2023 may only be four months in, but some female golfers have already stamped their authority on the course and set the pace for what could turn out to be a very successful year. Although only a few events have taken place so far, the winners have already left a mark on the season and are more inspired than ever to record more wins. Below we look at some of these female golfers showing the most promise in the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, and other notable tournaments.
Rose Zhang
Rose Zhang is undoubtedly headed for a very bright career in golf, and she further cemented this when she scooped the Augusta National Womens Amateur title on April 1st, 2023. It wasn’t a walk in the park however as Zhang had finished the competition in a tie of 9-under with Jenny Bae. During the playoff, the World No. 1 ranked amateur on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, made a par-4 against Bae’s par-5 to emerge victorious.
Zhang’s victory brings her an invitation to compete in the next five playings of the ANWA (should she remain an amateur), the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, the 2023 Women’s Open, the Chevron Championship and any USGA, R&A and PGA of America amateur championships for one year. She has also broken the world amateur ranking record for the most weeks as World No. 1.
Lydia Ko
Lydia Ko is a natural winner on the course, and the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International held at Royal Green Golf & Country Club was no different. Three perfect birdies on the 6th, 10th, and 17th holes gave Ko a final round score of 68, helping her finish at 21-under and one shot clear of fast-rising Indian sensation Aditi Ashok. This is the World No. 1’s second victory in this event.
Celine Boutier
French star Celine Boutier is yet another female golfer showing the most promise in 2023. Boutier scooped the LPGA Drive On Championship title at the Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club after forcing a playoff with England’s Georgia Hall. The two Solheim Cup teammates tied at 20-under in the final round before Boutier clinched the victory with a birdie on the 18th hole in the playoff. Boutier also achieved a T4 finish in the Honda LPGA Thailand earning $79,904.
Aditi Ashok
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok is enjoying a fine year as well, having won the Kenya Ladies Open 2023 golf tournament – her fourth Ladies European Tour title, at Vipingo Ridge. She has also recorded other remarkable top finishes, such as attaining runner-up position in the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International, one shot behind winner Lydia Ko, a T2 finish in the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, and a T5 finish in the Cognizant Founders Cup making her one of the female golfers showing the most promise this year.
Brooke Henderson
Winning the first event of a season must be super fun, as Brooke Henderson must have felt when she bagged the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions title in Florida on Jan 22nd, 2023. What stood out was Henderson’s consistency throughout the competition, having held on to the lead at the end of each round. She has since followed that up with a T11 finish at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei.
