- No surprises here: Davis Love III was named captain of the US Ryder Cup team a week after the announcement was leaked to the press. Love will have four vice-captains, and the first, Tom Lehman, was named this week. The task force will be selecting the vice-captains with the idea of grooming former captains.
- Looks like there has been a change in schedule for Rory McIlroy. Rory has typically played in the events in Texas to fine tune his game, but this week he announced he would be playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the first time in his career. Rory said he owed it to tournament host Arnold Palmer to finally play in his event. Rory's addition to the tournament turns an already deep field into one of the best events on Tour.
- Speaking of commitments, the Valero Texas Open announced this week that Phil Mickelson has committed to their tournament. This is the second year in a row that Phil will be playing in San Antonio, but he withdrew in the middle of the third round last year with pulled muscles. The Valero Texas Open was often a forgotten tournament, but with the likes of Lefty, Jordan Speith, and Martin Kaymer all playing, the field has quickly improved.
- Chalk this up to "never going to happen" - swing coach Butch Harmon reached out this week and said he was willing to offer advice to his former pupil Tiger Woods, if Woods were to ask. I highly doubt Tiger is going to be picking up the phone.
- So, did you know that you have to register prior to playing in a golf tournament. Of course, everyone knew this, but apparently it slipped the mind of Mark Hubbard, who has been disqualified from The Honda Classic for failing to register for the tournament. Hubbard got into the tournament as an alternate after Louis Oosthuizen withdrew on Monday, so Hubbard was likely scrambling to get ready to play and just forgot about the paperwork that was required. Many times, a player can face disciplinary actions, like fines, if they do not register for a tournament, but no further sanctions are expected to be levied against Hubbard.
- An advice to Tour professionals - if you start to struggle and you feel the grind of the professional life, just take some time off. That is what Amy Yang did in the off season. Yang, who has two top 5 finishes this year and is currently in solo second as of this writing in Thailand, said that she credits her renewed performance to an extended break that she took at the end of 2014. She shut down her season with a few tournaments left in the season and didn't touch a golf club for most of the off season, and Yang said that it helped get her back to wanting to play the game instead of seeing it as a job. It has certainly worked for her, as she's inside the top 10 in the Race For The CME Globe standings early in 2015.
- This week, the LPGA is playing in Thailand, and Thai superstar Ariya Jutanugarn took that opportunity to host a junior golf clinic in her home country. Ariya said that she got her love of the game from attending a golf clinic with Cristie Kerr, so she wanted to give back to the kids in Thailand. Ariya is quickly rising on the LPGA Tour, and will some day become a huge name on the international stage, so many of these young juniors are going look up to her.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Wednesday Preview - The Honda Classic
The PGA Tour leaves the West Coast behind and heads to Florida for The Honda Classic. This is the first event in the Florida Swing, as the PGA Tour will park itself in the Sunshine State for the next month (with the exception of the alternate field Puerto Rico Open).
Course: PGA National, measuring at 7,100 yards. Players who played Riveria last week won't get much of a reprieve this week, as PGA National plays almost as difficult. Single digit under par will be the winner once again. The "Bear Trap", holes 15-17, will ruin a bunch of people's tournaments.
Strength Of Field: B+. The best field we have seen, and one of the best fields of any non-major. Jason Day, Adam Scott, and Henrik Stenson are among the notable misses, but Rory McIlroy makes his 2015 debut, and all eyes will be on the number one player in the world.
Extra Tidbits: Tim Petrovic, Roberto Castro, Wes Homan, and Jhared Hack are the Monday Qualifiers. Petrovic, 48, has been in and out of the PGA Tour for years...This event was massively rejuvenated when Jack Nicklaus redesigned the PGA National. The event was having a tough time attracting big name players until Nicklaus made the course tougher and a truer test of skills...Six players within the top 35 in the world rankings have a home within 45 minutes of PGA National.
Course: PGA National, measuring at 7,100 yards. Players who played Riveria last week won't get much of a reprieve this week, as PGA National plays almost as difficult. Single digit under par will be the winner once again. The "Bear Trap", holes 15-17, will ruin a bunch of people's tournaments.
Strength Of Field: B+. The best field we have seen, and one of the best fields of any non-major. Jason Day, Adam Scott, and Henrik Stenson are among the notable misses, but Rory McIlroy makes his 2015 debut, and all eyes will be on the number one player in the world.
