Nelly Korda Wins LPGA Player of the Year With Three Events to Spare
Nelly Korda has clinched the LPGA's Rolex Player of the Year award for 2026 with three tournaments still to play. The American, who is ranked world No. 1 in women's golf, won the points-based prize, which goes to the player who collects the most points across the season. LPGA reported the win on November 3.
The title race was never close at the end. Korda led Haeran Ryu by 75 points when she sealed it. Ryu, who won two majors this year, had been Korda's closest challenger for most of the autumn.
Korda's season began fast. She opened the 2026 LPGA Tour campaign with a run of six tournaments in which she either won or finished second. Her four wins this year include the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera, which were the first two majors of the season. Majors are the sport's biggest events, and Korda is now a four-time major winner.
She also took the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award in August, earning 140 points across the five majors on the women's calendar. That award is a separate prize from Player of the Year, and it reflects her results in the biggest events alone.
This is her second points-based Player of the Year title in three years. She first won it in 2024, when she also clinched with three events left, and she took the top two honours at the Rolex LPGA Awards that November in Naples, Florida. ESPN noted the two-title run in its report on this year's award.
The next milestone is the LPGA Hall of Fame. Korda is one victory away from qualifying. For context, Lydia Ko and Inbee Park both qualified at the age of 27. Korda first joined the LPGA Tour in 2017.
Not everyone will be on the course for the next event. Miyu Yamashita and Jeeno Thitikul are not entered in The Annika, a tournament in Florida. Korda's position at the top of the rankings does not depend on that week, but the field will look different without them.
For fans, the award is a reminder of how the points system works. Player of the Year is not decided by one trophy. It is built from every finish, from the first week of the season to the last, and a player who stays near the top for months can settle it before the year is over.
