Pace shines in rain, Tour heads to Taiwan
Most players will remember last week’s Blue Bay LPGA in China as a waterlogged affair, but for South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, it will forever be the tournament where she became a Rolex First-Time Winner.
Pace was great in the 54-hole event, which had to be shortened by 18 holes and have its finish moved to Monday, and she weathered the storm better than anyone. She got to enjoy a special kiss with some new hardware, take a “selfie” that every player dreams of taking on a weekly basis and got to show off her winning smile.
Michelle Wie found some cool reading material during one of the rain delays, Danielle Kang entertained Sandra Gal during an unscheduled break, and Morgan Pressel did her best to dry out her golf bag.
Otherwise, Suzann Pettersen enjoyed her time with former NBA star Yao Ming at a celebrity event in another part of China, took a photo with acting great Morgan Freeman and PGA legend Gary Player, and she also played with Nicole Kidman and met Olympic skating champion Evgeni Plushenko. Fans also got in the act as well, while Pettersen got to play with Justin Rose as well.
Angela Stanford joined a group of alumni lettermen watch her alma-mater Texas Christian University play football, Rebecca Lee-Bentham enjoyed a guilty pleasure in Toronto over the weekend, and Paula Creamer had one last dinner with Team IMG Japan before hanging out with fans at the course, where she got to ride an interesting escalator to a tee box. Natalie Gulbis broke out a visor for the first time in years and did a radio show with a friend, Jessica Korda napped by the pool in amazingly beautiful Bali, and Dottie Pepper was all packed for the Women’s Met Golf fall meeting.
So Yeon Ryu did some sightseeing in Taiwan on Monday, Anna Nordqvist pointed out an interesting problem she and other tall people may face in Taiwan, and Beatriz Recari and others posed for photos at the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship pro-am dinner and welcome reception on Tuesday night. Players also participated in a press conference on Tuesday, Wie has enjoyed interacting with locals this week, and Na Yeon Choi celebrated her birthday with friends.
Gal read about Korda on a bus ride to the golf course, and here is some good reading for fans who might wonder what the top storylines are for this week’s event. Taiwan should provide some drama this week, as new world No. 1 Inbee Park will try to hold onto that spot as Stacy Lewis returns to action after two weeks off.
It should be an interesting week, to say the least!
Until next time….
Soggy times in China for LPGA’s best
LPGA players have seen more raindrops than birdies drop the last couple of days in China, as the Blue Bay LPGA at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course has been waterlogged and rain-shortened to 54 holes.
Jessica Korda’s 6-under 66 from Thursday has her atop the leaderboard, with the six-pack of Jodi Ewart-Shadoff, Brittany Lang, Shanshan Feng, Caroline Masson, Lee-Anne Pace and Michelle Wie a stroke back. The start of the second round was delayed on Saturday, but the Tour will do everything in its power to get players through 54 holes by the end of the day on Sunday.
Even though they haven’t had much of a chance to play a lot of holes, LPGA players have been busy on social media. Lexi Thompson’s pro-am group was color coordinated, Tiffany Joh made some new friends, and this is what the course looked like before the rains came.
Danielle Kang showed off her vertical leap by the pool, was all smiles at the pro-am party and won a new Buick for notching a hole-in-one in Round 1, while Sandra Gal lived the life aquatic as well and was in good form in the pro-am, and Mariajo Uribe was part of the Monkey Island group. Players had fun at the pro-am party, Wie was there with her IMG team, and Korda and Ewart-Shadoff glammed it up as well.
These players got creative while taking “selfies,” Korda hung out with her celebrity stuffed animal, and even cloudy views on Hainan Island are amazing. Brittany Lincicome offers proof that life isn’t always glamorous on Tour, Morgan Pressel did some impressive yoga, and Wie refuses to grow up.
Players were forced to warm up on mats because of the rain, Lizette Salas captured just how ominous the clouds in China looked on Saturday, and Anna Nordqvist caught Korda on her phone during the delay. They’re all playing for this beautiful trophy, and we’ll see who steps up big over the rest of the weekend to grab it.
Elsewhere, Paula Creamer enjoyed Japan with friends, Natalie Gulbis got in an early morning workout and practiced in Las Vegas with sheep nearby, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham enjoyed some tasty food in Toronto. Karen Stupples saw some stars at the Mission Hills Celebrity Pro-Am, Suzann Pettersen saw Yao Ming there as well, and Catriona Matthew played some golf at this scenic locale.
So Yeon Ryu is enjoying the fall weather in her native Republic of Korea, Gulbis and her hubby took in a Sacramento Kings-Los Angeles Lakers preseason game in Las Vegas, and here is a photo that shows a little beauty and bleak in the same shot.
Inbee Park is projected to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings on Monday thanks to Stacy Lewis’ absence last week and this week, setting up a highly interesting finish for the season. The drama is about to ratchet up a notch!
