2022 LPGA Year in Review

[MelloYello]

On 11/28/2022 at 4:47 PM, Medson said:

Started following pro and college women's golf more in 2020. Below are my gut feeling (I did not fact check myself)

• It is super hard to be in top forms. S.Y. Kim (she's the hottest player after COVID restart), Patty T, Yuka were all so good 12-18 months ago. There are couple of players who, I thought gonna be so good for so long, disappeared. 
• I'm impressed by Lexi and Brooke. Say what you want about their putting and other stuff. They were in really good form in the last 3 years (as in they haven't fallen off the earth). 
• College to pro transition is really hard. Besides Jennifer Kupcho, none of the big college stars made noise on LPGA. 

 

Actually, I sort of see it the other way. 

 

Now, I'm not saying you're wrong, but with ball-striking being such an obvious driver of status within the world rankings I don't find it odd at all that a few players each year occasionally rise and fall in accordance with stuff like short game and putting. 

 

 

I think there are a few "elites" on the LGPA. I think players like Nelly, JYK and Lydia who can all sustain themselves up at #1 despite the competition are the best the of the best. 

 

The problem is it can be hard to tell the difference between the #4 player and the #14 player. The fact there's always churn between #4 and #20 doesn't really surprise me given the nature of golf. 

[MelloYello]

I'm not trying to bag on players who did well this year (e.g. Lydia, Minjee, Atthaya, Ingee, etc.). There are definitely a handful who stayed healthy, played well and had legitimately great years, no doubt. But it feels to me that a lot of players disappointed us. 

 

It feels like more players had mediocre (or even bad) years:

 

Lexi - let's say it. Here was the perfect year for her to rise up and make a run towards the top-3. Yet it didn't happen. 

 

Jessica Korda - she's still just inside the top-20 but I feel like if she cared she could be top-10. So #18 feels bad to me. 

 

S.Y. Kim - literally nowhere to be found. 

 

Hannah Green - I thought she was gonna rise up and become Minjee Lee Jr. Hardly. 

 

Lee6 - One of my favorites. She's not even in the top-35. C'mon. 

 

Patty T - Look, let's not rub it in. It is what it is. 

 

50% of the European Solheim Cup Team - oh, how we hardly knew ye! Emily Pederson, Carlota Ciganda, Sophia Popov, Madeline Sagstrom, Matilda Castran...they all seem like such after-thoughts now.

 

Okay, Maguire, Boutier, Hull and Hall are all in the Top-25. Maybe they win next year? Or maybe there's just no more Top-10 talent in Europe anymore?

 

Jutanugarn Sisters - sitting right beside each other at #67 and #68. 

 

Gaby Lopez - I feel like this was her year to make a move. And TBH I kinda feel like she did. Annnnnnnnd she's still outside the Top-35. 

 

 

 

To me, the top 6 look really good (assuming JYK gets healthy): 

(1) Lydia Ko

(2) Nelly Korda

(3) Atthaya Thitikul

(4) Minjee Lee

(5) Jin Young Ko

(6) Brooke Henderson

 

I don't see any of those players falling backwards (unless JYK struggles). 

 

But after that, I really don't know. Lexi's at 7. Anyone really thinking she'll go upwards? And c'mon, In Gee is great at #8 (congrats on 2022) but who really believes she's going to back it up in 2023? She's the queen of disappearances. 

 

I feel like it's going to be insanely competitive between #6 and #16:

 

(6) Brooke Henderson

(7) Lexi Thompson

(8) Ingee Chun

(9) Hyo-Joo Kim

(10) Nasa Hataoka

(11) Leona Maguire

(12) Celine Boutier

(13) Jennifer Kupcho

(14) Min ji Park

(15) Xiyu Lin

(16) Danielle Kang

 

 

I feel like a lot of yesterday's talent is going to have to step aside and make way for these new players coming out of Asia. And there are more than a couple I see rebounding (DK, Yuka, Lee6, etc.). 

