Who can win the LPGA Tour Race to the CME Globe?
The $1 million Race to CME Globe bonus is up for grabs in Florida at the LPGA Tour’s season finale, the CME Group Tour Championship.
The players have been collecting points since the season opener in the Bahamas back in January, and as is always the case, the points have been reset prior to the final tournament.
It means that, for a handful of players, the job is very simple. Indeed, the current top five in the Race to CME Globe can all win the jackpot this week with a win, regardless of where any other player finishes.
Players ranked 6-12 still hold a mathematical chance of winning the Race to the CME Globe, but they need to win while relying on help from other players.
Let’s have a look at who controls their own destiny and their course form at Tiburon Golf Club…
1. Ariya Jutanugarn
Course Form: 1st-4th-30th
The current World No. 1 has enjoyed a stunning 2018 season, bouncing back from an atypically average season last year. Jutanugarn won the US Women’s Open in June – her second major championship – and secured two other titles in the form of the Kingsmill Championship and Scottish Open.
The Thailand star hasn’t missed a cut all year, and with 13 other top-10 finishes to her name, she’s in the driver’s seat heading into the final tournament as she looks to sweep the end-of-season awards.
2. Minjee Lee
Course Form: 39th-16th-7th
The young Australian has had a breakout 2018 season. Lee’s win at the Volvik Championship in May added to her Oates Vic Open title on the Ladies European Tour in February, and with 13 other top-10 finishes, it has been a year of incredible consistency.
It could have been so much better, too. Lee lost in a play-off to Lydia Ko at the Mediheal Championship, and she was last seen in Japan when she blew a three-shot final round lead. A win this week in Naples would be an ideal way to make up for the disappointment.
3. Brooke Henderson
Course Form: 25th-24th-13th
It’s very easy to forget that Brooke Henderson is still only 21 years old, particularly given that she’s already a seven-time LPGA Tour winner.
The 2018 season has been another exceptional year for the Canadian, sealed by a stunning four-stroke emotional victory on home-soil at the CP Women’s Open in August. She also won the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in April, again in fairly comfortable fashion.
4. Nasa Hataoka
Course Form: Debutant
The 19-year-old Japanese has been the young star of 2018.
Hataoka missed 12 cuts in her rookie season last year, but she went back to her home country to work on her game, won back-to-back title on the JLPGA, and returned to the United States with complete confidence in her game.
The results showed: she picked up her first win in dominant style at the NW Arkansas Championship, lost in a play-off at the KPMG PGA Championship and was last seen winning the Toto Japan Classic on home soil.
She’s up to a career-best sixth in the world rankings and could seal a dream year with a win this week.
5. Sung Hyun Park
Course Form: 6th
It’s been a very strange season for the Korean superstar. Park didn’t miss a cut last year, yet she didn’t make the weekend on seven occasions this year.
However, she made up for it in stunning style by claiming three titles – her second major at the KPMG PGA Championship, the Texas Classic and more recently the Indy Women in Tech Championship.
Despite her wild inconsistency, she remains one of the most feared players in the game when she’s in contention on a Sunday.
Race to CME Globe standings
1. Ariya Jutanugarn – 5,000
2. Minjee Lee – 4,750
3. Brooke Henderson – 4,500
4. Nasa Hataoka – 4,250
5. Sung Hyun Park – 4,000
———————————–
6. Sei Young Kim – 3,600
7. Jin Young Ko – 3,200
8. So Yeon Ryu – 2,800
9. Moriya Jutanugarn – 2,400
10. Lydia Ko – 2,100
11. Marina Alex – 1,800
12. Carlota Ciganda – 1,600
CME Group Tour Championship points distribution
1. 3,500
2. 2,450
3. 2,250
4. 2,000
5. 1,750
6. 1,500
7. 1,250
8. 1,000
9. 850
10. 700
11. 600
12. 500
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