Until next time….
LPGA enjoys return to China for second tournament
For the second time in four weeks, the LPGA Tour is spending a week in China, where players will tee it up in the Blue Bay LPGA event this weekend.
This marks the fourth consecutive week in Asia for the LPGA, and KLPGA member Kyu Jung Baek won the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in her home country of Republic of South Korea. She moved up 20 spots to 13th in the Rolex Women’s Golf World Rankings after her big playoff victory over fellow South Korean In Gee Chun and American Brittany Lincicome, and she must have gotten a thrill by this nice message from legend Gary Player.
It was a busy weekend in the Republic of South Korea, with Danielle Kang having fun with fans, Paula Creamer thanked some service men and women who came to the tournament to watch her play, and Inbee Park had plenty of fan support. Here is a picture of the tunnel players walked through en route to the first tee at Sky 72 Golf Club, the par-3 third hole had a special bonus for a hole-in-one all week, and one hole was dedicated for the golf course designer, some guy named Jack.
Michelle Wie enjoyed spending time with her large family in Seoul and was thrilled to be back in action, Natalie Gulbis made an interesting find at the Seoul airport on Sunday, and Lexi Thompson got a Jamba Juice fix there. Wie and Mo Martin, a pair of 2014 major champions, showed off their wrist braces, Lincicome hung with friends at the airport while waiting on a flight, and Kang celebrated her 22nd birthday with her mom.
This week’s tournament is a first-year event, so a new champion is assured for the LPGA’s second Chinese stop of the year. Players have been enjoying the hospitality on Hainan Island at this week’s event, and the views have been amazing.
This is Thompson’s amazing view from her hotel room, here is what Morgan Pressel will look at all week when she’s not at the course, and Sandra Gal is also staying in style. Just to make us all even more jealous, Christina Kim shared her amazing view as well, while Mariajo Uribe lounged by the pool on Monday.
Anna Nordqvist was also poolside in China on Monday, as were Wie and Belen Mozo, and Kang is right, lovely Hainan Island is the “Hawaii of China.” Wie did her best mermaid impression, Pressel caught a shot of a sunset, and Kang had a great birthday.
Jessica Korda and Austin Ernst enjoyed a practice round together, Wie was part of a big press conference, and some players participated in a traditional bamboo dance. Kim and Lydia Ko also played a practice round on the gorgeous day.
In other locales, Nicole Castrale enjoyed the California weather, Sara Brown attended the Michigan State-Indiana game on Saturday, and Carin Koch was all smiles in Cape Town, South Africa. Rebecca Lee-Bentham played golf north of the border, Nicole Hage saw the Dallas Cowboys play on Sunday, and Becky Morgan enjoyed this view while in London.
Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam and Greg Norman were also in China, albeit a different part, for a press conference on Monday, Gulbis worked on her tan during a week off, and Suzann Pettersen was at the World Celebrity Pro-Am in a beautiful spot in China.
Kudos to Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who joined another hall over the weekend, and the Tour announced great news about a title sponsor for the next two International Crown events, the second of which will take place in the Republic of Korea. So Yeon Ryu and Azahara Munoz were on-hand for the press conference.
It seems that each week brings more great news for the Tour, and this past week was no exception. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Until next time….
Action heating up in Republic of Korea
The birdies have been scarce, but the excitement amplified at this week’s LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course has been a windswept challenge this week, with Karine Icher’s 5-under total leading the way through two rounds. Another round will be in the books by the time fans read this, and it should be an interesting weekend for the LPGA Tour’s best players.
There is never a shortage of activity during tournament week on Tour, and this week has been no different.
Lexi Thompson was glammed up, as usual, for the tournament’s gala dinner, Paula Creamer found some of her fellow American cohorts there, and here’s a cool photo from Inbee Park’s wedding from Monday. The sun was shining bright during the pro-am, Michelle Wie and Christina Kim were reunited, and Sandra Gal got her swirl on.
So Yeon Ryu found some friends at the dinner, the entertainment was well-received, and Lydia Ko got a photo with singer Lee Sung Chul. Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak and Brittany Lincicome were all smiles at the festive celebration, Danielle Kang ran into Mina Harigae and Lizette Salas there, and Anna Nordqvist and Lincicome posed for a framed photo during the course of the evening.
Natalie Gulbis took this great shot of the course’s 15th hole and heckled Sarah Jane Smith in the gym, Mariajo Uribe received some treatment after the opening round, and the LPGA shared this amazing photo of the course’ back nine. Jennifer Song appreciated some street art in Seoul, Kang and Salas were excited to get their nails done and did some shopping, and Azahara Munoz and Ryu enjoyed some Korean barbecue at a group dinner.
