Nelly Korda dominated the scoring charts all season, yet the LPGA Tour rules will deny her the Vare Trophy. A strict eligibility requirement has removed the top two players from contention. This twist opens the door for Japan’s Miyu Yamashita to claim the award. Korda posted a 69.38 average over 53 rounds, the best mark on tour. Haeran Ryu sat second with a 69.44 average. Both women failed to hit the minimum round count needed to win. Yamashita now leads the race with a 69.47 average and the required number of rounds.
The LPGA demands players complete 70 total rounds or 70 percent of official events to qualify. Korda played 15 events but skipped two major swings to rest. She took a two-month break after the Solheim Cup. Even with four rounds from the Dow Championship, she reached only 65 rounds. That is five short of the required total. Ryu faced a different issue. She suffered a finger-ligament injury during a pro-am cart ride in Malaysia. The Associated Press reported she withdrew before hitting a competitive shot. She finished with 61 rounds, just one round shy of the cutoff.
How the Rules Changed the Outcome
Scoring average matters, but the rules require a full schedule first. According to X, Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols stated that the leading two players are currently barred from eligibility. This leaves Yamashita as the leading eligible contender. She completed 78 rounds this season. Her schedule was consistent, keeping her safe when others fell short. The difference is tiny. Yamashita trails Korda by just 0.09 strokes. That gap usually means nothing in a normal year. Here, it decides the entire award.
This situation highlights a flaw in how the tour tracks honors. A player can play fewer rounds to avoid injury or rest, then lose a major prize. Korda won four times, including two majors. Her performance was elite. Yet the rulebook blocks her from the trophy. The LPGA has seen this before. Since 1992, the leading scorer has lost the Vare Trophy seven times. Names like Annika Sorenstam and Jeeno Thitikul faced similar fates.
Stakes Rise for the Hall of Fame
The loss hurts more than just the trophy case. Korda needs 27 points for LPGA Hall of Fame induction. She currently holds 26 points. Her Player of the Year honor added one point. The Vare Trophy would have provided that crucial final point. Without it, she must win another event to reach the milestone. Naples hosts the CME Group Tour Championship or the Annika, which hold her remaining opportunities. A win there secures her spot. A loss leaves her waiting another year.
Ryu also missed out on the Hall of Fame point. She is a two-time major winner this season. Her injury was unfortunate. She had eight rounds left to play but could not return. The tour rules do not make exceptions for injuries during pro-ams. This strict approach forces players to weigh health against history. Korda chose rest and missed the award. Ryu chose to play until hurt and missed the award. Both outcomes show the high cost of the current system.
The race concludes at the CME Group Tour Championship. Yamashita enters the final event with the lead. She is a three-time winner on the LPGA this year. Her world ranking sits at number four.