 

.

Edited November 30, 2022 by MelloYello

[Joselo]

thinking very much like Yello here

 

lexi at 7 -barely right?

agreed, dont feel like she is going any higher than 7 considering the talent in the top 6 

 

emily pederson just got her lpga card back for next year, maybe we might see more of her, MAYBE, top 50?

lots of good players for next year, but dont anticipate domination from anyone

[Joselo]

10 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I assume you mean no wins in the 2022 season? Celine has two wins on tour ('19 and '21).

 

 

correct for celine, no wins in '22

cant remember anymore since the season is extremely long but she was looking good in the first part of the year and then nada

 

[Joselo]

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by Joselo
duplicated

[Argonne69]

2 minutes ago, Joselo said:

 

correct for celine, no wins in '22

cant remember anymore since the season is extremely long but she was looking good in the first part of the year and then nada

 

 

I dunno. She had 6 top 10s in her final 9 starts. Not too shabby. 

 

[ChronicSlicer]

On 11/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, MelloYello said:

Stop being coy and just say what you think. 

I just did, seriously. 

On 11/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, MelloYello said:

You clearly don't believe the injury/medical issues that Nelly and JYK dealt with were significant. If you did, you'd have a more empathetic take towards their being able to play effectively and thus retain their positions as the top 2 players in the world. 

I do believe Jin Young's injury was/is significant, Nelly's no I honestly don't  think it was a huge deal, as far as physically affecting her game. Here's a link to an interview, where she herself states her injury was "not that bad". Make of it what you will. https://www.golfchannel.com/news/nelly-korda-says-details-regarding-blood-clot-diagnosis-blown-out-proportion

On 11/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, MelloYello said:

The point is that if you don't think 2022 went shockingly badly for both those players you simply aren't giving them credit for how dominant they were in 2021. 

 

Oh I give them plenty of credit, they killed in 21. Did I expect the same out of 22, no, I didn't. I understand how hard it is to play like that year after year. Maybe you forgot Nelly did win twice this year one LET, one LPGA, both after her blood clot surgery.

On 11/29/2022 at 9:36 AM, MelloYello said:

It just sounds really ignorant to purposefully ignore the obvious and act like their sudden drop was just because they played poorly. That's not the right take-away. 

 

And just because someone participates doesn't mean you're getting their best. Point here is that if Nelly & JYK are healthy next year, there's no reason to bet they won't re-emerge as the two clear elites. 

 

JYK, might have played poorly, clearly she was playing injured, we all know that. But as I pointed out above, Nelly really didn't play poorly, 2 wins, 7 top10's in 12 events AFTER her blood clot surgery, not to mention her T8 in the USWO her first event back after surgery. If that's poor play, maybe you're the ignorant one.

[ChronicSlicer]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I dunno. She had 6 top 10s in her final 9 starts. Not too shabby. 

 

Tough crowd sometimes 😃

[third-times-a-charm]

What ever happened to Mel Reid. Fell off a cliff.

[woahnelly]

6 hours ago, MelloYello said:

I'm not trying to bag on players who did well this year (e.g. Lydia, Minjee, Atthaya, Ingee, etc.). There are definitely a handful who stayed healthy, played well and had legitimately great years, no doubt. But it feels to me that a lot of players disappointed us. 

 

It feels like more players had mediocre (or even bad) years:

 

Lexi - let's say it. Here was the perfect year for her to rise up and make a run towards the top-3. Yet it didn't happen. 

 

Jessica Korda - she's still just inside the top-20 but I feel like if she cared she could be top-10. So #18 feels bad to me. 

 

S.Y. Kim - literally nowhere to be found. 

 

Hannah Green - I thought she was gonna rise up and become Minjee Lee Jr. Hardly. 

 

Lee6 - One of my favorites. She's not even in the top-35. C'mon. 