Elsewhere, Hall of Famer Juli Inkster spent some time in London with her daughter, Cori, here is a nice article about Morgan Pressel’s breast cancer charity work, and Kathleen Ekey captured this beautiful sunset back home. LPGA staff took part in digital media and social media offsite meetings this week, 2015 European Solheim Cup Captin Carin Koch visited the EWGA South Africa headquarters and beautiful Pearl Valley Golf Club, and Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols wrote about the Tour’s breast cancer charity leaders.
Karin Sjodin enjoyed the views in Oklahoma, while Furman University alum Dottie Pepper hung out with the women’s golf team.
Think you had a good week? Well, it doesn’t compare to the one Laura Davies had by a long shot. Davies officially received her medal signifying her bestowed title of “Dame” from the Queen of England and was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
That’s not bad at all!
Until next time….
Feng wins in Malaysia, players head to Republic of Korea
The LPGA’s international tour continued over the weekend in Malaysia, where China’s Shanshan Feng used an 8-under 63 on Sunday to claim her fourth career Tour win.
The friendly budding star was understandably ecstatic after hoisting the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia championship trophy and adding $300,000 to her season earnings total. Feng has many friends on Tour, and they were happy to see her win yet again.
This week, the Republic of Korea plays host to the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, where Amy Yang is the defending champion in her home country. The weekend was hectic and the leaderboard ever-changing, and the tournament did not disappoint.
Paula Creamer ran into a familiar friend of the LPGA, Feng signed autographs while she waited for the final groups finish, and this photo of Julieta Granada shows just how pretty the course in Kuala Lumpur is. Danielle Kang’s buddy helped cheer her up after a rough weekend, while Natalie Gulbis and Lexi Thompson worked out together.
Elsewhere, LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann ran into Charlie Rymer on the field before the Missouri-Georgia game on Saturday, but Kann’s Tigers suffered a similar fate as my Auburn Tigers, and he then attended the National League Championship Series game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. Michelle Wie played tourist in overalls in the Republic of Korea on Saturday, Sunday was Cristie Kerr’s birthday, and Karen Stupples talked golf shots on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program.
Beatriz Recari was in Incheon on Sunday for an Allianz Golf event, Creamer visited Camp Red Cloud in Korea, where she arrived in style in an awesome helicopter, visited with U.S. troops and their families and showed them how to hit great shots. Creamer even dined with brass, had her own special name patch, shot some massively large guns and learned how to throw a tomahawk thanks to the help of the soldiers.
Rolex welcomed Anna Nordqvist and other players to the Republic of Korea with these, Granada visited Seoul and did some sightseeing, and Gulbis got some practice in while decked out in Adidas gear. Morgan Pressel helped Kerr celebrate her birthday and also captured this sunrise before hitting the links at the beautiful Sky 72 Golf Club in Korea on Monday, Jennifer Song had some interesting seafood pasta, and here is a nice shot of some pretty and talented ladies.
Here is a video of Thompson teeing off on the 18th hole at this week’s event, Wie has a new Kia golf bag, and Jessica Korda and a friend enjoyed the scenery during a practice round. Lizette Salas and Kang found some snacks, Korean barbecue was enjoyed by all at dinner on Tuesday night, and Salas ran across an oddly named restaurant.
Congratulations are also in order for Dame Laura Davies, who officially received her hardware on Tuesday. Davies is a great lady and a wonderful ambassador for the game, and she deserves every honor she receives.
Until next time….
Who wants to win in Malaysia?
We’re through three rounds of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, and we’ve had three different leaders so far this week.
Pornanong Phatlum will tee it up Sunday holding a three-shot advantage over Japan’s Ayako Uehara (photo) after carding a 65 on Saturday, and nine players are within five strokes heading into the final 18 holes. World No. 1 Stacy Lewis led after day one, then So Yeon Ryu held the 36-hole lead before Phatlum took over.
So, it’s anyone’s tournament to win at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, and the back nine should be something to watch on Golf Channel on Sunday.
Malaysia has offered a variety of treats for LPGA players this week, and they’ve had a great time in the hospitable country. Jessica Korda enjoyed the pro-am on Wednesday, Lexi Thompson teed it up with this group, saw the Queen of Malaysia at the tournament and had time for an afternoon workout, and Mariajo Uribe had a great view of the twin towers from dinner.
Morgan Pressel took a selfie with some Malaysian junior golfers, Natalie Gulbis and Thompson posed for a photo before the pro-am, and Azahara Munoz has some help recovering from the grind of the Tour. Danielle Kang gave Mina Harigae ukulele lessons, Anna Nordqvist had fun at the tournament’s pro-am dinner, and Ryu found a tasty way to refuel.
A pink-clad Thompson signed autographs after her round, Chella Choi was assessed a two-stroke penalty, and Paula Creamer made this fan’s day with an autograph. Sandra Gal produced this interesting drawing, Kang found some tasty seafood, Uribe did some shopping in Malaysia, and Gulbis made her way to the TV booth at the tournament.
LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann hosted an “Ask LPGA” Q&A session for fans on Twitter on Thursday, while Ryann O’Toole was at TPC Sawgrass working with instructor Jorge Parada. Karin Sjodin hung out with the Oklahoma State women’s golf team in Chicago, Melissa Reid hit the gym hard, and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was the keynote speaker (video) at an ESPNW conference that was also attended by Nicole Castrale.
Hall of Famer Juli Inkster toured Rome with her daughters, Brittany Lincicome’s boyfriend hooked a tiger shark on their most recent fishing trip, Korda can be found in the November Golf Digest, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham attended the Toronto Raptors’ basketball game on Friday night.
Lewis is on the cover of the new GOLF Magazine, here is an interesting article about Lydia Ko’s ambitions to be No. 1 in the world, and Sara Brown was on Golf Channel’s “School of Golf” program. Veronica Felibert had this “office” view on Wednesday, Michelle Wie had a big crew to help her celebrate her birthday early and is apparently training to be a ninja, and Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam had a birthday on Thursday.
Good news continues to roll in for the LPGA, as the Tour announced a new marketing partner on Thursday. The hits just keep on coming!
Until next time….
Lee’s win kicks off LPGA’s international tour with style
Mirim Lee was stellar in becoming the season’s newest two-time winner on Sunday, and she was certainly thrilled to kick off the LPGA’s seven-week international tour with a bang at the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
Jane Park captured the beauty of Reignwood Pine Valley Golf Club, site of the Reignwood LPGA Classic, this shot shows just how large the crowd was at the event, and LPGA players added more money for the Wounded Warrior Project with some eagles in China. Danielle Kang had a blast with her pro-am group in China earlier in the week, while Mariajo Uribe was all smiles after a solid week there, and players got decked out for the tournament gala in China.
Belen Mozo got back on social media after a workout in Malaysia, here is a nice shot of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, and Uribe did the tourist thing on Monday in Kuala Lumpur. Jessica Korda, Anna Nordqvist and Jodi Ewart Shadoff played a practice round together, Suzann Pettersen conducted a clinic for kids, and Natalie Gulbis shared this nice shot of the course.
The gala dinner in Malaysia also got players to dress up, Korda and Nordqvist were twin towers at the party, and Kang hung out with friends there as well. Lexi Thompson took some video of the night’s entertainment and was surprised to find herself on the cover of Elle Malaysia.
Over the weekend, Korda was still smiling after a 40-hour travel trip and found herself on a promotional billboard in Malaysia, Azahara Munoz successfully defended her Ladies European Tour title thanks to the help of her caddie, Jonny Scott, and Michelle Wie was banging a Nike driver on the range.
Liselotte Neumann spent a beautiful few days hiking, Dame Laura Davies celebrated a birthday on Sunday, and golf fans can bid for a chance to play golf with Gulbis and raise money for breast cancer awareness. Gulbis practiced on Sunday before heading to Malaysia, where she will make her return to golf after rehabbing a hip injury.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam conducted another clinic on Saturday to some happy juniors, fans can win a Morgan Pressel golf bag by going here, and Nicole Castrale was also part of a junior clinic. Lizette Salas headed to Malaysia on Saturday, Paula Creamer said goodbye to her furry friend before hopping on a flight of her own, and Thompson hit the skies as well.
Commissioner Mike Whan spoke at the LPGA teachers’ national conference on Sunday, Steve Eubanks wrote this interesting piece on world No. 1 Stacy Lewis, and Dottie Pepper spoke to hundreds of school kids here about her new Bogey Ballton book that shows the pitfalls of bullying. Alison Walshe went on a catamaran in the Florida Keys, Sarah Kemp is spending a month in the lovely city of Sydney, Australia, and Inbee Park shared some pretty great wedding photos from what looks like a great wedding.
This new timeline is on display at LPGA Headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., Hall of Famer Juli Inkster found a good supply of wine, and Sarah Brown was on Golf Channel’s “Playing Lessons” program with Freddie Jacobsen. Thompson was included in Golf Digest’s recap of recent events, where she showed off the results of her consistent regimen of workouts.
Another week, another 100 things to take note of relating to the LPGA Tour. Gotta love it!
Until next time….
Beauty and birdies in China for LPGA’s best
We’re off and running in China, and it has been an interesting week at the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis led the way after 36 holes with a 12-under total, with fellow American Brittany Lang two strokes back and a host of players from around the globe within striking distance. By the time you read this, Round 3 will have concluded, and we will know what the battle for the tournament title will look like as it begins on Sunday.
Players have enjoyed their time in China and the tournament’s hospitality this week, and they are living the dream of playing pro golf at exotic locales. The Asian country may still have some restrictions on social media, but it hasn’t stopped LPGA players from posting like crazy, as usual.
Mariajo Uribe can keep a cool head thanks to some new hats and did some sightseeing, Sarah Kemp hit balls into the fog in China, Jane Park found the suds, and defending champion Shanshan Feng was mobbed by fans in her native country.
