The (Super) Cool Thing All LPGA First-Time Winners Get

Rookie Miranda Wang became the 24th different LPGA winner on Sunday, after carding an insane back-nine score of 29 to edge world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul at the FM Championship in Boston.

The former Duke Blue Devil was in the driver's seat for much of the week, backing up her opening round 66, with rounds of 67-65-70. She was 20-under for the tournament.

The 26-year-old had some incredibly wise words to say about what she's learned thus far as a rookie, saying, "I think the most important thing this year for me is knowing that I'm good enough to be playing out here. I think it's challenging for rookies to find confidence and the sense of belonging, and I'm really happy that I've had great friends and my team supporting me and just guiding me through everything and now I'm feeling settled in so that's really good."

And Wang isn't the only rookie to find her footing, she joins six others who have also snagged their first win during their first season on Tour.

Of our 24 winners so far, 11 of them are first-time winners, and of that bunch seven of which are rookies.

This rookie class is something special. We have a major winner, Miyu Yamashita, who won the AIG Women's Open. Then there's the familial duo Chisato and Akie Iwai, who are the first twins in LPGA history to each hoist a trophy. Lottie Woad has quickly made work of cementing her status on the Tour, snagging her first LPGA title in her professional debut.

But then you have a player like Yealimi Noh, who's been on the LPGA since 2020, and finally captured that maiden title after struggling with her game, primarily her putting. She won early in the season, at the LPGA Founders Cup and you could tell what a win like that meant to her.

"I worked really hard the past few years and went through a lot of struggles," Noh said after her win. "This means so much to me. I told myself 2025 is going to be my year, so this is the best way to start it."

These players have all secured some of the biggest paydays of their career, as well as exemptions into tournaments and majors for the foreseeable future. But what else do these first-time winners get?

Since 1980, the LPGA has partnered with the highly revered luxury brand Rolex to be its official timekeeper.

But it's a partnership that has evolved to mean something much bigger, and more meaningful. For the last 45 years, the infamous watch manufacturer has awarded 117 LPGA first-time winners with timepieces to commemorate their achievement.

2024 First-time winners (from left to right) Lauren Coughlin, Linnea Strom, and Bailey Tardy at the 2024 Rolex LPGA Awards. Photo courtesy of the LPGA/Getty Images.

A tangible item to wear and keep with them forever—what a lovely thing to have—and it's a luxury that women's golf gets to have.

It's rare for Rolex to gift time pieces to athletes, it's a treat usually reserved for its Testimonees (Rolex brand ambassadors). From Nancy Lopez to Lydia Ko, Rolex has played a strong hand in supporting women in our sport.

It's a token that carries a lot of weight. Not only do you get the win, but you become apart of a very unique group, bonded by a sacred piece of metal that holds memories that will withstand time.

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