The final event of the 2021 season was set for November 18-21 at The CME Group Tour Championship played at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. This 72-hole event, which started in 2014 takes place at a par 72 layout of 6556 yards. With a birdie on the final hole last season, Jin Young Ko finished with an 18-under par total. She emerged victorious for the 7th time on the LPGA Tour. Entering the final event this season, Jin Young Ko was on top of the points for the CME Globe. Nelly Korda was second, followed by Lydia Ko, Patty Tavatanakit, Inbee Park, and Ariya Jutanugarn.
First Round
Jeongeun Lee6 had a quiet start to her first round before coming to life with eight birdies on the final 13 holes. She finished with a round of 64 and the outright lead. Sitting one shot behind were Jennifer Kupcho, Celine Boutier, MinaeHarige, and Sei Young Kim. Harigae’s round was highlighted with an eagle on the par 5 17th. Nelly Korda was among eight players just two off the pace. Other notables at six-under included Yuka Saso and So Yeon Ryu. Lexi Thompson and Leona Maguire were among five players lurking after rounds of 67.
Despite two double bogeys, Jessica Korda was still in the conversation after a round of four-under 68. Also at four-under was Anna Nordqvist and Patty Tavatanakit. The great scoring continued with a logjam of 12 players at three-under par which include Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Madelene Sagstrom (despite a five on the par 3 5th), and Charley Hull. Notables further back but still under par were Moriya Jutanugarn and Lizette Salas (two-under), Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, and Danielle Kang (one-under). Yealimi Noh posted a mediocre round of 72, while Sophia Popov (five-over), and Angel Yin (seven-over) shot themselves out of the tournament.
Second Round
After a seven-under par stretch over the final ten holes, Celine Boutier overtook the field. After 14-under par she held a four-stroke lead over Gaby Lopez, Minjee Lee, and Mina Harigae. After a relatively lackluster round of 71, Jeongeun Lee6 fell five shots back, tied with Nelly Korda and two others. Jin Young Ko and Lexi Thompson were among four players a half dozen shots back at eight-under par. Winachee Meechai of Thailand made her way up the leaderboard and was in a group of six at seven-under par which included Lydia Ko, Danielle Kang, Anna Nordqvist, and Jessica Korda.
Nasa Hataoka, Leona Maguire, So Yeon Ryu, and Sei Young Kim were bunched in a group of ten players at six-under par. Notables that are were further back and needed big rounds on the weekend were Ryann O’Toole and Lizette Salas (five-under), Yuka Saso (four-under), Brooke Henderson, Moriya Jutanugarn, and Patty Tavatankit (three-under), and AiryaJutungarn (two-under). Jennifer Kupcho imploded to a round of 78 and was 13-shots back, along with Stacy Lewis. Matilda Castren’s 77 put her at five-over, Sophia Popov was at seven-over, and Angel Yin withdrew from the event.
Third Round
With Celine Boutier hovering around par most of the day, other players made up ground to tighten the event heading into the final round. Leading the pack in this charge was Nasa Hataoka, who went eight-under par over the last ten and a 29 on the back nine. Her found of 64 tied her at the top at 14-under par. Also at 14-under par were Jin Young Ko, who birdied seven consecutive holes on the front nine, Nelly Korda, and Celine Boutier. A single shot back was Gaby Lopez and Mina Harigae. After a round of 66, Leona Maguire got into the mix just two shots off the lead, along with Nanna Koerstz-Madsen and Lexi Thompson. Three shots back and very much in contention were Megan Khang, Jeongeun Lee6, and Minjee Lee.
Further back but still in the mix with low final round scores were Georgia Hall (ten-under), Xiyu Lin, Anna Nordqvist, and Danielle Kang (nine-under). A large group of eight that included Madelene Sagstrom, In Gee Chun, and Sei Young Kim were a half-dozen strokes off the pace. Big names at seven-under par included Lydia Ko, Carlota Ciganda, and So Yeon Ryu. Further back and likely out of the picture were Lizette Salas (six-under), Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, and Patty Tavatanakit (five-under), and Moriya Jutungarn, Jessica Korda, and Yuka Saso (four-under).
Final Round
Scoring was excellent in the final round, but Jin Young Ko and Nasa Hataoka ran away from the field. Ko was off and running with six birdies on the front nine. Hataoka went seven-under par over the last 12 holes. In the end, the dual went to Ko, whose 64 bettered Hataoka by a single shot in the final round and overall, winning with a 23-under par score. The win was second straight CME Championship title for Ko, who overtook number one player Nelly Korda. The win was Ko’s fifth of the season on the LPGA Tour and 12th of her career.
Mina Harigae and Celine Boutier finished a distant third, five shots off the pace. Nelly Korda was tied for 5th with Megan Khang and Minjee Lee at 17-under par. A final round of 67 put Lexi Thompson in sole possession of 8th at 16-under par. Lydia Ko went six-under par on the back nine, including an eagle on the 17th and finished at 15-under par, along with In Gee Chun, and Gaby Lopez. Anna Nordqvist was one of three at 14-under par. Jeongeun Lee6 and Danielle Kang finished in a group of six tied for 15th at 13-under.
Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura was alone in 21st at 12-under par. Others from Thailand the performed admirably were Wichanee Meechai (10-under), Ariya Jutanugarn (nine-under), Moriya Jutanugarn (eight-under), and Patty Tavatanakit (seven-under). Other notables included Brooke Henderson (six-under), Jessica Korda (five-under), Yuka Saso (three-under), and Matilda Castren (three-over).
Coming Up
The offseason begins for the LPGA Tour. The next event is the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando Florida, January 20-23, 2022.
