2012 Kia Performance Awards for LPGA players

The Kia Performance Awards for 2012 has have been announced and the LPGA players are excited about the announcements.

The awards will be in four categories that cover the performance statistics of the players. The awards are highly appreciated by the players. This awards announcement is a continuation of the relationship between KIA Group and LPGA.

The golfer with the longest driving distance, on average, will receive the Kia Power Drive, which is the first category of the performance awards.

The nominees are: Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Brittany Lincicome, Vicky Hurst, Lexi Thompson and Yani Tseng. So far, the winner appears to be Maude-Aimee Leblanc with a mean drive distance of 282 yards.

The second category is Kia Drive to the Top, awarded to the player with the most top-10 finishes. This is a tough category with a tie between two top golfers, Yani Tseng and Ai Miyazato. Each player posted a record 8 top-10 finishes out of the ten events this year.

The third category is Most Compelling Performance. This will prove to be the most awaited category, as the selection will be carried out through online fan votes.

Jessica Korda, Yani Tseng, Ai Miyazato and Stacey Lewis are the four nominations so far.

The final category is Kia Community Assist. This award recognizes the player or players who have contributed the most to charities or community assistance programs.

This category is expected to drive the players towards contributing part of their earnings to programs designated to assist the less fortunate members of the society.

So far, only one name has been nominated for the fourth category. Christina Kim has been nominated for her contributions towards "A Home for a Hero". This is a charity that offers housing to disabled veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Kia Performance Awards are given as recognition of the collaboration between LPGA and Kia group. Winners of the awards will get a brand new Optima Limited, the top of the line product of the KIA Group.

Talking about the collaboration, Jon Podany, LPGA Chief Marketing Officer said, "The KIA Performance Awards are a great extension of our expanding relationship with Kia." Kia has been a great sponsor of LPGA events and this relationship will grow strong as a result of these awards.

Courtesy of Bettor (Blog)