News and notes for the week of September 28, 2009

1. Ochoa defends final 2008 title at Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV
2. Gustafson wins CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge
3. Second LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament starts tomorrow
4. Rankin to receive GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award
5. Yang has career day at Blackhawk Country Club
6. Blumenherst picks up top-five finish
7. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf announces new sites
8. Gustafson earns stay at Canyon Ranch
9. Rolex Rankings move of the week: Gustafson moves into top 20
10. Shin maintains lead in Rolex Player of the Year race
11. This week: Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV, RTJ Golf Trail, Capitol Hill, The Senator, Prattville, Ala., $1,300,000, October 1-4, 2009; TV Times; GCSAA Course Information

1. Ochoa defends final 2008 title at Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV
 
PRATTVILLE, Ala. - Lorena Ochoa is in prime position as she enters yet another opportunity to successfully defend one of eight 2008 LPGA Tour titles at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV. Coming off a runner-up finish at last week's CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge in Danville, Calif., the 27-year-old Rolex Rankings' number one appears to be back in form.

Ochoa, who hasn't missed a cut in 92 events and has won 23 of them, has been scrutinized by many for having an "off" year. Her year has entailed 17 starts, two victories and seven additional top-10 finishes. A third win this season would mean a $195,000 paycheck. However, 11 tournament winners from this season are in the field and, whether they're a rookie or haven't won in six years, as was the case with last week's CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge champion Sophie Gustafson, the Tour continues to prove that the tournament title is for the taking by anyone bringing their A-game. Only Ochoa and top rookie Jiyai Shin, who is not competing this week, have won more than once this season.
          
Inaugural Navistar LPGA Classic champion Maria Hjorth, who gave birth to daughter Emily in February, is also in the field. Despite being a 'young' tournament - only in its third year at the RTJ Golf Trail's The Senator Course - it has attracted some of the top players in the world. All of last years top 10 finishers are returning, including top-ranked American Cristie Kerr and four-time Tour winner Candie Kung, who both challenged Ochoa in the 2008 Navistar LPGA Classic playoff.

The 145-player field will be completed after Tuesday's qualifier in which two players will earn a spot in the event and their chance at a portion of the $1.3 million purse.
 

2. Gustafson wins CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge
Swede ends six-year LPGA win drought, first win LPGA since 2003
 
DANVILLE, Calif., Sept. 27, 2009 - After six long years of wondering when another LPGA win would come, Sophie Gustafson put together four solid rounds of golf at the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge to win for the fifth time in her LPGA career, and first since 2003. Gustafson finished with a tournament-record 20-under-par 268 score, and beat out the runner-up and Rolex Rankings' top player, Lorena Ochoa (68-67-65-72=272, -16), by four strokes.

Gustafson (65-69-66-68) started strong and never looked back, as she had control of the leaderboard all four days, sharing it just once after Saturday's third round with Ochoa. Starting the final round tied with Ochoa, Gustafson birdied the first hole of the day, staying determined as she had been all week at Blackhawk Country Club. Her front nine holes saw an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys, while the back nine earned just a single birdie. The 4-under-par 68 turned out to be just what was needed to pick up her fifth career LPGA Tour victory and first LPGA title since the 2003 Samsung World Championship. This was one of her best efforts.

"This is my first victory on the LPGA Tour (in a while)," she said. "I won a couple of times in Europe, but it feels fantastic to win. It's one of my bests. I have been struggling with my putting, but my long game has been really good."

Though Ochoa kept it close for much of the day, Gustafson wasn't at all fazed by the fact that she was playing with the number one player in the world.

"It's not easy," she said of playing with Ochoa. "It's a full-time job taking care of myself, so I didn't really pay much attention to what she was doing."

The 12-year LPGA Tour member now has five LPGA career victories, after putting a close to a six-year drought. In 2003, she won the Samsung World Championship. Her first three LPGA victories came in 2000 (Chick-Fil-A Charity Championship, Women's British Open) and 2001 (Subaru Memorial of Naples). Coming into this week's event, her best finish on the season was the runner-up at the Evian Masters. Earlier this year, Gustafson qualified for her seventh European Solheim Cup team, based on her top-five ranking on the Ladies European Tour (LET) points list, and recorded a 1-3-0 record for the team. Gustafson is a Life Member on the LET and currently also leads the Henderson Money List. She also crossed the $5 million mark in LPGA career earnings this year at the CN Canadian Women's Open, where she tied for 10th.