Extra Tidbits: Tim Petrovic, Roberto Castro, Wes Homan, and Jhared Hack are the Monday Qualifiers. Petrovic, 48, has been in and out of the PGA Tour for years...This event was massively rejuvenated when Jack Nicklaus redesigned the PGA National. The event was having a tough time attracting big name players until Nicklaus made the course tougher and a truer test of skills...Six players within the top 35 in the world rankings have a home within 45 minutes of PGA National.
Fantasy Four:
Rory McIlroy - Past winner. Finished second last year. World number one coming off a win on the European Tour. Absolutely dominate right now, and begins his PGA Tour season at a golf course he loves. Look out.
Sergio Garcia - Said he wasn't playing good golf last week, and still finished one shot out of the playoff. Seems to be mentally tougher, and is the kind of player who can contend several weeks in a row. Needs to eliminate the head scratching bad shots we saw last week.
Victor Dubuisson - As close to a sleeper pick as I can find, though no one would be shocked if he won. Pulled out of his last two commitments, which is concerning, but has finished T4 and T2 in his last two European Tour events.
Sang-Moon Bae - Playing so well this season that he deserves a look. He is a little too inconsistent for my liking, but he seems ready to take the next step, though the impending legal battle against the South Korean government is a concern. It doesn't appear to be bothering him, however.
Last Weeks Team:
Bubba Watson: T14
JB Holmes: T22
Colt Knost: CUT
Nick Watney: T22
Wednesday Preview - Honda LPGA Thailand
The second of three events on the early season Pacific Swing takes place this week in Thailand. You can consider this Honda week, as both events on the LPGA and PGA Tours are sponsored by Honda.
Course: Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course. Not an overly difficult course that won't get you into too much trouble. There will be many ways to get to the hole, but you're going to need to putt in order to win. Expect the winning score to be in the mid to upper teens under par.
Strength Of Field: B-. It's a good field, but it's missing Lydia Ko, and she's the one everyone is clamoring for. She's the only big name player missing from this event, but it's the biggest name.
Extra Tidbits: This is going to be a slight rant, but there is a strange LPGA rule that is shown off at this tournament. Since Hyo Joo Kim, winner of the Evian Masters, is in a lower category than the top 80 finishers of last season, she had to rely on a sponsor exemption to get into the field. Since it is a limited field event, Kim will not earn any official money for her finish, despite being a full LPGA member. It's incredibly odd, and appears to be exclusive to the LPGA...A player from Thailand has never won on the LPGA Tour, despite Ariya Jutanugarn and Pornanong Phatlum coming close in the last couple of years...The average age of winners on the LPGA Tour this season is 22. The oldest was Na Yeon Choi at 27...only one player has ever won the LPGA Thailand twice. Yani Tseng won back to back in 2011 and 2012...Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak makes her season debut this week.
Fantasy Four:
Ariya Juranugarn - Came close two years ago but a triple bogey on the final hole made her lose the tournament by one shot. Leads the LPGA in driving distance. Unlike other tournaments, she has knowledge of this golf course. Playing in front of a home crowd could give her a boost. Only thing missing from her rookie resume is a win.
Inbee Park - The player who beat Jutanugarn two years ago. While I expect a long reign for Lydia Ko as number one, I don't expect Inbee to just fade away. The best player in the field, she notches a lot of top 10s.
Hyo Joo Kim - Makes her debut as an LPGA member (well, kind of, see above). Finished in the top 10 in every LPGA event she played in last year, including a victory at the Evian. Has to make up ground on her fellow rookies, who have gotten off to a great start this season.
Amy Yang - Two top 10's in three starts this season. Win number 2 is right around the corner, and just needs a bit more confidence down the stretch to get her over the edge. Always seems to be a forgotten player, but finds a way to contend.
(SLEEPER) Mika Miyazato - Cautiously optimistic that Miyazato has gotten things turned around. After missing the cut in her first event, she has finished in the top 25 the last two weeks. Of the Japanese players who have struggled, she seems the best candidate for a resurgence.
Amy Yang - Two top 10's in three starts this season. Win number 2 is right around the corner, and just needs a bit more confidence down the stretch to get her over the edge. Always seems to be a forgotten player, but finds a way to contend.
