Minjee Lee Now Eligible to win the 2021 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award

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Minjee Lee is now eligible to win the 2021 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award following her sudden-death playoff victory over Jeongeun Lee6 at the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. After birdieing four of the final five holes to reach the lead, Lee, a 25-year-old from Australia, hit the approach of a lifetime in the playoff, a 6-iron from 190 yards that nestled to within 8 feet for eagle. After Lee6 put her approach in the creek fronting the green, Lee converted the two-putt birdie and joined Karrie Webb, Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green as female Australian major champions.

The Rolex ANNIKA Major Award recognizes the player who, during a current LPGA Tour season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. Points will be awarded at all five major championships to competitors who finish among the top-10 and ties. To take home the award, a player must also win at least one of the five majors.

The winner of the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award will be honored at the Rolex LPGA Awards at the CME Group Tour Championship, the culmination what is sure to be an exciting 2021 major season.

The leaderboard through the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship is as follows:

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In 2020, Patty Tavatanakit made her debut on links at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon. After missing the weekend, the 2020/21 Tour rookie returned to her coach, PGA Tour winner Grant Waite, looking for guidance on bettering herself on one of the oldest styles of golf courses. “I developed a lot in terms of working my game to fit in the course conditions to play in the wind and to control my flight. You know, it’s a little bit more wholesome,” said Tavatanakit. “I’m just looking forward to play this week. Had a really good practice in the wind last week, too. So coming into this week, I feel like I’m a little bit more prepared than last year.”

A year later, Tavatanakit prepares for the final major test of the season, but this time with the experience of a major champion. She’s among the select few in contention for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award after her victory at the ANA Inspiration and is also in the lead for the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors with 852 points. Her initials thoughts of Carnoustie? “Pretty narrow.”

“You’ve got to hit it pretty solid. I feel like it’s a ball-striking course. If you get your way around the green, just keep hitting fairways and greens, you’re going to be in a good position,” said Tavatanakit, who got her second go at a links course last week at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, finishing T27.

Tavatanakit also mentioned the lessons she’s learned after last year’s Scotland showing. “I feel like I was trying to be perfect too much, and you know, you can’t really be like that on links course. You’ve just got to be yourself and just embrace all chances and play, play like you own the course,” said the 25-year-old.

“Be brave and just no fear, and just play, and you know, if you hit one bad shot, you’ve got to take your medicine and good hit the next one. Keep hitting shot after shot, just basically be present and hope for the best.”

Tavatanakit Takes Lead in Rolex ANNIKA Major Award

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Among the fringe benefits of picking up her first LPGA Tour victory at the ANA Inspiration is the fact that Patty Tavatanakit has the early lead in the 2021 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. The honor, first bestowed in 2014, goes to the player who accumulates the most points in the major championships.

To be eligible to win the RAMA, a player must win a major. Then the champion is determined by points awarded for top-10 finishes at each of the five majors.

The points distribution is the same as for the Rolex Player of the Year with first place getting 60 points; second 24; third 18; fourth 14; fifth 12; sixth 10; seventh 8; eighth 6; ninth 4; and tenth 2 points.

That puts Tavatanakit on top with 60 points while ANA Inspiration runner-up Lydia Ko has 24 points.

T-3 at the ANA and each getting 18 points are Nelly Korda, Sei Young Kim, Shanshan Feng and Nanna Koerstz Madsen. T-7 and getting 8 points are Inbee Park, Jin Young Ko and Ally Ewing. Sharing tenth-place and getting 2 points each are Megan Khang, Moriya Jutanugarn and Mirim Lee.

The next major is the U.S. Women’s Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, June 3-6. That’s followed by the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., June 24-27; the Amundi Evian Championship in France July 22-25 and the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland Aug. 19-22.

Those who’ve taken home the RAMA in the past comprise an impressive list. The first was Michelle Wie West in 2014 followed by Inbee Park, Lydia Ko, So Yeon Ryu, Ariya Jutanugarn and Jin Young Ko.

Sorenstam, whose 72 LPGA Tour victories include ten major championships, and Rolex both represent excellence. At Mission Hills this week the competition began for this year’s RAMA. No one has yet to win the honor twice. Could this be the year?