Coming in solo-second this week is Ochoa, as she finished six strokes behind Gustafson at 16-under-par 272. This is third-consecutive top-five finish for Ochoa in Danville, Calif., but has yet to wind up in the winner's circle on the 18th green. The Mexican player was even-par on Sunday, recording three birdies and three bogeys. Taking home the $100,391 runner-up check, Ochoa crossed the $1 million mark in season earnings with more than $14 million in career earnings.

"Well, for sure I didn't play my best today," she said. "I think, you know, just for different reasons. I didn't get off to the best start, and I think Sophie was 4-under after five holes. But, you know, today was just her day. She won the tournament, and she deserved it. She played a really good round today. So, I guess I'm just going to try to be happy with second place."
 

3. Second LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament starts tomorrow

The second 2009 LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament is about to be underway. Contested at Plantation Golf & Country Club on the Bobcat and Panther Courses in Venice, Fla., Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 114 hopefuls are competing for a top-30 (and ties) finish. Those finishers will join the top-30 and ties from the first LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament held two weeks ago in Palm Springs, Calif., and eligible LPGA Tour and Duramed FUTURES Tour players in the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, Dec. 2-6, 2009, at LPGA International in Daytona Beach Fla. in their quest to earn 2010 LPGA Tour membership. All media interested in covering the upcoming LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament and the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament should apply for credentials at www.lpgamediacredentials.com.

By the numbers
62 - Duramed FUTURES Tour members in the field
27 - States represented by 63 players
21 - Countries represented outside the United States by 51 players
9 - Amateurs in the field
 

4. Rankin to receive GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award

Judy Rankin, an LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame member, has been selected to receive the 2010 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The award will be presented in San Diego during the 2010 GCSAA Education Conference at Celebrate GCSAA! presented in partnership with Syngenta, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m.

The GCSAA's most prestigious honor, the Old Tom Morris Award, is presented each year to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris." Morris (1821-1908) was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, '62, '64 and '67); and ranked as one of the top links designers of the 19th century.

For more information on the award, past recipients and the GCSAA in general, log on to www.gcsaa.org.
 

5. Yang has career day at Blackhawk Country Club

Second-year LPGA Tour member Amy Yang posted a career-low 6-under-par 66 during Sunday's final round of the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge, and finished with a career-best tie for third. Her 14-under-par 274 (72-67-69-66) gave her a second top-10 finish of her 2009 season.

The South Korean player took advantage of the nearly perfect conditions by recording six birdies on the front nine, making the turn at 6-under. On the back nine, she added one more birdie on hole 10, before posting a bogey on 15. For her career, Yang now has three top-10 finishes. Coming into this week, her previous career-best was a tie for ninth, which she earned at the 2009 McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola, her best finish at a major championship.
 

 6. Blumenherst picks up top-five finish

Amanda Blumenherst, a non-member of the LPGA Tour, finished in a three-way tie for fifth at the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge, after recording a 13-under-par 275 (70-71-67-67). Her back-to-back 67s in the third and final rounds of the event at Blackhawk Country Club propelled her up the leaderboard. The fifth-place finish is the best of her four sponsor exemptions in 2009, as she finished tied for 32nd at the Wegmans LPGA, missed the cut at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger and tied for 40th at the CN Canadian Women's Open.

Just last week, the Duke University graduate earned medalist honors at the Palm Springs LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament, which granted her entry into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, Dec. 2-6, 2009, at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 

7. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf announces new sites

The 2009 count for LPGA-USGA Girls Golf sites is up to nearly 190 with the addition of two new sites. Nearby this week's Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV is one of the newest LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site, the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf of Montgomery, Ala., which will be hosted at Gateway Golf Course and Lagoon Park Golf Course. Janie Little, executive director for The First Tee of Montgomery, will serve as site director.