(SLEEPER) Mika Miyazato - Cautiously optimistic that Miyazato has gotten things turned around. After missing the cut in her first event, she has finished in the top 25 the last two weeks. Of the Japanese players who have struggled, she seems the best candidate for a resurgence.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Lydia Puts A Stamp On World Number One
- In her first tournament at the top of the Rolex Rankings, Lydia Ko outlasted the field at a tough golf course to win the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open. She was the heavy favorite going into the tournament and ended up being the player to make the fewest mistakes at the end of the tournament.
- I am going to make another bold prediction right here - I think Rory McIlroy loses the number one position in the world before Lydia does. Some people seem to forget that Lydia is still only 17 years old and is still improving, and even as she's improving she's still the best player in the world. We are about to enter the Era Of Ko, and people are going to need to form a line behind her.
- This is going to be a good year for Amy Yang. Her two top 10 finishes already have her inside the top 10 in the Race For The CME Globe, and her steady play will help her at some tough events throughout the course of the year. Yang only has one win in her career, but that will change before the end of 2015.
- I don't know if Ariya Jutanugarn will get better with experience or not. She always finds herself in contention, but her erratic play takes her out of it come Sunday. If she can figure it out, she will win a bunch of tournaments, but she won't be able to win at the big stage if she continues to hit the golf ball in places where it doesn't belong.
- The greatest rookie class of all time had four players in the top 10 this week. Jutanugarn, Ha Na Jang, Charley Hull, and Minjee Lee all had a good week this week. Jutanugarn and Jang continue to lead this rookie class, as they have been solid all season. For Minjee, it was her first top 10, but she's only going to get better as the season goes on. The biggest beneficiary has to be Charley Hull, who is playing on limited status. Every dollar counts for Hull, who will be looking to earn her card for next season despite not playing a full schedule.
- It was a tough field and tough conditions at Riveria, and yet it was relative unknown James Hahn who walked out as the champion. For those of us who follow golf a little more closely, Hahn's first win isn't that surprising. For the past two years, Hahn looked to be on the brink of something great, but inconsistencies in his results prevented him from taking that next big leap. He's now in the field at the World Gold Championships and the Masters, so Hahn career has officially been kickstarted. I think Hahn could very easily contend at a major.
- What rust? For the second straight week, Dustin Johnson was in contention to win after spending six months away from the game. To be fair, Johnson's good finishes happened at Pebble Beach and Riveria, two golf courses that perfectly suit his game, but another golf course that fits his game is Augusta National. He is starting to play some great golf at the right time.
- Paul Casey's second victory will happen this year. This one may have gotten away from him, but he is playing some solid golf, so I have no doubt that Casey will leave 2015 with a trophy.
- If you are Retief Goosen, you should keep this week into prospective. Sure, you had the opportunity to win on Sunday and ended up shooting a 75 to take yourself out of it, but you also managed to finish in the top 10 after playing really well for three days. Retief will be upset for a day, but should take this event as a springboard. He is on the verge of winning again, and could have pulled it off this week had Riveria not been a bear of a course.
- Golf tournaments, take note. Riveria was incredibly difficult and the winner won at six under par, and the drama on Sunday was among the best television we have seen on Tour this year. You don't need a golf course where twenty under par wins - make the rough a little higher, put in some tough pins, and you'll get a great golf tournament with some Sunday drama.
- There is a great story brewing across the pond. Anirban Lahiri just won his second event of the season on the European Tour, outlasting the field at the Hero Indian Open. He has risen to 34th in the World Rankings, has booked a trip to Augusta National, and has all but wrapped up a spot on the Presidents Cup team. Lahiri is already the best Indian golfer in history, and he has the opportunity to show the entire golf world his talent as he drives down Magnolia Lane. All of this success comes a year after winning twice on the Asian Tour. The sky is the limit for Lahiri.
- I am going to make another bold prediction right here - I think Rory McIlroy loses the number one position in the world before Lydia does. Some people seem to forget that Lydia is still only 17 years old and is still improving, and even as she's improving she's still the best player in the world. We are about to enter the Era Of Ko, and people are going to need to form a line behind her.
- This is going to be a good year for Amy Yang. Her two top 10 finishes already have her inside the top 10 in the Race For The CME Globe, and her steady play will help her at some tough events throughout the course of the year. Yang only has one win in her career, but that will change before the end of 2015.