In other corners of the world, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was a guest on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program on Thursday. He talked about his goals for the Tour in 2015 and beyond, and you can see that interview here.
Michelle Wie continued to explore the depths of her considerable art talent, Lexi Thompson mingled with a new friend in Florida, and Lizette Salas made a change to her hair. Here is an amazing picture of Anna Nordqvist admiring a beautiful sunrise, Lorena Ochoa was captured in a rare photo practicing in her native Mexico, and Thompson posted about the importance of stretching before and after workouts as she did just that before an afternoon practice session.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam received this adorable letter from a 7-year-old fan and posed for a picture with another young one at a golf clinic she gave, and she was given a very special cart number on her transportation for the day. Wie worked out pretty darn hard at a new gym, Sara Brown was one of the players competing in the Big Break Invitational, and Wie had fun on a night out with friends.
Jessica Korda snapped this cool shot of some amazing-looking clouds during a flight on Friday, Thompson was featured in this PUMA advertisement, and the uber-talented Tristan Jones captured this great shot of Azahara Munoz hitting out of a bunker at the LET event. Natalie Gulbis was practicing in New Jersey on Friday, Dottie Pepper got creative with her book characters’ head covers, Tiffany Joh injured her feet pretty badly and Ginger Howard was all smiles after finishing as the medalist at the LPGA Stage II Qualifying Tournament in Venice, Fla.
Fans can vote for the Kia Most Compelling Award and win a trip to Naples, Fla., for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, and here is a nice video on the Tour by CNN’s Shane O’Donoghue.
Women’s golf continues to buzz, and that won’t change anytime soon. Nor should it.
Until next time….
On to China to begin international swing
The final off week has come and gone, and now it’s time to get to work.
LPGA players did just that this week, heading to China for the Reignwood LPGA Classic that kicks off a seven-week international swing that is anchored in Asia. Tour stars, including defending champion Shanshan Feng, were thrilled to travel to the exotic country this week, and there was plenty to share on social media.
Mariajo Uribe was already in China on Sunday and shared this great photo, Christina Kim’s parents went with her to China and looked to be having a great time, and Stacy Lewis announced on Tuesday that she is raising money for The Founders Film, a project that is gaining momentum at every turn. Tiffany Joh and friends hammed it up at the Great Wall, Jane Park hung out with friends at the tournament’s gala dinner, and Kim did more sightseeing with her parents on Tuesday.
Last week may have been one for rest for LPGA players, but the Legends Tour had the ISPS Handa Cup in Mississippi. Team USA defeated the European contingent in a competitive set of matches that must have been a treat for fans lucky enough to watch in person.
This group of former U.S. Solheim Cup captains played in the event, giving it even more star power.
Otherwise, Lexi Thompson added some pink to her hair in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month beginning on Wednesday, Michelle Wie worked on a new painting that looked like this when completed, and CNN did an article on Wie’s off-the-course outlet. Thompson participated in the CME Group Tour Championship media day in Naples, Fla., and even got in some practice while she was there, while a GoPro camera caught this awesome shot of Wie trying out a new Nike driver.
Laura Diaz helped raise money for scholarships on Tuesday, Azahara Munoz did some media work and received a nice gift from her sponsor, LaCoste.
On Sunday, Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam enjoyed some tasty-looking sushi at her awards dinner that honored UCLA’s Alison Lee, Brittany Lang went to a rifle range with her husband and father, and a pregnant Amanda Blumenherst celebrated with her husband, Nate Freiman, as the Oakland Athletics earned a spot in the American League Wild Card game. Anna Nordqvist practiced in European colors on Sunday in support of Team Europe for the Ryder Cup, Wie and some friends helped their four-legged buddy learn how to surf, and Kim had this pretty view during a practice session.
This week also means Stage II of the annual LPGA Qualifying Tournament, so stay tuned to LPGA.com for updates and details.
Until next time….
Action heating up in Republic of Korea
The birdies have been scarce, but the excitement amplified at this week’s LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course has been a windswept challenge this week, with Karine Icher’s 5-under total leading the way through two rounds. Another round will be in the books by the time fans read this, and it should be an interesting weekend for the LPGA Tour’s best players.
There is never a shortage of activity during tournament week on Tour, and this week has been no different.
Lexi Thompson was glammed up, as usual, for the tournament’s gala dinner, Paula Creamer found some of her fellow American cohorts there, and here’s a cool photo from Inbee Park’s wedding from Monday. The sun was shining bright during the pro-am, Michelle Wie and Christina Kim were reunited, and Sandra Gal got her swirl on.
So Yeon Ryu found some friends at the dinner, the entertainment was well-received, and Lydia Ko got a photo with singer Lee Sung Chul. Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak and Brittany Lincicome were all smiles at the festive celebration, Danielle Kang ran into Mina Harigae and Lizette Salas there, and Anna Nordqvist and Lincicome posed for a framed photo during the course of the evening.
