2021 LPGA Contest

[18majors]

@Golf Dino                        @Supermilo                @Argonne69

@Stooch                              @agolf1                  @ChronicSlicer

@MagicClassic407             @BadgerLin                   @Lobby

 

 

My picks are:

 

1.   Top-10             Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson

2.   11-45               Nelly Korda

3.   46-90             Jessica Korda

4.   Rookie             Yealimi Noh

 

 

List of rookies:

Yealimi Noh     Andrea Lee      Leona Maguire      Bianca Pagdanganan      Yui Kawamoto       Matilda Castren   

Patty Tavatanakit       Esther Lee   Jillian Hollis     Albane Valenzuela     Jennifer Chang    Jiwon Jeon   Haley Moore  

Yujeong Son     Linnea Johansson      Esther Henseleit    Nuria Iturrioz     Maia Schechter    Kyung Kim    Ana Belac

Fatima Fernandez Cano     Frida Kinhult    Janie Jackson    A Lim Kim           

Edited December 22, 2020 by 18majors

[ChronicSlicer]

Count me out, not a fan of forced choices, sorry.

[MagicClassic407]

I thought the final Rolex Rankings don't get published until tomorrow? That's what we're using, right?

[18majors]

1 minute ago, MagicClassic407 said:

I thought the final Rolex Rankings don't get published until tomorrow? That's what we're using, right?

 

 

The plan was to use 2020 LPGA money list, which is available on LPGA.com.

 

Rolex Ranking includes many players who aren't LPGA members, maybe a little unwieldy. 

 

 

[18majors]

For reference, these are the list of rookies:

 

Yealimi Noh     Andrea Lee      Leona Maguire      Bianca Pagdanganan      Yui Kawamoto       Matilda Castren   

Patty Tavatanakit       Esther Lee   Jillian Hollis     Albane Valenzuela     Jennifer Chang    Jiwon Jeon   Haley Moore  

Yujeong Son     Linnea Johansson      Esther Henseleit    Nuria Iturrioz     Maia Schechter    Kyung Kim    Ana Belac

Fatima Fernandez Cano     Frida Kinhult    Janie Jackson    A Lim Kim                

Edited December 21, 2020 by 18majors

[HMHS]

1-10 - JYK, SYK

11-Rookies TBD until priority list is finalized...

 

I edited my picks as I don't think there's finality on priority list for 2021 yet. Some of the rookies may be in top 100 on money list but disadvantaged in playing due to their low ranking for 2021 eg Andrea Lee, Bianca Pagdanganan, etc... Will finalize once a deadline is set. (For both this thread and the priority list).

Edited December 21, 2020 by HMHS
Unsure of 2021 priority list...

[BadgerLin]

I’m in!  Looking forward to one more reason to watch the LPGA.  (Actually don’t need more reasons.)
 

 What is the breakdown of points awarded each week?  I liked the points suggested by ChronicSlicer - unsure what the Rolex ranking points are.

 

🏆🏆🏆

[18majors]

Rolex points are all reference to winner’s points, for majors:

 

Winner        100

2nd               60

3rd               40

4th               30

5th               24

10th              14

20th             7.5

30th             4.5

40th             3.0

Miss cut        0

 

For regular tournaments, the winner gets between 25 to 68 points depending on the strength of field.  The beauty is we don’t need to calculate it. We just go to Rolex website and they’re all there.

 

By the way, I’ll tally the points each week so you don’t need to worry about it.

Edited December 21, 2020 by 18majors

[MagicClassic407]

My picks w/commentary:

 

1-10            L. Ko, SYK   (Kimmy too good)

11-45          C. Hull   (renewed focus on her game)

46-90         Brit Lang (need at least one Yank)

Rookie         Matilda  (my ancestral countrywoman)

 

 

[18majors]

22 minutes ago, MagicClassic407 said:

My picks w/commentary:

 

1-10            L. Ko, SYK   (Kimmy too good)

11-45          C. Hull   (renewed focus on her game)

46-90         Brit Lang (need at least one Yank)

Rookie         Matilda  (my ancestral countrywoman)

 

 

 

Go Lydia, for two of us!

[18majors]

The Rookie of the Year race becomes a lot more interesting; 2020 USWO winner A Lim Kim has decided to join LPGA in 2021.

[HMHS]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

The Rookie of the Year race becomes a lot more interesting; 2020 USWO winner A Lim Kim has decided to join LPGA in 2021.

And your comment becomes a lot more interesting too!  You had said she should just take the $ and run... Let's see how this pans out -- Shibuno declined and struggled (by her standards) in JLPGA this year (no thanks to Yuka LOL).  I'll be curious to see if A Lim at least plays solid in her first year out of her home country...  No clue who she "hangs out" with but it seems like JLee6 is her "peer/friend" so if my observation is correct, that'll make the adjustment much much easier... 

