Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC

NEXT UP ON ASIAN SWING – CHINESE TAIPEI AND SWINGING SKIRTS

It’s Week Two of the LPGA’s fall Asian swing, with the Tour on to Chinese Taipei for the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC. World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu and World No. 2 Sung Hyun Park, who also sit second and first, respectively, on the LPGA Money List, headline the 81-player field that will take to Miramar Golf Country Club for the 29th event on the 2017 schedule.

The 2016 tournament saw fan-favorite Ha Na Jang eke out a one-stroke victory over a hard-charging Shanshan Feng. It was the third victory on the season for Jang, who has since returned to her native Republic of Korea to play full time.  Three of the five players to have won this event – Jang (2016), Lydia Ko (2015) and local hero Yani Tseng (2011) – are teeing it up this week, as well as past runners-up Feng (2016), Eun-Hee Ji (2015), Stacy Lewis (2014), Azahara Munoz (2013, 2011), Ryu (2015) and Amy Yang (2011).

After the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC, the LPGA Tour heads to Malaysia, Japan and the People’s Republic of China before going back to the United States of America for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SWINGING SKIRTS LPGA TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY CTBC

• This is the seventh playing of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC
• The six previous champions come from four countries – Chinese Taipei (Yani Tseng, 2011), Norway (Suzann Pettersen, 2012, 2013), the Republic of Korea (Inbee Park, 2014; Ha Na Jang, 2016), New Zealand (Lydia Ko, 2015)
• The tournament has been held at Miramar Golf Country Club since 2014
• The tournament’s low 18-hole score is 10-under 62, returned four times (Mirim Lee, second round, 2014; Inbee Park, second round, 2014; Jodi Ewart Shadoff, third round, 2016; Ha Na Jang, third round, 2016)
• The tournament’s low 72-hole score is 22-under 266, returned by Inbee Park in 2014s
• When Lydia Ko won the 2015 tournament, she became the youngest player to earn 10 victories in LPGA history; she was 18 years, 6 months and 1 day of age
• The Swinging Skirts Golf Team, a nonprofit organization based in Chinese Taipei, is a group of male and female golfers who are focused on growing women’s golf around the world

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DEFENDING CHAMPION HA NA JANG

• Won the 2017 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, closing with an eagle and three birdies over her final six holes to earn a three-stroke victory over Nanna Koertz Madsen
• Has four career LPGA victories, including a one-stroke win at the 2016 Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship (then called the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship), and five runner-up finishes
• Is well known for her spirited victory celebrations
• Since May, has played on the KLPGA Tour, citing a desire to spend more time with her Korea-based family
• Has two runner-up finishes this summer on the KLPGA Tour, at the HighOne Resort Ladies Open and the Isugroup KLPGA Championship
• Currently No. 8 on the KLPGA Money List and No. 19 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings

WHO’S IN THE FIELD

2017 LPGA Winners (15):

Brittany Lincicome (Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic), Ha Na Jang (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open), Amy Yang (Honda LPGA Thailand), Mirim Lee (Kia Classic), So Yeon Ryu (ANA Inspiration, Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G), Haru Nomura (Volunteers of America Texas Shootout presented by JTBC), Cristie Kerr (LOTTE Championship presented by Hershey), Sei Young Kim (Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Match Play presented by Aeromexico and Delta), Shanshan Feng (LPGA Volvik Championship), Ariya Jutanugarn (Manulife LPGA Classic), Brooke Henderson (Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open), Danielle Kang (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship), Katherine Kirk (Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic), Sung Hyun Park (U.S. Women’s Open Championship, CP Women’s Open), Stacy Lewis (Cambia Portland Classic)

2017 Solheim Cup Participants (15)

Team USA (8): Danielle Kang, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lang, Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lincicome, Lizette Salas, Michelle Wie, Angel Yin

Team Europe (7): Carlota Ciganda, Charley Hull, Karine Icher, Caroline Masson, Anna Nordqvist, Madelene Sagstrom, Jodi Ewart Shadoff

2017 LPGA Rookies (9):

Aditi Ashok, Nicole Broch Larsen, Peiyun Chien, Laura Gonzalez Escallon, Nelly Korda, Olafia Kristinsdottir, Sung Hyun Park, Madelene Sagstrom, Angel Yin

WWGR UPDATE – RYU STILL AT NO. 1, BUT PARK PULLS CLOSER; CHUN, KO MAKE JUMPS

So Yeon Ryu continues her run at World No. 1, entering her 17th consecutive week atop the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. However, fresh off a runner-up finish at last week’s LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship, World No. 2 Sung Hyun Park is mounting a feverish challenge to move past Ryu and earn the top berth for the first time in her career.

Ryu reached No. 1 on June 26, following her victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. At that time, she held a .25-point advantage over then-No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn. Ryu continued to build her lead over the ensuing weeks, extending it to as much as 1.31 points over her nearest competitor. 

Park has been at World No. 2 since Aug. 18 and, thanks to last week’s runner-up finish, now sits only .24 point behind Ryu (8.7457 for Ryu, 8.5049 for Park). This marks Ryu’s smallest hold on No. 1 since the first week of her reign. Both players are in the field for this week’s Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC, and they will travel to Malaysia for next week’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Ryu will tee it up in two weeks at the TOTO Japan Classic, with Park taking a week off, while Park will play in the following week’s Blue Bay LPGA, with Ryu sitting out. Both players are expected to play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla., in mid-November. World No. 3 Lexi Thompson, who trails Ryu by nearly a point, only has Japan and Florida remaining on her schedule.

In Gee Chun, who finished third in Korea, jumped three spots to World No. 4, her highest ranking since late May. Jin Young Ko,who captured her first LPGA victory in Korea, rose 12 spots to World No. 21, her best showing since late 2015.

THE FINAL STRETCH IN THE RACE TO THE CME GLOBE

The Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by CTBC is the 29th event in the season-long Race to the CME Globe, which culminates at the CME Group Tour Championship in November. With only five more chances for players to earn valuable points, a good finish in Taiwan could make a big difference in earning a trip to Naples, Fla. – and a chance for $1 million. 

World No. 3 Lexi Thompson currently leads the standings with 3,266 points, followed by World No. 2 Sung Hyun Park (2,919 points) and World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu (2,776 points). World No. 11 Brooke Henderson (2,631 points) and World No. 7 In Gee Chun (2,475) wrap up the top five through the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship.

In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:

• The top five finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship
• If a player in the top five wins in Naples, she will also win the $1M CME Globe
• The top 12 finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe
• Please note that previously, the top three controlled their destiny and top nine had a mathematical chance

CME GROUP CARES WEEKENDS EAGLES UPDATE AFTER LPGA KEB HANA BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

CME Group Cares Weekend is a season-long charitable giving program that turns eagles into donations.  For each eagle recorded during weekend play (Saturday and Sunday) throughout the 2017 LPGA Tour season, CME Group donates $1,000 to the program’s total donation count. The money raised will go towards a charitable pool and be split evenly between Wounded Warrior Project® and Bright Pink®.

Players scored 10 eagles over the weekend at the 2017 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship, raising another $10,000 for charity. This brings the total to 261 eagles on the year, which translates to $261,000 raised. LPGA rookie Angel Yin leads the charitable efforts with eight eagles, followed by Sei Young Kim, Nelly Korda and Amy Yang with seven apiece.