Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda dominate the early action as the history of the LPGA collapses in 2026.
Following a disorganised 2025 LPGA tour that gave 29 winners in total, of whom 11 were first-time champions, it was difficult to find a sustained dominance. The only two who were able to win multiple titles throughout the year were Jeeno Thitikul and Miyu Yamashita.
That trend has already changed two tournaments into 2026.
Having Nelly Korda and Thitikul as the winners of the trophies at the beginning of the season, a special occasion has been achieved. It is the first time in the 20-year history of the Rolex Rankings that the world two players have won the first two events of a season in the LPGA, which is stressed by the statistics expert Justin Ray.
The initial declaration of intention is not limited to the LPGA Tour. World No. 3 Charley Hull also started her year in winning style, scooping the Ladies European Tour opening of the season in Saudi Arabia.
The HSBC Women World Championship this week is a mirror image of that heavy weighty momentum as nine of the top 10 players in the world are included in the tournament. The only exception is Korda who already got a win in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of champions. That victory, which was reduced to 54 holes, by the weather, marked the cessation of a title-stretch of nearly 15 months.
On her part, Thitikul still goes by the fact that she is justifying her hold on the No. 1 ranking. Having reclaimed the number one position in August 2025, she has not relinquished the position, conquering three of the last five starts and having eight consecutive top-10 results.
Her last triumph was her most intimate one as well. Thitikul secured the Honda LPGA Thailand by a single shot over Japan’s Chizzy Iwai becoming her first professional victory in the country.
Thitikul replied afterwards that it is not as big as a major. But in my mother country victory would be everything to me–almost as much as a major.
Only two games into the season, the sign is quite obvious: 2026 can be part of the very trustworthy. The largest stars of the LPGA are not only winning but also leading the music.