 

Patty T - Look, let's not rub it in. It is what it is. 

 

50% of the European Solheim Cup Team - oh, how we hardly knew ye! Emily Pederson, Carlota Ciganda, Sophia Popov, Madeline Sagstrom, Matilda Castran...they all seem like such after-thoughts now.

 

 

.

 

6 euros won in 2022 which is more than the year prior. Sagstrom and Ciganda were close. Enter Linn Grant. 

[18majors]

2 hours ago, woahnelly said:

 

6 euros won in 2022 which is more than the year prior. Sagstrom and Ciganda were close. Enter Linn Grant. 

 

 

Yes, European players are on the rise!

[MelloYello]

10 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

What ever happened to Mel Reid. Fell off a cliff.

 

Yeah, I just don't view her as a Top-30 talent, TBH. 

 

I would feel bad saying anything critical. I would rather expect nothing from a player of her ilk and be pleasantly surprised when she does something. The majority of the tour are players like her, whose primary goals entail just staying on tour. 

[MelloYello]

8 hours ago, woahnelly said:

 

6 euros won in 2022 which is more than the year prior. Sagstrom and Ciganda were close. Enter Linn Grant. 

 

A lot of "good" but not a lot of "great." 

 

The only Top-10 possibility seems to be Leona Maguire who sits at #11. She seems competitive among the games greats. 

 

I just don't see Boutier, Hull or Hall rising upwards next year and they're the best outside Leona. 

[MelloYello]

12 hours ago, ChronicSlicer said:

I just did, seriously. 

I do believe Jin Young's injury was/is significant, Nelly's no I honestly don't  think it was a huge deal, as far as physically affecting her game. Here's a link to an interview, where she herself states her injury was "not that bad". Make of it what you will. https://www.golfchannel.com/news/nelly-korda-says-details-regarding-blood-clot-diagnosis-blown-out-proportion

Oh I give them plenty of credit, they killed in 21. Did I expect the same out of 22, no, I didn't. I understand how hard it is to play like that year after year. Maybe you forgot Nelly did win twice this year one LET, one LPGA, both after her blood clot surgery.

JYK, might have played poorly, clearly she was playing injured, we all know that. But as I pointed out above, Nelly really didn't play poorly, 2 wins, 7 top10's in 12 events AFTER her blood clot surgery, not to mention her T8 in the USWO her first event back after surgery. If that's poor play, maybe you're the ignorant one.

 

I think Nelly would've been more dominant had she not had to sit out for weeks. 

 

I already said that and you already made it clear you disagree. 

 

Why are we still talking? 

 

I say let's drop it. 

[MelloYello]

13 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I dunno. She had 6 top 10s in her final 9 starts. Not too shabby. 

 

 

I think sometimes that signals a player on the rise who's about to win. Yet other times, those top-10s end up being the highlights. For me, it's the latter that's true when it comes to Boutier. 

 

She doesn't strike me as a player who's going to suddenly win 2-3x next year in a "breakthrough." I would be shocked. 

[MelloYello]

Stemming from what I said in my posts at the top of the page, I don't think the churn we saw between #7 - #40 was good. I think it's actually cause for some concern. 

 

Coming out of 2021, we were optimistic. We had high hopes for a lot of players. The LPGA looked as strong as ever with a host of players looking like they could potentially earn a spot in the Top-10. To their credit, a few players pounced (e.g. Atthaya, Minjee, Kupcho, etc.). But too many fell into mediocrity for my taste and I think that's leading to a distinctly more pessimistic feel today as we exit 2022. 

 

I'm just saying, I think the LPGA feels very different to me now, despite how great the year was for a few select players. 

 

 

If we go back several years, it felt like everyone in the Top-10 was kind of equally good. Maybe that's where we'll end up if JYK and Nelly continue to fall back down to earth. The fact they were out in front by so much in 2021 created excitement. 