[18majors]

8 minutes ago, Supermilo said:

And your comment becomes a lot more interesting too!  You had said she should just take the $ and run... Let's see how this pans out -- Shibuno declined and struggled (by her standards) in JLPGA this year (no thanks to Yuka LOL).  I'll be curious to see if A Lim at least plays solid in her first year out of her home country...  No clue who she "hangs out" with but it seems like JLee6 is her "peer/friend" so if my observation is correct, that'll make the adjustment much much easier... 

 

KLPGA's longest player, A Lim Kim, vs. LPGA's longest player, Bianca Pagdanganan, for 2021 Rookie of the Year.

[HMHS]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

 

KLPGA's longest player, A Lim Kim, vs. LPGA's longest player, Bianca Pagdanganan, for 2021 Rookie of the Year.

Too bad I don't see JLPGA tracking their longest player, though Yuka can drive it from time to time over 300 yds too... :P...  Either way, it's not how far, but your lowest score by the end of 4 rounds (usually LOL)

[18majors]

I've also added promotion from Symetra Tour to the rookie list:

 

Ana Belac    Fatima Fernandez Cano     Frida Kinhult    Janie Jackson  

 

 

 

 

[18majors]

For example, last week's results:

 

Lydia Ko                                             11.00

Brooke Henderson                            8.17

Nelly Korda                                        3.38

Jessica Korda                                    2.15

Yealimi Noh                                        2.15

Sei Young Kim                                   25.00

Charley Hull                                       4.67

Brittany Lang                                     0.00

Matilda Castren                                 0.00

Jin Young Ko                                     50.00

 

 

Standing:

1.   @Supermilo                             75.00

2. @MagicClassic407                    40.67

3.   @18majors                              26.85

 

 

Of course, this result won't be included in our 2021 reports.

 

 

[Sharrow]

Here's my picks (based on the money list) 

 

Top 10 : Jin Young Ko & Sei Young Kim (I hate to pass up on Kang, but JYK is too good)

 

11-45: Hannah Green (Nelly might be the smarter pick, but going with my heart a bit here) 

 

46-90: Jeongeun Lee6 (she's struggled since winning the Open but looked to be finding her game in the last couple events, looks like the best value down here) 

 

Rookie: A Lim Kim (I'm excited she's joining and happy to have another reason to cheer her on.) 

[18majors]

8 minutes ago, Sharrow said:

Here's my picks (based on the money list) 

 

Top 10 : Jin Young Ko & Sei Young Kim (I hate to pass up on Kang, but JYK is too good)

 

11-45: Hannah Green (Nelly might be the smarter pick, but going with my heart a bit here) 

 

46-90: Jeongeun Lee6 (she's struggled since winning the Open but looked to be finding her game in the last couple events, looks like the best value down here) 

 

Rookie: A Lim Kim (I'm excited she's joining and happy to have another reason to cheer her on.) 

 

 

Your timing is just perfect, A Lim Kim is a great pick.

 

We'll have a great Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year race in 2021; in addition to A Lim, another newbie Ana Belac also has a lot of game.

[BadgerLin]

Re this past year’s rookies -  their status to get into tournaments will be based on where they finished on the list for CME globe this season, right?  Not on what their status was to start 2020?

[18majors]

38 minutes ago, BadgerLin said:

Re this past year’s rookies -  their status to get into tournaments will be based on where they finished on the list for CME globe this season, right?  Not on what their status was to start 2020?

 

LPGA stated 2020 priority will stay the same until 2021.  What’s unclear is whether 2020 Top-80 money privilege will carry into 2021.

 

A Lim Kim will start 2021 #97 on priority list; the Symetra Tour promotions will have priorities after #180.

Edited December 26, 2020 by 18majors

[HMHS]

12 minutes ago, 18majors said:

 

LPGA stated 2020 priority will stay the same until 2021. 

 

A Lim Kim will start 2021 #97 on priority list; the Symetra Tour promotions will have priorities after #180.

Symetra tour promotions 2020 > Qschool promotions 2020 right? 

 

So 2021 Symetra tour promotions < 2020 Qschool promotions < 2020 Symetra tour promotions in priority list for 2021?

 

Who decides if 2020 top 80 $ list counts for 2021? Whan? Some LPGA committee? Obviously Lee and Pagdanganan (and to some extent Mina, Kelly) have some at stake here...

[18majors]

2 hours ago, Supermilo said:

Symetra tour promotions 2020 > Qschool promotions 2020 right? 