- I don't know if Ariya Jutanugarn will get better with experience or not. She always finds herself in contention, but her erratic play takes her out of it come Sunday. If she can figure it out, she will win a bunch of tournaments, but she won't be able to win at the big stage if she continues to hit the golf ball in places where it doesn't belong.
- The greatest rookie class of all time had four players in the top 10 this week. Jutanugarn, Ha Na Jang, Charley Hull, and Minjee Lee all had a good week this week. Jutanugarn and Jang continue to lead this rookie class, as they have been solid all season. For Minjee, it was her first top 10, but she's only going to get better as the season goes on. The biggest beneficiary has to be Charley Hull, who is playing on limited status. Every dollar counts for Hull, who will be looking to earn her card for next season despite not playing a full schedule.
- It was a tough field and tough conditions at Riveria, and yet it was relative unknown James Hahn who walked out as the champion. For those of us who follow golf a little more closely, Hahn's first win isn't that surprising. For the past two years, Hahn looked to be on the brink of something great, but inconsistencies in his results prevented him from taking that next big leap. He's now in the field at the World Gold Championships and the Masters, so Hahn career has officially been kickstarted. I think Hahn could very easily contend at a major.
- What rust? For the second straight week, Dustin Johnson was in contention to win after spending six months away from the game. To be fair, Johnson's good finishes happened at Pebble Beach and Riveria, two golf courses that perfectly suit his game, but another golf course that fits his game is Augusta National. He is starting to play some great golf at the right time.
- Paul Casey's second victory will happen this year. This one may have gotten away from him, but he is playing some solid golf, so I have no doubt that Casey will leave 2015 with a trophy.
- If you are Retief Goosen, you should keep this week into prospective. Sure, you had the opportunity to win on Sunday and ended up shooting a 75 to take yourself out of it, but you also managed to finish in the top 10 after playing really well for three days. Retief will be upset for a day, but should take this event as a springboard. He is on the verge of winning again, and could have pulled it off this week had Riveria not been a bear of a course.
- Golf tournaments, take note. Riveria was incredibly difficult and the winner won at six under par, and the drama on Sunday was among the best television we have seen on Tour this year. You don't need a golf course where twenty under par wins - make the rough a little higher, put in some tough pins, and you'll get a great golf tournament with some Sunday drama.
- There is a great story brewing across the pond. Anirban Lahiri just won his second event of the season on the European Tour, outlasting the field at the Hero Indian Open. He has risen to 34th in the World Rankings, has booked a trip to Augusta National, and has all but wrapped up a spot on the Presidents Cup team. Lahiri is already the best Indian golfer in history, and he has the opportunity to show the entire golf world his talent as he drives down Magnolia Lane. All of this success comes a year after winning twice on the Asian Tour. The sky is the limit for Lahiri.
Friday, February 20, 2015
News Grab-Bag: 2/20/2015
- For anyone who purchased tickets to the Honda Classic expecting to see a Rory McIlroy/Tiger Woods duel, you may want to ask for a refund. Woods announced this week that he will not be playing in next week's Honda Classic, and therefore he will also not eligible to play in the World Golf Championship event at Doral. While he is eligible to play at The Masters, there is a real concern that he may not be physically and mentally ready for the first major of the year.
- Davis Love III may have gotten the nod to be the next US Ryder Cup captain thanks to an endorsement from a man who was thought to be a favorite to take over the team. Paul Azinger, who captained the United States to victory in 2008, said this week that he had no interest in captaining the team once again, and that he gave his endorsement of Love to the task force. Azinger seems to think that Love is the perfect man for the job, and that he just needs more than one opportunity to prove it.
- The week just seems to be getting better for Davis Love III, who was elected as the president of the Players Advisory Council. The PAC consults with the PGA Tour on issues that affect players. Essentially, it is the closest thing to a union that the PGA Tour players have.
- When Darren Clarke takes the reigns as captain of the Ryder Cup, he not have Paul McGinley on the sidelines during the matches. McGinley announced this week that he does "not have the personality" to ever return from captaining a team to being a vice-captain. McGinley's vice-captains in 2014 included Jose Maria Olazabal and Sam Torrance, both of whom were Ryder Cup captains.
