The Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award has been around since 1962, but it never quite has had a group of players like the one in 2025. This rookie class appears to be a landmark group in the history of the Tour, with seven different winners. Let’s take a look at some of these rising superstars:
RIO TAKEDA – 1 WIN, 7 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 12, CME RANK: 3
While in the midst of a dominant 2024 campaign on the JLPGA, Takeda earned her tour card at the Toto Japan Classic last year with a thrilling, playoff victory over Marina Alex. She hasn’t missed a beat in 2025. Takeda has made 20/22 cuts, had a dominant six-strove win in China and had top-five finishes in two majors. While her chances to win those majors were crushed by untimely mistakes, she has still proven to be one of the best and most consistent players on the LPGA Tour already at just 22-years-old.
MIYU YAMASHITA – 1 WIN (MAJOR), 8 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 6, CME RANK: 4
Takeda’s fellow Japanese rookie hasn’t played as much, just 17 starts, but has an incredible top-10 finish rate. While the middle of her season was a bit mediocre for her standards, she really has picked it up in the second half. Since the beginning of the European swing she has finished in the top 15 four times in a row, including in her major championship victory at the AIG Women’s Open. Like Takeda, Yamashita isn’t a totally new name to fans, as she was in contention to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2024 and actually represented Japan in the Paris Olympics.
CHISATO IWAI – 1 WIN, 3 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 32, CME RANK: 13
While Iwai doesn’t necessarily show the consistency of the top two names, she is spectacular when she is on her game. She had a runaway victory in Mexico, and has two additional top-five finishes at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and The Standard Portland Classic. She has missed six cuts and only has three additional top-20 finishes, but she would be a heavy frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award in almost any other season.
AKIE IWAI – 1 WIN, 5 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 23, CME RANK: 10
Akie Iwai finally got her first win in Portland a couple weeks ago, which usually wouldn’t be a long wait for even the best rookies, but when you’ve been in contention as much as the older of the Iwai twins, it feels like a long time coming. Iwai nearly won in Thailand after an incredible final-round 61, and was in position to win in Los Angeles up until the final hole. She was dominant in Portland where she finally got her first title and was in contention the next week in Canada until illness slowed her down.
MIRANDA WANG – 1 WIN, 3 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 53, CME RANK: 30
The most recent rookie winner on the LPGA Tour, Wang was having a respectable rookie year that turned into a great one. Wang rode incredible putting and survived a final day charge from world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul to win in Boston for the first time. She also played well alongside Lindy Duncan at the Dow Championship, nearly getting a win there also. Currently, Wang ranks top 15 on the Tour in strokes gained putting.
LOTTIE WOAD – 1 WIN, 3 TOP-10s, ROLEX RANK: 15, CME RANK: 44
Woad has played less than any other player on this list, she has made only four official starts as a tour member and seven in total, but arguably no golfer has left their mark more than Woad. She won on the LET as an amatuer, then finished third at the Evian Championship to earn her tour card. The very next event, she won at the Scottish Open while holding off Nelly Korda. She also finished top 10 in the AIG Women’s Open and had a nice performance in Boston, finishing in a T15.
INGRID LINDBLAD – 1 WIN, 1 TOP-10, ROLEX RANK: 41, CME RANK: 46
Nobody will accuse the former college superstar Lindblad of being too consistent. She has missed nearly half her cuts and has really been in contention only once. She was very impressive that one time though. Lindblad won for the first time on the LPGA Tour in Los Angeles, becoming the second rookie winner of the season after Takeda. She did have an additional nice performance at the Scottish Open, finishing in the top 20 despite a fairly average weekend.
Of course, these aren’t the only great rookies, Julia Lopez Ramirez, Cassie Porter, Ina Yoon and Jenny Bae have all been in contention to win on the weekends this season as well. This is a deep and super talented class that could be generation defining.