LPGA T&CP Master Professional Dr. Jean Harris will serve as site director for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf of Bluffton (S.C.). Harris is director of instruction at Rose Hill Golf Club, which will serve as the host facility.

 
8. Gustafson earns stay at Canyon Ranch

With her win at the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge, Sophie Gustafson received an all-inclusive stay for two at a Canyon Ranch resort.  In a combined effort to promote health and overall well-being among Tour players, Canyon Ranch will provide every winner of an LPGA Tour event with one all-inclusive stay at one of Canyon Ranch's two destination resorts.

 
9. Rolex Rankings move of the week: Gustafson moves into top 20
 
Sophie Gustafson jumped 15 spots to 18th in the Rolex Rankings following her win at the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge. Gustafson finished with a tournament-record 20-under-par 268 score, and beat out the runner-up and Rolex Rankings' leader, Lorena Ochoa, by four strokes. This win was Gustafson's sixth in her 12-year LPGA Tour career.
The Rolex Rankings (www.rolexrankings.com) are sanctioned by the five major women's professional golf tours: the LPGA; Ladies European Tour (LET); Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan (LPGA of Japan); Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA); Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG); as well as the Ladies Golf Union (LGU), which administers the RICOH Women's British Open.

The Rolex Ranking Board and Technical committee recently agreed on several modifications to the Strength of Field calculations which include: an increase in the World Points factor from 200 to 400; a minimum value of 100 for Strength of Field for all Tours, except the Duramed FUTURES Tour; and the implementation of a true Strength of Field calculation for Duramed FUTURES Tour events, rather than the fixed points ratio of the past.

The Rolex Rankings are the only women's world rankings that incorporate player performances from the five major tours and the Duramed FUTURES Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA.
 

10. Shin maintains lead in Rolex Player of the Year race

Despite withdrawing from the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge, Jiyai Shin maintained her 18-point lead in the race for Rolex Player of the Year. Shin also leads the race for Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. Should Shin win these two honors, it would be the first time a player claims both since Nancy Lopez did so in 1978.

Both awards will officially conclude at the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex, Nov. 19-22 at The Houstonian Golf & Country Club in Richmond, Texas, near Houston. The Rolex Player of the Year and Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year are both based on points systems, which awards players points based on how they finish in each official LPGA event. All points are doubled at the four major championships - Kraft Nabisco Championship, McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola, U.S. Women's Open, RICOH Women's British Open.

Rolex Player of the Year point system is based on top-10 finishes: 1st place-30 points; 2nd-12; 3rd-nine; 4th-seven; 5th-six; 6th-five; 7th-four; 8th-three; 9th-two; 10th-one.
 
Top-10 Rolex Player of the Year standings (as of 9/27/09)

The Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year point system rewards points to rookies based on their finish after making the cut. Points range from 150 for a win and five points for positions 41st through each player making the cut.
 
Top-10 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings (as of 9/27/09)

 
11. This week: Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV, RTJ Golf Trail, Capitol Hill, The Senator, Prattville, Ala., $1,300,000, October 1-4, 2009; TV Times; GCSAA Course Information
 
Par: 36-36, 72
Yardage: 6,546
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Winner: $195,000
           Runner-up: $119,470
           Field: 145 players
Defending champion: Lorena Ochoa
Victory margin: Defeated Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung on the 2nd hole of sudden death
Media center: 334-285-3278
LPGA media contact: Dana Gross-Rhode
 
● TV Times
 
Golf Channel
Oct. 1-4 8:30-10:30 p.m. (tape delayed)
 
All times Eastern
 
● GCSAA Course Information
 
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
RTJ Golf Trail, Capitol Hill, The Senator
Prattville, Ala.
 
GCSAA Class A Golf Course Superintendent, contact: Robert A. Wingo, 334-285-9055
Course architect, date: Robert Trent Jones, Sr., 1999
 
Course grasses
Tees - Bermudagrass
Fairways - Bermudagrass
Greens - Bentgrass
Rough - Bermudagrass
 
For more information, access GCSAA Fact Sheets at GCSAA.org