 

So 2021 Symetra tour promotions < 2020 Qschool promotions < 2020 Symetra tour promotions in priority list for 2021?

 

Who decides if 2020 top 80 $ list counts for 2021? Whan? Some LPGA committee? Obviously Lee and Pagdanganan (and to some extent Mina, Kelly) have some at stake here...

 

Yes, 2021 Symetra Tour promotions are a special bunch.  You’ve Probably noticed that there’re 5 promotions instead of 10.

 

I don’t know how 2020 Top-80 money will be decided; personally I believe it should be kept.

Edited December 26, 2020 by 18majors

[18majors]

Will A Lim Kim win the sixth consecutive Rookie of the Year for South Korea?   My pick is Yealimi Noh to stop the streak.

 

'LPGA Rookie Queen for 6 consecutive years' record, Kim Ah-rim continues

 

"The reason I bet Kim A-lim's hope of a great record for the sixth consecutive year is that she is 175cm tall, is heavily armed with solid muscle strength, and has a powerful weapon called'long hit'. Kim A-lim has won two wins on the KLPGA Tour, ranking first in the long hitting rankings for the past three years."

 

 

 

[MagicClassic407]

Can someone offer some clarity for my rookie's chances of play in 2021: Matilda? She was basically a Symetra Tour player but ended #82 on the LPGA money list, just missing out by a few getting into CME. Didn't qualify for US Open. 

[Seamus_McDuff]

45 minutes ago, MagicClassic407 said:

Can someone offer some clarity for my rookie's chances of play in 2021: Matilda? She was basically a Symetra Tour player but ended #82 on the LPGA money list, just missing out by a few getting into CME. Didn't qualify for US Open. 

She’s 153 on the most recent Priority List. That shouldn’t change much, if at all. 
 

https://www.lpga.com/-/media/files/priority-list/2020/2020lpgapriority-list-finalocs082420.pdf

 

[18majors]

49 minutes ago, MagicClassic407 said:

Can someone offer some clarity for my rookie's chances of play in 2021: Matilda? She was basically a Symetra Tour player but ended #82 on the LPGA money list, just missing out by a few getting into CME. Didn't qualify for US Open. 

 

 

Matilda was #153 on 2020 priority list, but she is now #154 with A Lim Kim sliding into #97 slot.

 

If we look at 2021 schedule, the first tournament is a limited field event.  She probably won't play the second tournament Gainbridge because the field was 108 last year.  The next tournament, Drive On, may also have a field of less than 144 because daylight is still a concern in early March.

 

The Kia on March 25 will have a field of 144; but only 140 slots available because of sponsor's invites and Monday qualifiers.  It'll be less than 140 if 2020 Top-80 money are given priorities.  Matilda needs at least 14 players skipping the event to play.

 

Matilda won't qualify to play ANA Inspiration if she doesn't play and play well in the first four tournaments.

 

That's a broad brush but should give you some sense of what Matilda will face.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by 18majors

[Titleist_PT23]

My picks:

 

a) Top 10:  JYK and Minjee . Betting with the heart on the second one.  Personally, I think SYK is getting too much hype right now but I would have said the same of JYK previously too.  Odds wise, I think Minjee-Brooke-Lydia is close to a toss up.  Slight edge probably to Brooke, as I think she has the best chance to win 2x (or more) among this trio.  Minjee and Lydia need a lot to go right to win and need to outlast people vs. running away with it while they are hot for 1-2 months.  I think Inbee's schedule could be cutback dramatically after the Olympics (or if it becomes obvious she won't make it) so think she's a high beta pick (can't doubt her motivation but she could also sit out half of the tournaments).

 

b) 11-45:  Nelly:  Don't like her but has more talent of anyone else in this group.  Pray her back is OK.

 

c)  46-90:  Lee6:  Seems like a no-brainer.  Growth stock priced as a value stock.

 

d)  Rookie:  Noh.  Don't know how many times Bianca will be able to play...

[18majors]

4 minutes ago, agolf1 said:

c)  46-90:  Lee6:  Seems like a no-brainer.  Growth stock priced as a value stock.

 

 

Sensational analogy!

[HMHS]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

 

 

Sensational analogy!

Just make sure it's not a value trap!   I'm still waiting for the priority lists... what's taking them so long? 😛  

[18majors]

1 minute ago, Supermilo said:

Just make sure it's not a value trap!   I'm still waiting for the priority lists... what's taking them so long? 😛  

 

The priority list has been out since early 2020, you know that.  They won't release a new priority list until midterm reshuffle around end of May 2021.

 

You may have to wait until Gainbridge to find out whether 2020 Top-80 money list will be honored.