Natalie Gulbis took this great shot of the course’s 15th hole and heckled Sarah Jane Smith in the gym, Mariajo Uribe received some treatment after the opening round, and the LPGA shared this amazing photo of the course’ back nine. Jennifer Song appreciated some street art in Seoul, Kang and Salas were excited to get their nails done and did some shopping, and Azahara Munoz and Ryu enjoyed some Korean barbecue at a group dinner.
Elsewhere, Hall of Famer Juli Inkster spent some time in London with her daughter, Cori, here is a nice article about Morgan Pressel’s breast cancer charity work, and Kathleen Ekey captured this beautiful sunset back home. LPGA staff took part in digital media and social media offsite meetings this week, 2015 European Solheim Cup Captin Carin Koch visited the EWGA South Africa headquarters and beautiful Pearl Valley Golf Club, and Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols wrote about the Tour’s breast cancer charity leaders.
Karin Sjodin enjoyed the views in Oklahoma, while Furman University alum Dottie Pepper hung out with the women’s golf team.
Think you had a good week? Well, it doesn’t compare to the one Laura Davies had by a long shot. Davies officially received her medal signifying her bestowed title of “Dame” from the Queen of England and was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
That’s not bad at all!
Until next time….
Feng wins in Malaysia, players head to Republic of Korea
The LPGA’s international tour continued over the weekend in Malaysia, where China’s Shanshan Feng used an 8-under 63 on Sunday to claim her fourth career Tour win.
The friendly budding star was understandably ecstatic after hoisting the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia championship trophy and adding $300,000 to her season earnings total. Feng has many friends on Tour, and they were happy to see her win yet again.
This week, the Republic of Korea plays host to the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, where Amy Yang is the defending champion in her home country. The weekend was hectic and the leaderboard ever-changing, and the tournament did not disappoint.
Paula Creamer ran into a familiar friend of the LPGA, Feng signed autographs while she waited for the final groups finish, and this photo of Julieta Granada shows just how pretty the course in Kuala Lumpur is. Danielle Kang’s buddy helped cheer her up after a rough weekend, while Natalie Gulbis and Lexi Thompson worked out together.
Elsewhere, LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann ran into Charlie Rymer on the field before the Missouri-Georgia game on Saturday, but Kann’s Tigers suffered a similar fate as my Auburn Tigers, and he then attended the National League Championship Series game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. Michelle Wie played tourist in overalls in the Republic of Korea on Saturday, Sunday was Cristie Kerr’s birthday, and Karen Stupples talked golf shots on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program.
Beatriz Recari was in Incheon on Sunday for an Allianz Golf event, Creamer visited Camp Red Cloud in Korea, where she arrived in style in an awesome helicopter, visited with U.S. troops and their families and showed them how to hit great shots. Creamer even dined with brass, had her own special name patch, shot some massively large guns and learned how to throw a tomahawk thanks to the help of the soldiers.
Rolex welcomed Anna Nordqvist and other players to the Republic of Korea with these, Granada visited Seoul and did some sightseeing, and Gulbis got some practice in while decked out in Adidas gear. Morgan Pressel helped Kerr celebrate her birthday and also captured this sunrise before hitting the links at the beautiful Sky 72 Golf Club in Korea on Monday, Jennifer Song had some interesting seafood pasta, and here is a nice shot of some pretty and talented ladies.
Here is a video of Thompson teeing off on the 18th hole at this week’s event, Wie has a new Kia golf bag, and Jessica Korda and a friend enjoyed the scenery during a practice round. Lizette Salas and Kang found some snacks, Korean barbecue was enjoyed by all at dinner on Tuesday night, and Salas ran across an oddly named restaurant.
Congratulations are also in order for Dame Laura Davies, who officially received her hardware on Tuesday. Davies is a great lady and a wonderful ambassador for the game, and she deserves every honor she receives.
Until next time….
Who wants to win in Malaysia?
We’re through three rounds of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, and we’ve had three different leaders so far this week.
Pornanong Phatlum will tee it up Sunday holding a three-shot advantage over Japan’s Ayako Uehara (photo) after carding a 65 on Saturday, and nine players are within five strokes heading into the final 18 holes. World No. 1 Stacy Lewis led after day one, then So Yeon Ryu held the 36-hole lead before Phatlum took over.
So, it’s anyone’s tournament to win at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, and the back nine should be something to watch on Golf Channel on Sunday.
Malaysia has offered a variety of treats for LPGA players this week, and they’ve had a great time in the hospitable country. Jessica Korda enjoyed the pro-am on Wednesday, Lexi Thompson teed it up with this group, saw the Queen of Malaysia at the tournament and had time for an afternoon workout, and Mariajo Uribe had a great view of the twin towers from dinner.
