It can\u2019t keep going forever \u2026 right?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what common sense, not to mention mathematics or years of golf history, would have you believe. And yet, another week has gone by, another LPGA tournament played, and yet another unique winner lifted the trophy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The LPGA Tour has hosted 26 events this season and all 26 have been won by different players. This week\u2019s winner at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii? Sponsor invite Youmin Hwang, who isn\u2019t even an LPGA Tour member. And she won\u2019t be an LPGA Tour member until 2026. She elected to defer her full membership benefits to next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the streak goes on. All the way from A Lim Kim\u2019s victory in February, through the majors season to now, eight months later. There was a Lydia Ko<\/a> win, a Charley Hull win<\/a>, victories from three Swedes, five Japanese players and a handful of Americans. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul grabbed one, as expected, but not two. She\u2019s finished second four times, including her last two starts, trying her best to nullify this streak but finding herself barely unsuccessful.\u00a0<\/p>\n What this streak ultimately means for the Tour is a bit of a Rorschach test. On one hand, 26 different winners shows an immense level of parity, which most sports leagues would love to see. On the other, without a clear, multi-time winner, not only do we not have a clue who should be considered the Player of the Year, but there isn\u2019t a dominant star that places the LPGA in front of new audiences.\u00a0(Coincidentally, 26 is the record for most unique winners in LPGA Tour history.)<\/p>\n