Administrative Error Allows LPGA Player To Compete In Three Tournaments Despite Not Being Eligible
An administrative error on the LPGA Tour's 2025 Priority List allowed Sophia Popov to compete in three events she wasn't qualified for. The German player participated in the Founders Cup, Honda LPGA Thailand, and HSBC Women's World Championship, where she finished T59th, 62nd, and T52nd respectively.
The LPGA Tour has confirmed they will remove Popov's accumulated Race to CME Globe points, Aon Risk Reward Challenge points, and prize money from official standings. The error also prevented qualified first alternates from competing: Saki Baba (Founders Cup), Hira Naveed (Honda LPGA Thailand), and Peiyun Chien (HSBC Women's World Championship).
HSBC Women's Golf Championship logo
Popov was incorrectly listed as 57th on the 2025 Priority List published in January. A revised March 10th list now shows her at 370th position, without the previous maternity leave indicator. The top 80 positions are determined by the previous season's Race to CME Globe rankings, where Popov finished 136th in 2024.
The 2020 AIG Women's Open champion had been absent from the LPGA Tour between 2022 and 2024 due to a shoulder injury and pregnancy. She made 17 LPGA Tour appearances in 2024 but was unable to improve her status at the LPGA Q-Series in December.
Sophia Popov has confirmed to Golfweek she is the player who was in the wrong position on the Priority List
The LPGA Tour's Chief Tour Business and Operations Officer Ricki Lasky has apologized for the error in a memo to players and promised to address the situation for the three affected alternate players.