 

I don't mind a lack of dominance if the quality among the Top-10 feels relatively constant. I don't mind tuning in and seeing the same leaderboards every week. The LPGA has a slew of players I enjoy watching. But if we get to a point where we've got players going in and out of the Top-10 it's going to get annoying.

 

You can have 1 dominant player. You can have 2 dominant players. You can even have a Top-10 that consistently hogs all the glory. But if you get to a point were you really don't trust anyone, that's bad. 

 

.

Edited December 1, 2022 by MelloYello

[Avidswampthing66]

The LPGA is in a really good place with Nelly, Jin Young Ko, Kang, Lydia Ko among other notables.  Ohhh, and the return of Lydia Ko to the top has me pumped for 23!

I also think Atthaya Thitikul's overall game has the potential for long term success.  It's an overall exciting time for women's golf. imo

Edited December 1, 2022 by Avidswampthing66

[ChronicSlicer]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:36 AM, MelloYello said:

But if we get to a point where we've got players going in and out of the Top-10 it's going to get annoying.

 

 

.

I dunno, I find it exciting when new players crack the top 10. I mean, it shows someone is hungry and is playing good golf, which I think we all enjoy watching.

It might get annoying if your favorite player gets booted outside the 10, but they deserved it, somebody else wanted that spot a little bit more.

[95124hacker]

Stock up: Thitikul, Furue, Lydia, Nelly, In Gee, Leona

 

Stock down: Lexi, Ariya, Moriya, 

[8602081]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:53 AM, Avidswampthing66 said:

The LPGA is in a really good place with Nelly, Jin Young Ko, Kang, Lydia Ko among other notables.  Ohhh, and the return of Lydia Ko to the top has me pumped for 23!

I also think Atthaya Thitikul's overall game has the potential for long term success.  It's an overall exciting time for women's golf. imo

 

 

People thought the same for Yuka and Patty..  You just never know..

 

[woahnelly]

22 minutes ago, 8602081 said:

 

 

People thought the same for Yuka and Patty..  You just never know..

 

 

Jeeno is the best prodigal talent since Lyds.  Nobody else her age grouping is really comparable. 

Edited December 5, 2022 by woahnelly

[MelloYello]

On 12/2/2022 at 7:29 PM, ChronicSlicer said:

I dunno, I find it exciting when new players crack the top 10. I mean, it shows someone is hungry and is playing good golf, which I think we all enjoy watching.

It might get annoying if your favorite player gets booted outside the 10, but they deserved it, somebody else wanted that spot a little bit more.

 

There are always a slew of young players coming up. That's a given. 

 

But when inconsistency sends an otherwise good player reeling and they begin to plummet, it's bad for the game. And too much turnover leads to a lack of interest. That's sort of a fact. 

 

You might enjoy it but the majority of people want to see the "known commodities" play well. If Lexi, Nelly, Lydia or anyone else gets hyped up and then fall into obscurity, viewers inevitably see that as negative far more than a positive for those that benefit. 

 

And most of the time when someone rises up, they tend to be a temporary star (e.g. S. H. Park, Patty T, etc.). 

 

It's imperative that the stalwarts hold their ground. This is just generally a fact in sports. 

[MelloYello]

4 hours ago, 8602081 said:

 

 

People thought the same for Yuka and Patty..  You just never know..

 

 

4 hours ago, woahnelly said:

 

Jeeno is the best prodigal talent since Lyds.  Nobody else her age grouping is really comparable. 

 

 

Atthaya Thitikul strikes me as more confident than previous shooting stars like Sung Hyun Park, Yuka Saso and Patty Tavatanakit.

 

By the look on her face, Thitikul seems to have the kind of inner fire and self belief that lasting players possess that says, "that trophy belongs to me!"

 

For all the success of Park, Saso and Tavatanakit, none struck me as confident. Park never had the putter (and she clearly knew it). Saso just kind of seemed happy to be there. Patty did have a strut, but so does Rory and he's flaky. Whatever issues Patty has, they're real. 

