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The second round of the LPGA Tour's The Annika concluded on Friday, November 10, with 70 players advancing to the weekend. Emily Kristine Pedersen carded a 5-under 65 in the second round, securing a two-stroke lead after 36 holes. Despite entering the week ranked 80th in the CME Group Tour Championship, a victory here would propel her to 34th place, securing her spot in the season-ending championship.
A strong performance at The Annika is pivotal for many players striving to retain their LPGA Tour cards. Only the top 100 players on the CME points list will guarantee their LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season, with the top 80 earning the highest status and only the top 60 qualifying for the season finale event.
Several prominent players currently find themselves outside the top 100 on the list, battling hard at Pelican Golf Club to safeguard their LPGA Tour cards for the upcoming year. Here's a look at the top 5 players competing for their spot in the 2024 LPGA roster.
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Five players fighting to save LPGA Tour card at The Annika
1) Azahara Munoz
Azahara Munoz began her week at The Annika with a stellar 6-under 64 on Thursday, November 9. She sustained her impressive performance the next day, shooting 1-under 69 with the aid of three birdies. Currently, she is positioned at T10 with a score of 8-under, trailing the leader by four strokes.
Starting the week ranked 100th on the CME list, the Spaniard is expected to climb inside the top 100 following a strong showing at the penultimate event on the LPGA Tour.
2) Lydia Ko
Lydia Ko began the year as World No. 1 in the Rolex Women's Golf Ranking, but it has been a disappointing year for her. She has managed only two top-ten finishes in 19 starts this season.
Ko experienced some commendable performances at Asian events, but she couldn't accrue CME points for them as she participated through a sponsor invitation. After two rounds at Pelican Golf Club, she is currently at joint 31st at 4-under and is projected to remain at 101st in the CME points list.
However, the 26-year-old Kiwi will still have the opportunity to play in next year's events through the winner’s category, where the champions of the past two seasons can compete.
3) Lucy Li
Lucy Li entered this week at 106th in the CME points list, but the scores of 72 and 74 in the first two rounds at The Annika meant she had to bow out early from the event. The 21-year-old LPGA Tour rookie is projected to slip to 110th in the standings after missing the cut.
4) Muni He
Muni He was sitting 113th ahead of The Annika, but she shot 65 and 67 in the first two rounds and currently sits just four strokes off the lead. After being close to getting inside the top 100 in the past two seasons, she is projected to finally crack it after Sunday, November 12. She is projected to jump to 93rd in the standings.
5) Caroline Hedwall
Caroline Hedwall had another disappointing round as she finished 5-over after two rounds at The Annika to miss the cut. She entered the week at 134th and is projected to slip one spot after this week.
The only high point of the otherwise disappointing season for the Swedes was the Solheim Cup, where an inspiring performance helped Europe retain the title.
