The 2009 LPGA tournament schedule begins this Thursday in Hawaii amid what seems to be an unprecedented amount of fluctuation. The world financial situation has resulted in a shocking four tournaments being lopped off of the schedule from last year. One has to wonder how many others are on shaky ground.
The great Annika Sorenstam has hung up her Hall of Fame soft spikes to pursue other challenges in life. While she had been quite the box office draw, will the promising career of Michelle Wie finally come to fruition and help fill the void? Lorena Ochoa is currently number one in the world but it may be that 20 year old Ji Yai Shin hunts her down this year. Virtually overlooked by the golfing world is the fact that this incredibly mature youngster won three times in just 10 LPGA events last year while playing as a non-member. First was the British Open and the last was the Tour Championship, both against the best fields in women’s golf. With a full schedule, who knows how much she will accomplish?
And finally, fashion plate Anna Rawson uttered a few thoughts on the age-old lesbian issue, using less than flattering terms. And this, coming on the heels of last year’s PR disaster regarding speaking English. Fortunately for Rawson and golf, the offending words were spoken during an interview on an Australian radio broadcast and not on television. Certainly, there will be punishment meted out and it will likely be kept very hush, hush. This can of worms is one the LPGA really wants to avoid opening.
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The Accidental Golfer:
Brandon Tucker:
Mark Nessmith:
Jason Scott Deegan:
Excited by the LPGA tour? Really?
The dismally slow play yesterday was similar to watching paint dry.
I admit that I didn't see much of the SBS event, but the final hole as played by the Stanford-Park-Wie threesome said it all.
Bubbles came to the 18th hole trailing Stanford by three shots, but safely ahead of Park by three.
Eighteen was a par five, so, as the announcer said, Bubbles had to let it all hang out and try for the green in two and get an eagle try and hope for Stanford to bogey the hole. She had nothing to lose.
So what did the phenom with the 300-yard drives do? She left her driver in the bag, opting for a three wood instead, laid up 100 yards from the green on her second, pitched on and two-putted for a par!
She played the hole as though SHE had the three-shot lead.
Now, if that sort of strategy excites you, well, what can I say?
On the subject of Bubbles, she played what is surely her best tournament as a professional. Still, she came up short by turning a three-shot lead into a two-shot deficit in a five hole stretch.
She obviously hasn't learned how to close the deal, and it is quite possible that she never will.
Alex USMC 1969-73
Does the media keep showing us Wie due to the NASCAR effect, as they think we are waiting for the crash?
While I would have liked to see Stacy and Vicky Hurst perform better, they quite obviously didn't live up to their billing.
Is that what you meant when you said you wanted to see what she could do?
As I have told Alex before, if the LPGA disturbs you that much, change channels. No one is holding you hostage, breaking your arms or holding a gun to your head to force you to watch.
No one forces you to read the comments from the press or watch the sports shows that hype Wie.
You always have a choice.