On Sunday, after a remarkable performance that saw her jump from T52 to the clubhouse lead with a final-round 60, Linnea Strom became a Rolex First-Time winner in Galloway, N.J., and highlights the "Move of the Week." With her exceptional rounds of 69-70-60, the Swede secured her maiden win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. This victory also marked her as the 15th different player from Sweden to earn at least one Tour victory in her career. The Epson Tour Graduate's impressive performance propelled her 72 spots from No. 165 to No. 93 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, the highest ranking of her career.
For the 27-year-old Strom, the road to success has been challenging. She made her debut on the LPGA as a rookie in 2019, graduating from the Epson Tour after a commendable fifth-place finish on the money list. She further proved her skill by securing the sixth position in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings. She seemed destined for stardom with three top 10s in her first two seasons. However, a tough 2021, marked by 13 missed cuts in 21 events, led her back to the Epson Tour.
Strom spent 2022 on the Epson Tour, finishing first in the Race for the Card and earning Player of the Year honors before returning to the top women's professional tour in just one short season. The win has yet to sink in for the LPGA Tour veteran, given she's only made one cut in her last six starts ahead of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Reflecting on her victory, Strom expressed her disbelief and joy.
"It feels surreal. I worked so hard for this, and this has always been a dream. The last couple of years have been up and down for me. Lost my tour card, went back to the Epson, and did a year on the Epson and was Player of the Year," said Strom. "That kind of gave me some confidence going into last year.
"Then this year, obviously, really haven't had the start of the season that I was hoping for, so the last month or so, I just sat down with my team, and I was like, I need to do some changes," said Strom. "Is it the swing or what I need to work on. So it's been eventful, but obviously super thankful and happy that I have so many people supporting me and helping me. It feels like it was special, especially when it's so hard to win out here. I think everyone on tour knows that. So, I'm just very happy that it was able to be my week this week.”
Around the World
With seven countries in the top 10 of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings and 11 in the top 25, the LPGA Tour once again establishes itself as a global sports organization.
The American players, with an impressive seven in the top 25, are setting a high standard in the Rolex Rankings. Led by Nelly Korda, a standout at the 2023 Solheim Cup, the American team also includes Lilia Vu, Rose Zhang, Megan Khang, Alison Lee, Ally Ewing, and Allisen Corpuz, all making their mark in the rankings.
The Republic of Korea and Japan have the second-most players in the top 25, with four, including Jin Young Ko at No. 6, Hyo-Joo Kim at No. 12, Jiyai Shin at No. 22 and Amy Yang at No. 22 for Republic of Korea and Yuka Saso at No. 8, Ayaka Furue at No. 19, Nasa Hataoka at No. 20 and Miyu Yamashita at No. 21 for Japan. Because they sit within the top 15, Ko, Kim and Saso are currently eligible for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Atthaya Thitikul – who helped lead Thailand to a win at the 2023 Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown – is the lone Thai representative in the top 25. She is currently on pace to represent her country in the Olympics this summer.
Other countries making their presence felt in the Rolex Rankings top 25 include France (Celine Boutier), People's Republic of China (Ruoning Yin, Xiyu Lin), Australia (Hannah Green, Minjee Lee), England (Charley Hull), New Zealand (Lydia Ko), Canada (Brooke Henderson), and Sweden (Maja Stark). Each of these players is a testament to the talent and dedication of their respective nations.
Epson Tour’s Cassie Porter Jumps to Second in Race for the Card
With a come-from-behind win at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, Cassie Porter has catapulted herself into the second spot in the season-long Epson Tour’s Race for the Card. She jumped 20 places in the standings with 815.500 points, with her first victory over the weekend in her sophomore season on the Epson Tour.
Despite a missed cut at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, Copper Rock Championship winner Fiona Xu has maintained her position at the top of the standings, sitting 197.5 points ahead of Porter. The competition is fierce, with Madison Young in third place, earning two top 10s this season, including a win at the Casino Del Sol Golf Classic.
In fourth is Briana Chacon, with 647.542 points; the 2024 Epson Tour Rookie earned her first Epson Tour victory at the Atlantic Beach Classic in March. Rounding out the top five is Kim Kaufman with 645.500 points, who, with four top 10 results, has yet to find the winner’s circle this season, so it’s only a matter of time before she’s hoisting a trophy for the fourth time in her career.
Some other significant moves following the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship are as follows:
- Brooke Matthews jumped 17 places to 17th in the Race following her runner-up finish in Battle Creek, Mich., and has 426.417 total points
- Anita Uwadia went from 74th to 29th with 292.900 total points after earning her first top 10 result of the season
- Jo-Hua Hung jumped to 39th with 218.750 total points after her solid performance at Battle Creek Country Club
The Race for the Card is a season-long points competition in which Epson Tour members accumulate points in every official Epson Tour tournament. The ultimate goal is to finish in the top 15 in the point standings to earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2025 season. The point-based system, new on the Epson Tour this season, replaces the money-based system and will award points to those who make the cut weekly.
The 2024 season will also be the first year that Epson Tour athletes will vie for 15 LPGA Tour cards awarded after the season-ending Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, Calif.
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