 

Atthaya seems to have a legit sense that she belongs. She seems entirely committed. And quite frankly, she doesn't have any of the obvious weaknesses of the other three (mental or physical). She can drive, she can putt and she has a fierce confidence. That seems like a pretty deadly combination of traits! 

[8602081]

Forgot about Sung Hyun Park..

 

Thanks MelloYello

[woahnelly]

1 hour ago, 8602081 said:

Forgot about Sung Hyun Park..

 

Thanks MelloYello

 

SH Parks downfall is eerily similar to what we are witnessing with JY - former #1, 2x major winner, trying to play through nagging injury, taking time off, and now looking mortal. 

[18majors]

1 hour ago, woahnelly said:

 

SH Parks downfall is eerily similar to what we are witnessing with JY - former #1, 2x major winner, trying to play through nagging injury, taking time off, and now looking mortal. 

 

 

By comparison, Lydia's longevity should become legendary!

[MelloYello]

1 hour ago, woahnelly said:

 

SH Parks downfall is eerily similar to what we are witnessing with JY - former #1, 2x major winner, trying to play through nagging injury, taking time off, and now looking mortal. 

 

Eh, S.H. Park had relatively obviously weaknesses. Tough conditions (weather) were always a problem for her and her putting was shaky at best, at times outright bad. 

 

Jin Young is obviously a great ball-striker but she's also a fantastic putter with loads of confidence on the greens. Total opposite of Park in that regard. 

[MelloYello]

2 hours ago, 8602081 said:

Forgot about Sung Hyun Park..

 

Thanks MelloYello

 

It's not really uncommon for a player to fall backwards, but the plummet of Park was a shock. Patty Tavatanakit falls into the same category. 

 

You can find plenty of players who reach the Top-10 and go cold for a year or more, such as Lee6 or S.Y. Kim, but they remain relevant and stay inside the Top-50. 

 

It's actually shocking how consistent the Top-20 has been for the last few years. Here was the Top-20 back in 2020:

 

 

 

It's pretty shocking how little the LPGA has changed over the last 2-3 seasons. The elites have really held their ground. 

[95124hacker]

1 hour ago, MelloYello said:

 

It's not really uncommon for a player to fall backwards, but the plummet of Park was a shock. Patty Tavatanakit falls into the same category. 

 

You can find plenty of players who reach the Top-10 and go cold for a year or more, such as Lee6 or S.Y. Kim, but they remain relevant and stay inside the Top-50. 

 

It's actually shocking how consistent the Top-20 has been for the last few years. Here was the Top-20 back in 2020:

 

 

 

It's pretty shocking how little the LPGA has changed over the last 2-3 seasons. The elites have really held their ground. 

I notice an absence of Thai players on that list. Ariya & Moriya fell off & too soon for Thitikul & Patty.

[MelloYello]

1 hour ago, 95124hacker said:

I notice an absence of Thai players on that list. Ariya & Moriya fell off & too soon for Thitikul & Patty.

 

Yeah, you could forgive someone for actually asking the most crazy of questions....is South Korea's dominance beginning to wane? 

 

Look at the Top-15 right now: 

 

 

J.Y. Ko is falling down the rankings. She needs to get healthy and do some damage control. Her game in Korea at the BMW was shaky. 

 

In Gee Chun seems to run hot and cold. She's a Top-10 talent going back 5+ years but its tough to tell how she'll maintain in 2023. 

 

H.J. Kim is obviously a great player but she's an older veteran that probably isn't destined to rise any higher than where she's currently at (#9). 

 

Maybe Min Ji Park gets hot? Maybe Lee6 makes a dramatic rise back into the Top-10 in 2023? 

 

 

There's a lot of diversity at the top again. US, Thai, China, NZ, Aussie, Japan, Canada, Ireland, France, etc. 

 

.

Edited December 6, 2022 by MelloYello