- Miguel Angel Jimenez is disappointed that he will not be the Ryder Cup captain in 2016, but that does not mean he won't be trying to be a part of the matches. Jimenez said earlier this week that, now that he is no longer a candidate to be captain, he will be attempting to actually make the team. Jimenez will be 52 next year, so the chances of him making the team are slim, but he has been playing solid golf lately. It would be a great story if he were able to do it.
- Could Lydia Ko be hanging up the clubs at age 30? Ko, who enrolled in Korea University this year, said that she sees herself retiring from competitive golf at the age of 30 and moving on to a career in psychology. We will see when the time comes, but Ko wouldn't be the first player who stepped away when they were at the top of the game, as Lorena Ochoa can attest.
- Davis Love III may have gotten the nod to be the next US Ryder Cup captain thanks to an endorsement from a man who was thought to be a favorite to take over the team. Paul Azinger, who captained the United States to victory in 2008, said this week that he had no interest in captaining the team once again, and that he gave his endorsement of Love to the task force. Azinger seems to think that Love is the perfect man for the job, and that he just needs more than one opportunity to prove it.
- The week just seems to be getting better for Davis Love III, who was elected as the president of the Players Advisory Council. The PAC consults with the PGA Tour on issues that affect players. Essentially, it is the closest thing to a union that the PGA Tour players have.
- When Darren Clarke takes the reigns as captain of the Ryder Cup, he not have Paul McGinley on the sidelines during the matches. McGinley announced this week that he does "not have the personality" to ever return from captaining a team to being a vice-captain. McGinley's vice-captains in 2014 included Jose Maria Olazabal and Sam Torrance, both of whom were Ryder Cup captains.
- Miguel Angel Jimenez is disappointed that he will not be the Ryder Cup captain in 2016, but that does not mean he won't be trying to be a part of the matches. Jimenez said earlier this week that, now that he is no longer a candidate to be captain, he will be attempting to actually make the team. Jimenez will be 52 next year, so the chances of him making the team are slim, but he has been playing solid golf lately. It would be a great story if he were able to do it.
- Could Lydia Ko be hanging up the clubs at age 30? Ko, who enrolled in Korea University this year, said that she sees herself retiring from competitive golf at the age of 30 and moving on to a career in psychology. We will see when the time comes, but Ko wouldn't be the first player who stepped away when they were at the top of the game, as Lorena Ochoa can attest.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Wednesday Preview - Northern Trust Open
From one classic golf course to another, players leave Pebble Beach and head to Rivera for the old LA Open, now called the Northern Trust Open.
Course: Rivera Country Club, measuring at close to 7,400 yards. It is one of those in between golf courses that big hitters love - not so short that everyone is in contention, but not so long that they're laying up on par 5's. Big hitters will rule this tournament, but don't expect the same scoring as last weekend. Winning score will be in the teens under par.
Strength Of Field: C. It's a better field than last week, but the meat and potatoes of the PGA Tour won't be playing until the Honda Classic. Still, there are enough good players in this field that it makes it intriguing.
Extra Tidbits: This was the site of Ben Hogan's first golf tournament following a horrific car accident in 1949. Hogan almost won the tournament, but lost in an 18 hole playoff. Still, the event was good to Hogan, as he won three LA Opens. He also won the 1948 US Open that was played at Rivera. His successes at this event earned Rivera the nickname "Hogan's Alley"...This was also the site of Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour event, as he played in 1992 as an amateur. Strangely, Tiger never won at Rivera...The Monday qualifiers for this event were Jason Gore, Jin Park, Jonathan Randolph, and Drew Scott. This is the second time Park has Monday qualified this season. This will be Drew Scott's second ever PGA Tour event, his first being the Northern Trust Open in 2008...This is the last chance for players to enter the top 50 in the world and tee it up in Doral. JB Holmes and Luke Donald are the notable bubble players looking to secure a birth.
Course: Rivera Country Club, measuring at close to 7,400 yards. It is one of those in between golf courses that big hitters love - not so short that everyone is in contention, but not so long that they're laying up on par 5's. Big hitters will rule this tournament, but don't expect the same scoring as last weekend. Winning score will be in the teens under par.
Strength Of Field: C. It's a better field than last week, but the meat and potatoes of the PGA Tour won't be playing until the Honda Classic. Still, there are enough good players in this field that it makes it intriguing.
