The 2015 season ending awards were truly at season’s end. The outcome of the Player of the Year, Vare Trophy, Race to CME and money title all came down to the 72nd hole of the season’s final event, the CME Group Tour Championship. Lydia Ko wrapped up the $1 million dollar prize that came with winning the Race to the CME Globe, Player of the Year and money title, with Inbee Park capturing the Vare Trophy. The only award decided ahead of the year’s final event was the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award, which Sei Young Kim locked up before season’s end.
Looking back at how close these races were all season long, I got to thinking about 2016 and who may be the ones turning the tables in the new year. In the spirit of looking back and ahead, as so often happens at the holidays, here are my predictions for 2016.
Race to the CME Globe
The Lydia Ko Race to the CME Globe? Has a nice ring to it, right? It’s hard not to go with Ko in 2016. The 18-year old has won the season long race in each of the first two years it has been staged. And while it may be too soon to name the race after Ko, she can at least enjoy the $2 million dollar prize she’s earned from winning the race in back to back years.
Money Title
Six runner-up finishes without a win in 2015 isn’t likely to sit well with world No.3 Stacy Lewis, who will be looking to make up for lost time in the new year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lewis return to her winning ways, capturing multiple victories in 2016 and with it I think she will claim the top spot on the money list, an honor she claimed in 2014.
Vare Trophy (Low Scoring Average)
Thanks to great play, Stacy Lewis will not only find her way to the top of the money list but also take home the Vare Trophy for the third time. Lewis picked up the award in 2013 and 2014, finishing third in 2015 behind Inbee Park and Lydia Ko.
Player of the Year
You’ve likely begun to catch on to my rationale at this point, making my selection for Player of the Year not a surprise. Stacy Lewis is a two time winner of the award and with the multiple victories I expect her to pick up in 2016, she’ll likely win it again based on the award’s point based system.
Rookie of the Year
Lewis hasn’t been a rookie since 2009 so I can’t go with her for this award. I will however go with one of her protégés in Gaby Lopez, a senior at Arkansas where Lewis now serves as an assistant captain. Lopez has played alongside her mentor in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, one of nine LPGA Tour events she teed it up in an as an amateur. Lopez turned professional following her T-10 finish at the 2015 LPGA Qualifying Tournament and will take up membership on Tour in 2016.
Driving Accuracy
Mo Martin has dominated the Tour’s driving accuracy stat for the last three years, improving gradually from 85.7% in 2013 to 89.9% in 2015, making her by far the most accurate driver of the golf ball on Tour. As long as Martin continues this upward trend, she’ll definitely top the list in 2016.
Driving Distance
World No.4 Lexi Thompson has consistently been one of the big hitters on Tour, finishing second in driving distance four out of the last five years, averaging 270.57 yards off the tee. That long hitting earned Thompson two victories in 2015. An avid gym goer, I’d look to see Thompson top the list of bombers in 2016.
Putting Average
Rookie Alison Lee played 82 rounds in her first season on Tour, enough to propel her to fourth in putting average for the year. Comfortable now with a year of experience on Tour under her belt, I’d look to see Lee move to the top of the standings in the year ahead.
Top 10 Finishes
With six runner up finishes in her last two seasons on Tour, it’s no surprise that Stacy Lewis has led in top-10 finishes in three of the last five years. As she returns to winning in 2016, I’d look to see Lewis top this list once again in 2016.
Greens in Regulation
Renewed having played some good golf under the watchful eye of Butch Harmon, Suzann Pettersen’s game took an upward turn in the second half of 2015. Pettersen has twice led the Tour’s GIR stat, and as she continues to play great golf, I’d look to see her climb back to the top of the standings after falling to 11th in 2015.
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