The year 2025 was an exciting one for the LPGA, which saw the addition of a new commissioner and a number of first-time winners on tour.
Before we get to the stories clicked on the most by you, the readers, here’s a look at what our LPGA beat reporter Beth Ann Nichols chose for the biggest storylines:
Now, without further ado, here are the top 10 stories (from No. 1 down) as clicked on by readers of Golfweek in 2025:
1. Former NCAA and U.S. Women’s Amateur champion retires from professional golf at age 30
In 2024, 30-year-old Talley, while competing on the LPGA, worked for the tour in a variety of media roles, from social media to podcast host. She also started working with the Western Kentucky University women’s golf team and took a few juniors under her wing.
And then, while her husband Patrick Smith was caddying in Asia, she found out she was pregnant, calling him at 4 a.m. to share the happy news. Smith choked on his dinner to the point his companions almost had to do the Heimlich. The incident was coincidental, Talley said, but it makes for a better story that he was worked up with excitement about the idea of becoming a dad.
Talley, the pride of Princeton, Kentucky, was the last player in a long list to announce that 2024 would be her final season on the LPGA.
Here’s more on Talley’s tale.
2. LPGA cancels $2 million California event after underwriter fails to pay
The Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship was dropped from the LPGA’s spring schedule. The event, slated for March 20-23, was set to be held at Palos Verdes Golf Club and feature a $2 million purse.
An LPGA statement said that “canceling the event on its current date was unavoidable due to the event underwriter failing to fulfill any portion of its payment obligations to the LPGA Tour for the 2024 and 2025 events.”
Here’s more background.
3. Lydia Ko caddies for Danielle Kang at U.S. Women’s Open qualifying in San Francisco
Lydia Ko traveled straight from the year’s first major in Texas to a U.S. Women’s Open qualifying event in San Francisco to help out a friend. The world No. 3 caddied at The Olympic Club for fellow major champion Danielle Kang on the Lake Course, using her push cart for the 36-hole gig.
Kang and Ko have teamed up several times to compete in the LPGA’s Dow Championship.
Here’s more on the story.
4. Kai Trump shoots 83 in first round of LPGA debut: Updates, highlights from The Annika
The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican brought together many of the biggest stars in women’s golf looking to hoist a trophy and carry momentum into next week’s CME Group Tour Championship.
The stacked field included Nelly Korda, Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson, but another name garnered much of the attention in the lead-up to this event: Kai Trump. The 18-year-old amateur golfer and granddaughter of President Donald Trump made her LPGA debut on a sponsor exemption.
Here’s how Trump’s opening day played out.
5. Who is Jeeno Thitikul and how did she become the No. 1 women’s golfer in the world (again)?
Jeeno Thitikul’s rise to the top of the women’s game didn’t come after one magnificent feat, but rather many, many months of world-class consistency.
Thitikul rose to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings for a second time on Aug. 4 after finishing in a share of 30th at the AIG Women’s British Open. That she toppled a player in Nelly Korda, who won seven times last season, says as much about Korda’s lack of firepower in recent months as it does Thitikul’s solid play.
Here’s more on Jeeno.
