If you’ve been refreshing your browser looking for a live lpga leaderboard this week, I have some news that might be a little frustrating: there isn't one. At least, not a live one with scores from a 2026 tournament.
It’s January 18, 2026. If you follow the PGA Tour, you’re probably watching the final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. But on the women's side? The fairways are quiet. The LPGA is currently in that weird, lingering "pre-season" mode where everyone is practicing their short game in Florida or Arizona, but nobody is actually handing in a scorecard yet.
💡 You might also like: La Equidad vs. América: Why This Matchup Always Breaks the Logic of the FPC
Honestly, it feels like a missed opportunity every year. We’re all itching for golf, and the ladies are still a week away from the lights coming on.
When the Real LPGA Leaderboard This Week Actually Starts
We are exactly eleven days out. The 2026 LPGA season officially kicks off on January 29, 2026, with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
This isn't your average "everyone shows up" event. It’s held at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, and the field is exclusive. Basically, to get your name on that specific leaderboard, you had to win a tournament in the last two seasons. It’s the best of the best, plus a bunch of celebrities (think Joe Pavelski or Annika Sorenstam playing in the celeb division) who compete alongside the pros.
Why there’s no movement today
The tour ended its 2025 run with A Lim Kim taking down the CME Group Tour Championship in a late-season surge. Since then, the players have been in their designated "off-time."
While you won't see a lpga leaderboard this week showing under-par scores, the "World Rankings" leaderboard is very much alive. If you want to know who the "leader" of women’s golf is while we wait for Orlando, it’s Jeeno Thitikul. She’s sitting at the top of the Rolex Rankings with a massive lead, followed by Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee.
The Names You’ll See Next Week
When the Lake Nona leaderboard finally goes live, the "usual suspects" are already confirmed. Here is who is already on the entry list for the season opener:
📖 Related: 2024 Ohio State Quarterback: What Really Happened with Will Howard
- Jeeno Thitikul: The current world #1 and the person everyone has to chase.
- Nelly Korda: Coming off a 2025 where she proved she’s still the face of American golf.
- Miyu Yamashita: The Japanese star who has been quietly dismantling courses globally.
- Lydia Ko: Still the most interesting story in golf, chasing every record left.
There’s also some buzz about Chisato Iwai. Word is she’s changing how her name appears on the scoreboards this year, opting for a nickname. Keep an eye out for "Chizzy" if you’re looking for her near the top.
What to Watch While the LPGA is Dark
Since we can't look at a live lpga leaderboard this week, most fans are looking at the 2026 schedule that was just released. It’s a monster. We’re talking about $131 million in total prize money over the year.
If you’re bored and need a golf fix before the Tournament of Champions, you’ve basically got two choices:
- Watch the PGA Tour’s Sony Open leaderboard (currently being led by the guys in Honolulu).
- Check out the WPGA (the Australian circuit). They just had the Webex Players Series in Perth where Kirsten Rudgeley took the trophy.
It’s kind of a bummer that the schedules don't align better. You'd think the LPGA would want to capitalize on the "New Year, New Me" energy of January, but they prefer starting a bit later to avoid the NFL playoffs rush.
Predicting the First Leaderboard of 2026
Lake Nona is a ball-striker’s course. If I’m betting on who tops the lpga leaderboard this week (well, next week), I’m looking at Nelly Korda. She lives in Florida. She knows this grass. She’s notoriously fast out of the gate in the early season.
A Lim Kim is the defending champ of the last "real" event we saw, so she’s got the momentum, but the "Tournament of Champions" is a different beast. It’s less about endurance and more about who shook off the rust the fastest during the Christmas break.
Actionable Steps for Golf Fans
- Mark your calendar: January 29th is the first round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
- Check the Rolex Rankings: If you want to see who the "statistically" best players are right now, go to the official LPGA stats page; Jeeno Thitikul is the name to beat.
- Set TV Alerts: Golf Channel and NBC usually carry the Orlando opener. Make sure your DVR isn't still set to "2025 only" mode.
The wait is almost over. We’ve only got a few more days of "empty" leaderboards before the 2026 season officially takes flight in Florida.