Ariya Jutanugarn is once again LPGA Player of the Year, and she's locked up the points-based award with three events to go in the season.
With three events remaining on the 2018 LPGA Tour schedule, Jutanugarn has earned 219 points, putting her 83 ahead of Sung Hyun Park and making it impossible to catch the Thai star. Minjee Lee is third with 122 points.
"It feels great to win this award for a second time, and I'm really excited about that," said Jutanugarn, who won the 2016 Rolex Player of the Year award. "I've played well this season and it's a huge honor for me to have my name on this trophy again. I would also like to thank my entire team. I am grateful to be working with all of them, and I am blessed to have my family and my sponsors who believe in me. I would also like to thank all my fans in Thailand. I am really proud to be from Thailand, and to win this prestigious award."
Jutanugarn has won three times and added another 12 top-10 finishes in 25 starts this season. She won the Kingsmill Championship in May, a second major title in a playoff at the U.S. Women's Open, then the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open in July. Jutanugarn leads the Tour's money list with $2,459,240 in season earnings, is tops in scoring average at 69.379 and is in front in the CME Race to the Globe standings with 4,002 points.
In 2016, Jutanugarn won her first Player of the Year award for a season that included five wins and an additional 11 top-10 finishes. She followed Lydia Ko's 2015 by also winning the Rolex Player of the Year award, the Race to the CME Globe and the LPGA's money list in the same season.
The award will be presented Nov. 15, during the week of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
