South Korean stars will chase the final LPGA major title of the 2024 season at a historic course in Scotland this week.

Amy Yang, the winner of the season’s third major, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, will headline the South Korean contingent at the AIG Women’s Open at the Old Course at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, beginning Thursday.

Considered the “Home of Golf,” the iconic St Andrews will host its third Women’s Open.

Yang remains the lone South Korean winner on the LPGA Tour this season. She is also in the running for the annual Annika Major Award, named after the LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam to recognize the player with the best record across five major championships each season.

Players receive points for top-10 finishes at major tournaments, with the victory being worth 60 points.

Yang is tied for second place with two other major winners, Nelly Korda of the United States and Yuka Saso of Japan, with 60 points each. Ayaka Furue of Japan, the Evian Championship winner who tied for sixth at the U.S
. Women’s Open, leads the way with 70 points.

Two other South Korean players, Ryu Hae-ran (28 points) and Ko Jin-young (24 points), are also in the hunt for the Annika Major Award. Ryu, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, has had three top-10 finishes at four majors so far, and a victory this week could put her on top of the award race.

Ko, the top South Korean in the world rankings at No. 3, has had just one top-10 showing at a major, but is coming off a sixth-place finish at last week’s Women’s Scottish Open.

South Korean players will be up against the likes of Korda, a six-time winner this season, and defending champion Lilia Vu, the top two players in the world rankings. Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the Paris Olympic gold medalist, will take aim at her first major since 2016.

Lauren Coughlin of the U.S. is the hottest player on the tour, with two victories and two other top-10 finishes in her last four starts.

Source: Yonhap News Agency