Extra Tidbits: This was the site of Ben Hogan's first golf tournament following a horrific car accident in 1949. Hogan almost won the tournament, but lost in an 18 hole playoff. Still, the event was good to Hogan, as he won three LA Opens. He also won the 1948 US Open that was played at Rivera. His successes at this event earned Rivera the nickname "Hogan's Alley"...This was also the site of Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour event, as he played in 1992 as an amateur. Strangely, Tiger never won at Rivera...The Monday qualifiers for this event were Jason Gore, Jin Park, Jonathan Randolph, and Drew Scott. This is the second time Park has Monday qualified this season. This will be Drew Scott's second ever PGA Tour event, his first being the Northern Trust Open in 2008...This is the last chance for players to enter the top 50 in the world and tee it up in Doral. JB Holmes and Luke Donald are the notable bubble players looking to secure a birth.
Fantasy Four:
Bubba Watson - Defending champion. The way he plays golf means he will be a contender every time he tees it up at Rivera. Has only played three times this season, but has finished 1st, 10th, and T2 in those three tournaments.
JB Holmes - Classic power hitter that should contend at Rivera. Shook off a loss in the playoff with a top 10 performance last week. Game is trending upward, and needs a big week to secure a spot at Doral.
Colt Knost - Sleeper pick. Has made the cut in five straight tournaments, with three of them being top 25 finishes. Does not seem intimidated by the stage he is on. Could be a sneaky winner on the PGA Tour this year.
Nick Watney - Has shaken off his struggled with two straight top 10 finishes, including a second place finish last week. Does not have the best record in this tournament, but he hasn't played in two years, which is a lifetime in professional sports. This is a vital week for Watney to show whether or not he's back to being one of the top players on Tour.
Last Weeks Team:
Ryan Palmer: CUT
Jimmy Walker: T21
Ernie Els: CUT
Jason Day: T4
Wednesday Preview - ISPS Handa Australian Women's Open
The first leg of the pacific tournaments on the LPGA Tour begins this week as the ladies head to Melbourne, Australia for the ISPS Handa Australian Women's Open.
Course: Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The golf course changes every year, and this is clearly the toughest course in the rotation. Expect single digits under par as the winning score. Pars are good on most holes.
Strength Of Field: C-. A lot of players have decided to sit this one out, but it doesn't get a lower ratings for two reasons. 1) Lydia Ko is playing, and 2) players from the LET and AGT get to tee it up. Still waiting for Hyo Joo Kim's LPGA debut.
Extra Tidbits: Defending champion Karrie Webb won this tournament five times, but never on this golf course...Royal Melbourne has hosted the Australian Open, the World Cup, and the Presidents Cup...With Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis both sitting this week out, Lydia Ko will have the opportunity to extend her lead in the Rolex Rankings.
Course: Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The golf course changes every year, and this is clearly the toughest course in the rotation. Expect single digits under par as the winning score. Pars are good on most holes.
Strength Of Field: C-. A lot of players have decided to sit this one out, but it doesn't get a lower ratings for two reasons. 1) Lydia Ko is playing, and 2) players from the LET and AGT get to tee it up. Still waiting for Hyo Joo Kim's LPGA debut.
Extra Tidbits: Defending champion Karrie Webb won this tournament five times, but never on this golf course...Royal Melbourne has hosted the Australian Open, the World Cup, and the Presidents Cup...With Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis both sitting this week out, Lydia Ko will have the opportunity to extend her lead in the Rolex Rankings.
Fantasy Four:
Lydia Ko - There hasn't been a tournament Lydia has played in as a professional where she was more of a favorite to win than this one. Being the favorite doesn't necessarily mean you will win, but it would be foolish to leave Ko off the team.
Karrie Webb - Five time and defending champion. If anyone has the experience to conquer Royal Melbourne, it's Webb. She has not played great golf lately, but her recent results should be thrown out the window when the Australian Open is played.
Ariya Jutanugarn - Proved two weeks ago that she has the game to contend in tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Should perform well during the Pacific Swing. If she can get some of her shots under control, she has the touch around the greens to not be intimidated by this course.
So Yeon Ryu - Perhaps the best player in the field not named Lydia. Has been under the radar lately despite being a top 10 machine. Should be part of the conversation on Sunday, but the question will be whether she can walk away with the trophy.
(SLEEPER) Su-Hyun Oh - Won last week in Australia in only her second start as a professional. Finished second the week prior. Has played her amateur golf in Australia, and will have plenty of fans cheering her on.
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