Statistics may not be the perfect means to an end, but one statistic did go a long way in determining the ten players that earned LPGA Tour cards in 2016. That’s Putts per GIR (greens in regulation). Yes, the stat can be skewed if a player doesn’t hit a green in regulation and chips it close for a one-putt. For the sake of this argument, let’s just look at the ten players that earned their cards and see where they finished against their peers in that category.
- Madelene Sagstrom – 1. 75 (1st)
- Ally McDonald – 1.79 (6th)
- Jackie Stoelting – 1.821 (15th)
- Wichanee Meechai – 1.789 (4th)
- Laura Gonzalez Escallon – 1.794 (5th)
- Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong – 1.815 (12th)
- Dana Finkelstein – 1.812 (11th)
- Marissa Steen – 1.829 (20th)
- Nelly Korda – 1.837 (27th)
- Peiyun Chien – 1.826 (16th)
So, the top seven players on Tour all finished in the top 15 in Putts per GIR and the top ten each finished in the top 30.
It’s no different on the LPGA Tour. Look at the top five on the big Tour in Putts in GIR.
- Lydia Ko – 1.719
- In Gee Chun – 1.740
- Ariya Jutanugarn – 1.750
- Hyo Joo Kim – 1.753
- Sei Young Kim – 1.760
- Minjee Lee – 1.760
All six rank in the top 11 in money earned this year on the LPGA and they all have victories.
It’s no secret, in order to succeed on the LPGA Tour and the Epson Tour, you’ve got to make putts on a consistent basis. These are just the statistics to back it up.
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