right foot hit a
golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. "I consider it to be a high Championship, and had wet piece of concrete
Associated Press honor to be part of the runner-up finishes in the and he landed hard on
By DOUG FERGUSON withdrew from the Presi- 2019 team and I regret Masters and U.S. Open. his left knee for support.
AP Golf Writer dents Cup three weeks not being able to com- When he started the new He shot 75 and withdrew
Brooks Koepka's knee in- before it begins. pete," Koepka said in a season in October at Las after the round, returning
jury is bad enough that he Koepka, the No. 1 player statement. "Since my in- Vegas, he revealed he to Florida for treatment. q