Today on the Fore-All Awards, we are looking at the women’s golfers that really broke out in 2025. This won’t be including rookies, because that is a separate category. These are players who were better in 2025 than in any year prior:
No. 5 – Mao Saigo – It feels a bit strange to include Mao Saigo here, a player who won Rookie of the Year in 2024, but she really expanded on her first-year success on the LPGA Tour. She won her first LPGA tournament in 2025, a major title, at The Chevron Championship. She also had five additional top-10 finishes and three more top-five finishes. She was excellent in the majors, in contention at the U.S. Women’s Open and AIG Women’s Open as well, and finished No. 12 in the CME Standings, which was three points lower than her 2024 finish, but in 10 less starts. She was very good in 2024, she was great in 2025.
No. 4 – Lindy Duncan – Lindy Duncan was so close to having a magical, 2024 Lauren Coughlin type season in 2025. The 24-year-old Duncan had been on the Tour full time since 2016, with minimal success, only eight top-10 finishes and she was rarely win competitive. That changed in 2025 when she nearly doubled her top-10 total with six and almost won the Chevron Championship. She finished No. 30 in the CME Standings, only the second time she has ever placed in the top 70. Now, it seems she has real momentum and a chance to make the 2026 United States Solheim Cup team.
No. 3 – Grace Kim – A lot of LPGA fans knew Grace Kim had all the makings of a star. Wickedly talented, fun to watch and endlessly charismatic, it was just a matter of time. Kim’s 2025 wasn’t significantly better than her previous years, but it is the season that got her mainstream, name recognition. She won her first major at the Evian Championship in the most thrilling possible way, she also won the International Crown as a part of team Australia and in the final full field event of the year, she was in the featured group in the first two rounds alongside Nelly Korda. Kim took a big step in 2025.
No. 2 – Yealimi Noh – Finally. Yealimi Noh showed everyone what she could do in 2025. The talent has always been there for a player that made the Solheim Cup all the way back in 2021. Noh was phenomenal in the early portion of the year, winning her first ever tournament at the Founders Cup. She finished in the top 11 at her next three events. The wheels came off a bit in the second half, but she performed well at the International Crown, stepping in at the last moment in relief for an injured Nelly Korda and performing well, helping her Solheim Cup chances significantly. She wasn’t consistent all year, but she finally showed the flashes of her immense pure talent.
No. 1 – Somi Lee – Somi Lee screams LPGA Tour star. After an underwhelming 2024, she exploded in 2025, making 22/27 cuts, having eight top-10 finishes and winning the Dow Championship alongside Jin Hee Im. Lee finished No. 10 in the CME Standings and had three top-four finishes. She is such a well rounded overall player, and was impressive throughout the season. She had positive stats in almost every category and truly feels like the next star from the Republic of Korea on the LPGA Tour.
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