Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Wednesday Preview - Coates Golf Championship

The LPGA Tour is back! For the first time in several years, the LPGA schedule begins in January, as the players shake off that winter rust and head to Florida for the first ever Coates Golf Championship.

Course: Golden Ocala Golf and Equastrian Club. Measures at 6,500 yards, so long hitters should have a slight advantage. This is the first time seeing this course, so the winning score is yet to be determined, but I would doubt that they would make it difficult out of the gate, so expect mid-teens under par.

Strength Of Field: C-. I am deducting points based off the announcement that "49 of the top 50 players" are playing this week, and yet the players on the Asian tours who fall within that category are not participating. What they meant to say was 49 of the top 50 MONEY WINNERS from 2014 will be competing. Also, Hyo Joo Kim, a favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award, is not teeing it up this week. Still, the big name players are here. I am just bitter.

Extra Tidbits: 16 rookies begin their LPGA Tour seasons, including Sandena Parks and Cheyenne Woods, marking the first time a duo of African American women are on the LPGA Tour at the same time...This is event number one of a 33 week schedule for the LPGA Tour. Five years ago, the LPGA only had 23 events on the schedule...rookie Ha Na Jang and relative unknown Jing Yang are the Monday qualifiers...this even will begin on Wednesday in order to avoid running up against the Superbowl on Sunday.


Fantasy Four:

Lydia Ko - The expectations on Lydia will only continue to grow. Won the inaugural Race For The CME Globe and won the final event on the LPGA schedule in 2014. When she is playing her best golf, she is the best player in the world, and she's both mentally and physically ready to take over the Rolex Rankings.

Inbee Park
Stacy Lewis - If you ask me right now who is better between the two, I would say Inbee by the slimmest of margins. I fully expect both players to rack up a bunch of top 10's again this season, starting with this week in Florida. They will both have to look over their shoulder for Lydia Ko all season, however. 

Michelle Wie - Is rested and fully healthy following the most successful year of her career. Michelle Wie is a roller coaster, and we never know what to expect from each week, but this is the kind of golf course that should fit her game. Is saying all the right things this week it make it sound like she's ready for another big year.

(SLEEPER) Ha Na Jang - With Hyo Joo Kim sitting this event out, this is the perfect opportunity for Ha Na Jang, who finished second to Kim a lot last season on the KLPGA Tour, to jump out to an early lead in the Rookie Of The Year standings. She's a big hitter, so this course should suit her. Jang will be hovering around a bunch of leaderboards this season.

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