Morgan Pressel took a selfie with some Malaysian junior golfers, Natalie Gulbis and Thompson posed for a photo before the pro-am, and Azahara Munoz has some help recovering from the grind of the Tour. Danielle Kang gave Mina Harigae ukulele lessons, Anna Nordqvist had fun at the tournament’s pro-am dinner, and Ryu found a tasty way to refuel.
A pink-clad Thompson signed autographs after her round, Chella Choi was assessed a two-stroke penalty, and Paula Creamer made this fan’s day with an autograph. Sandra Gal produced this interesting drawing, Kang found some tasty seafood, Uribe did some shopping in Malaysia, and Gulbis made her way to the TV booth at the tournament.
LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann hosted an “Ask LPGA” Q&A session for fans on Twitter on Thursday, while Ryann O’Toole was at TPC Sawgrass working with instructor Jorge Parada. Karin Sjodin hung out with the Oklahoma State women’s golf team in Chicago, Melissa Reid hit the gym hard, and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was the keynote speaker (video) at an ESPNW conference that was also attended by Nicole Castrale.
Hall of Famer Juli Inkster toured Rome with her daughters, Brittany Lincicome’s boyfriend hooked a tiger shark on their most recent fishing trip, Korda can be found in the November Golf Digest, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham attended the Toronto Raptors’ basketball game on Friday night.
Lewis is on the cover of the new GOLF Magazine, here is an interesting article about Lydia Ko’s ambitions to be No. 1 in the world, and Sara Brown was on Golf Channel’s “School of Golf” program. Veronica Felibert had this “office” view on Wednesday, Michelle Wie had a big crew to help her celebrate her birthday early and is apparently training to be a ninja, and Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam had a birthday on Thursday.
Good news continues to roll in for the LPGA, as the Tour announced a new marketing partner on Thursday. The hits just keep on coming!
Until next time….
Lee’s win kicks off LPGA’s international tour with style
Mirim Lee was stellar in becoming the season’s newest two-time winner on Sunday, and she was certainly thrilled to kick off the LPGA’s seven-week international tour with a bang at the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
Jane Park captured the beauty of Reignwood Pine Valley Golf Club, site of the Reignwood LPGA Classic, this shot shows just how large the crowd was at the event, and LPGA players added more money for the Wounded Warrior Project with some eagles in China. Danielle Kang had a blast with her pro-am group in China earlier in the week, while Mariajo Uribe was all smiles after a solid week there, and players got decked out for the tournament gala in China.
Belen Mozo got back on social media after a workout in Malaysia, here is a nice shot of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, and Uribe did the tourist thing on Monday in Kuala Lumpur. Jessica Korda, Anna Nordqvist and Jodi Ewart Shadoff played a practice round together, Suzann Pettersen conducted a clinic for kids, and Natalie Gulbis shared this nice shot of the course.
The gala dinner in Malaysia also got players to dress up, Korda and Nordqvist were twin towers at the party, and Kang hung out with friends there as well. Lexi Thompson took some video of the night’s entertainment and was surprised to find herself on the cover of Elle Malaysia.
Over the weekend, Korda was still smiling after a 40-hour travel trip and found herself on a promotional billboard in Malaysia, Azahara Munoz successfully defended her Ladies European Tour title thanks to the help of her caddie, Jonny Scott, and Michelle Wie was banging a Nike driver on the range.
Liselotte Neumann spent a beautiful few days hiking, Dame Laura Davies celebrated a birthday on Sunday, and golf fans can bid for a chance to play golf with Gulbis and raise money for breast cancer awareness. Gulbis practiced on Sunday before heading to Malaysia, where she will make her return to golf after rehabbing a hip injury.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam conducted another clinic on Saturday to some happy juniors, fans can win a Morgan Pressel golf bag by going here, and Nicole Castrale was also part of a junior clinic. Lizette Salas headed to Malaysia on Saturday, Paula Creamer said goodbye to her furry friend before hopping on a flight of her own, and Thompson hit the skies as well.
Commissioner Mike Whan spoke at the LPGA teachers’ national conference on Sunday, Steve Eubanks wrote this interesting piece on world No. 1 Stacy Lewis, and Dottie Pepper spoke to hundreds of school kids here about her new Bogey Ballton book that shows the pitfalls of bullying. Alison Walshe went on a catamaran in the Florida Keys, Sarah Kemp is spending a month in the lovely city of Sydney, Australia, and Inbee Park shared some pretty great wedding photos from what looks like a great wedding.
This new timeline is on display at LPGA Headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., Hall of Famer Juli Inkster found a good supply of wine, and Sarah Brown was on Golf Channel’s “Playing Lessons” program with Freddie Jacobsen. Thompson was included in Golf Digest’s recap of recent events, where she showed off the results of her consistent regimen of workouts.
Another week, another 100 things to take note of relating to the LPGA Tour. Gotta love it!
Until next time….
