Australians could fill up to four places in the LPGA Tour’s season-ending championship in Florida next month, with Minjee Lee and Hannah Green leading the charge.
Lee is fifth in the Race to CME Globe standings with three tournaments remaining in the regular season, and Green is 20th, while Victoria’s Su Oh is safe in 29th position.
Queenslander Katherine Kirk also has a chance of playing in the $US5 million tour championship, sitting 53rd as the season draws to a close with an Asian swing. The top 60 players and ties will progress to the 21-24 November climax at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida.
The LPGA Tour has changed the format for 2019 with prizemoney doubled from last year’s $2.5 million to $5 million, and cancelled the bonus pool previously on offer, similar to the Fedex Cup for the men’s tour. As a result the $US1.5 million winner’s cheque is the biggest in women’s golf.
No Australian has won the CME Globe Tour Championship in its current form.
Lexi Thompson of the United States won the tournament last year while Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand won the bonus pool.
Kirk and Oh in a tie for 38th were the leading Australians in the Shanghai tournament over the weekend, with Lee tied-50th behind American Danielle Kang.
The tour moves to South Korea this week for the BMW Ladies Championship, with Lee, Oh and Green competing.