Julia Lopez Ramirez can't explain where she gets her power. Some people say it's because she rode motor bikes as a kid, giving her strong forearms. Others say the power comes from her legs.
"I've been hitting it far since I was a kid because I compete with my coach and try to hit it as far as I can," she said earlier this year at the U.S. Women's Open, "and I think it just came with me."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLopez Ramirez, a 22-year-old rookie from Spain, led the LPGA in driving distance this year with an average of 285.42 yards off the tee. This, despite losing some strength early in the season after an emergency appendectomy. The former Mississippi State standout and two-time SEC champ played in the final group on Sunday at the 2025 U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills before ultimately taking a share of 19th.
A total of four players finished the 2025 LPGA season averaging more than 280 yards. It's important to note that the tour measures only two holes per round.
Here are the longest players on tour in 2025 per LPGA stats: 1. Julia Lopez Ramirez (285.42), 2. Polly Mack (283.46), 3. Auston Kim (282.23), 4. Bianca Pagdanganan (280.51), 5. Bailey Tardy (278.05)
Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain plays her shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G at Pinnacle Country Club on September 19, 2025 in Rogers, Arkansas.A look at trends over the past 30 years reveals quite a shift in the number of players averaging 250 yards. Consider that when Laura Davies led the tour back in 1995 with a 266.78 average, only 11 players averaged more than 250 off the tee. This year, 122 players hit it longer than 250 on average. In 2015, 66 players averaged more than 250 yards.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLPGA driving distance trends past 30 years
Year
Players avg. 280+
Players avg. 270+
Players avg. 250+
2025
4
20
122
2015
0
1
66
2005
0
1
52
1995
0
0
11
In 2015, Joanna Klatten led the tour in driving with a 274.28 average. Ten years prior, a young Brittany Lincicome, nicknamed "Bam Bam", led the tour at 270.28.
Japan's Miyu Yamashita, the only player besides Jeeno Thitikul to win more than once in 2025, averaged 245.99 off the tee this season, putting the petite player 141st on the list out of the 154 that were ranked.
Laura Davies stands on the 12th tee at Woburn during the second round of the Weetabix Women's British Open.Here's how the top 10 players in the world ranked in driving distance this season:
Rolex Ranking
Driving distance rank
1. Jeeno Thitikul
33rd ( 267.78)
2. Nelly Korda
8th (274.58)
3. Minjee Lee
36th (265.93)
4. Miyu Yamashita
141st (245.99)
5. Charley Hull
273.21 (12th)
6. Lydia Ko
247.68 (134th)
7. Ruoning Yin
263.41 (59th)
8. Hyo Joo Kim
247.36 (135th)
9. Mao Saigo
258.87 (83rd)
10. Sei Young Kim
260.01 (79th)
Last year's driving distance leader, Thailand's Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who averaged 290.61 yards, made only three starts this year on the LPGA, missing the cut in each.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on Golfweek: Two-time SEC champ led LPGA in driving distance despite appendectomy
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