Beauty and birdies in China for LPGA’s best
We’re off and running in China, and it has been an interesting week at the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis led the way after 36 holes with a 12-under total, with fellow American Brittany Lang two strokes back and a host of players from around the globe within striking distance. By the time you read this, Round 3 will have concluded, and we will know what the battle for the tournament title will look like as it begins on Sunday.
Players have enjoyed their time in China and the tournament’s hospitality this week, and they are living the dream of playing pro golf at exotic locales. The Asian country may still have some restrictions on social media, but it hasn’t stopped LPGA players from posting like crazy, as usual.
Mariajo Uribe can keep a cool head thanks to some new hats and did some sightseeing, Sarah Kemp hit balls into the fog in China, Jane Park found the suds, and defending champion Shanshan Feng was mobbed by fans in her native country.
In other corners of the world, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was a guest on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program on Thursday. He talked about his goals for the Tour in 2015 and beyond, and you can see that interview here.
Michelle Wie continued to explore the depths of her considerable art talent, Lexi Thompson mingled with a new friend in Florida, and Lizette Salas made a change to her hair. Here is an amazing picture of Anna Nordqvist admiring a beautiful sunrise, Lorena Ochoa was captured in a rare photo practicing in her native Mexico, and Thompson posted about the importance of stretching before and after workouts as she did just that before an afternoon practice session.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam received this adorable letter from a 7-year-old fan and posed for a picture with another young one at a golf clinic she gave, and she was given a very special cart number on her transportation for the day. Wie worked out pretty darn hard at a new gym, Sara Brown was one of the players competing in the Big Break Invitational, and Wie had fun on a night out with friends.
Jessica Korda snapped this cool shot of some amazing-looking clouds during a flight on Friday, Thompson was featured in this PUMA advertisement, and the uber-talented Tristan Jones captured this great shot of Azahara Munoz hitting out of a bunker at the LET event. Natalie Gulbis was practicing in New Jersey on Friday, Dottie Pepper got creative with her book characters’ head covers, Tiffany Joh injured her feet pretty badly and Ginger Howard was all smiles after finishing as the medalist at the LPGA Stage II Qualifying Tournament in Venice, Fla.
Fans can vote for the Kia Most Compelling Award and win a trip to Naples, Fla., for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, and here is a nice video on the Tour by CNN’s Shane O’Donoghue.
Women’s golf continues to buzz, and that won’t change anytime soon. Nor should it.
Until next time….
On to China to begin international swing
The final off week has come and gone, and now it’s time to get to work.
LPGA players did just that this week, heading to China for the Reignwood LPGA Classic that kicks off a seven-week international swing that is anchored in Asia. Tour stars, including defending champion Shanshan Feng, were thrilled to travel to the exotic country this week, and there was plenty to share on social media.
Mariajo Uribe was already in China on Sunday and shared this great photo, Christina Kim’s parents went with her to China and looked to be having a great time, and Stacy Lewis announced on Tuesday that she is raising money for The Founders Film, a project that is gaining momentum at every turn. Tiffany Joh and friends hammed it up at the Great Wall, Jane Park hung out with friends at the tournament’s gala dinner, and Kim did more sightseeing with her parents on Tuesday.
Last week may have been one for rest for LPGA players, but the Legends Tour had the ISPS Handa Cup in Mississippi. Team USA defeated the European contingent in a competitive set of matches that must have been a treat for fans lucky enough to watch in person.
This group of former U.S. Solheim Cup captains played in the event, giving it even more star power.
Otherwise, Lexi Thompson added some pink to her hair in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month beginning on Wednesday, Michelle Wie worked on a new painting that looked like this when completed, and CNN did an article on Wie’s off-the-course outlet. Thompson participated in the CME Group Tour Championship media day in Naples, Fla., and even got in some practice while she was there, while a GoPro camera caught this awesome shot of Wie trying out a new Nike driver.
Laura Diaz helped raise money for scholarships on Tuesday, Azahara Munoz did some media work and received a nice gift from her sponsor, LaCoste.
On Sunday, Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam enjoyed some tasty-looking sushi at her awards dinner that honored UCLA’s Alison Lee, Brittany Lang went to a rifle range with her husband and father, and a pregnant Amanda Blumenherst celebrated with her husband, Nate Freiman, as the Oakland Athletics earned a spot in the American League Wild Card game. Anna Nordqvist practiced in European colors on Sunday in support of Team Europe for the Ryder Cup, Wie and some friends helped their four-legged buddy learn how to surf, and Kim had this pretty view during a practice session.
This week also means Stage II of the annual LPGA Qualifying Tournament, so stay tuned to LPGA.com for updates and details.
Until next time….
Neal Reid is a full-time freelance writer based in Colorado Springs, Colo., who just spent nine weeks covering the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, as a sports writer for the Olympic News Service. The Auburn University graduate spent six years as an LPGA media relations coordinator from 1998-2004. Follow him on Twitter @NealReid21.
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