- How long will it be before Lydia Ko has more victories than she does years on Earth. On the weekend of her 18th birthday, Ko won her 7th LPGA title, firing a seven under 70 in difficult conditions to defend her Swinging Skirts title. It's almost impossible to talk about Ko at this point without repeating myself, so I will save any more adjectives for when she finally wins that first major title.
- Morgan Pressel had plenty of opportunities to win to win her first title since 2008, but she has to be encouraged by her recent good play. Pressel hasn't missed a cut all season, and has finished inside the top 25 in her last four starts, including a T3 and a runner up finish. This is very similar to how Michelle Wie began her come back last year, so Pressel has to be thinking that her time is coming.
- The final round pressure may have gotten to her, but I am impressed by how Brooke Henderson played this week. She played against some of the best female golfers in the world, and she was still able to finish in solo third and cash a pretty sizable check in one of her first tournaments as a professional. She is marching her way towards Tour status, and the more she plays in front of big crowds on Sunday, the more that pressure will start to ease off her shoulders.
- She got off to a tough start, but it's starting to look like Sakura Yokomine is going to be a rather fine LPGA professional. After missing her first three cuts by a mile, she has cashed four straight checks, with one top 10 and a T11 this week. Yokomine needed some time to adjust to the new courses, the language barrier, and living in America, but it appears as if she's putting those learning curves behind her. I would love to see a victory by Yokomine on the LPGA Tour.
- If I didn't care about the Zurich Classic before, this week sent me over the edge. Not only were there weather issues all week, but when ten under par is only good for T48, I tend to not take your tournament seriously. Birdie fests are boring.
- Luckily for the Zurich Classic, they got a great champion, as Justin Rose rode his momentum from Augusta National into his seventh PGA Tour victory. Rose really struggled out of the gates this season, but now he looks to be back to where he was last year when we considered Rose to be a favorite for his second major title.
- You would be forgiven if you didn't know who Ashun Wu was prior to the Volvo China Open. Wu, who plays on the Japan Tour, has not played well this season - in fact, this was only his second start, and he missed the cut in Japan in his only previous start in 2015. Still, Wu's victory in front of his home country on the European Tour is a life changing moment. It will be interesting to see if Wu takes this as a boost in his career, of it this is going to he the highlight of his professional life. Time will tell.
- Hao-Tong Li is going to have an interesting decision to make. After two top 10 finishes on the European Tour, he could continue to play in Europe, and rack up some more World Golf Ranking, or he could go back to playing on the Web.com Tour, where he has full playing privileges and could win a PGA Tour card at the end of the season. Li may just end up playing on both Tours, as long as he has the ability to do so, but picking up a PGA Tour card will be harder if he doesn't focus full time on the Web.com Tour. Either way, the future is incredibly bright for Li, who is starting to make China proud.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Should There Be A Women's Masters?
The past couple of weeks, Paula Creamer has talked about her desire to see a "Women's Masters" at Augusta National, claiming that the patrons would love to have two weeks at Augusta and that it would be good for the game of golf. I don't necessarily agree with Creamer's sentiment, and I have five big questions that prevent me from getting on board with the idea of a Women's Masters.
1) Does Augusta National Care About The LPGA Tour?
Whether or not Paula Creamer or the rest of the LPGA wants a Women's Masters is irrelevant if Billy Payne and the members of Augusta National doesn't want it. Payne has been more progressive than his predecessors in his role of chairman - he has allowed female members for the first time in history, and he helped create and host the Drive, Chip, and Putt contest at Augusta National. Still, Augusta National is a "good ole boys" club that takes themselves very seriously. I can't imagine any of the Augusta brass sitting down and watching the LPGA at any level, and if they don't care about the product, I doubt they would put the time and energy into hosting a tournament for them.
2) Could The Ladies Play The Course Well?
There are a lot of words I would use to describe Augusta National - iconic, legendary, beautiful - but "difficult" would not be at the top of that list; however, it seems that Augusta's attempt to strengthen their course just means they will add more length. For the PGA Tour, that means nothing - they are hitting it father than ever, so lengthening the course will only help the big hitters and eliminate anyone who can't average over 300 yards a drive. For the LPGA players, however, lengthening the course means the entire field is laying up on par 5's and hitting woods into the par 4's. Of course, they probably wouldn't be playing from the sticks, but I doubt they would play from the member's tees, either. It would be rough to watch the ladies play the same course as the men, only to see the men play it in -12 and the ladies play it in +6. That would be harmful to the LPGA Tour product.
3) Does The LPGA Need To Copy The PGA?
Let's call a Women's Masters what it actually would be - piggybacking off the success of the men. The only reason this event would exist is because a similar event exists on the men's tour. To me, that goes against what we have heard so often from the LPGA - that they are different. In fact, their slogan is "See Why It's Different Out Here." They already have a women's version of the Open Championship and a women's version of the US Open, which they even played on the same course as the men last year. This year, the PGA of America will take over the LPGA Championship, so by adding a Women's Masters, you have a copycat of all four men's majors. The new slogan should be "See Why It's Kind Of The Same Out Here." I understand that the PGA Tour is more popular than the LPGA Tour, but the LPGA should be trying to find an identity of their own, not trying to be a female version of the PGA Tour. There is so much more that this Tour could offer.
4) Shouldn't The LPGA Strengthen The Majors They Have?
The LPGA Tour already has five majors. Adding a sixth would be laughable, and no one would take the majors seriously if you had six opportunities to win one. Instead of adding one onto the schedule, perhaps the LPGA should work on strengthen the five majors they already have. The ANA Inspiration used to be the flagship event on the LPGA Tour, but their attendance has plummeted and the event is no longer suited for Rancho Mirage. Commissioner Mike Whan has talked about creating a major in Asia now that the sport has grown in that area of the world and Asian players make up a majority of champions on the LPGA Tour. ANA, or All Nippon Airlines, is based out of Japan. Now is the perfect time to move the ANA Inspiration to Asia to test the idea of an Asian major. Asia supports women's golf more than the US does, and putting a major in Asia would be a great way to reward that support. The Evian Masters became a major two years ago, and very few currently see it as one of the majors. With the right marketing, Evian could become the new flagship event. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but the LPGA Tour has five very good events that they could easily strengthen to prove that they don't need a Women's Masters.
5) Would The Patrons Truly Support A Women's Masters?
Let's say everything works the way Paula Creamer wants it to. Billy Payne gets on board, the ladies can play the course under par, the LPGA dumps one of their other majors, and they are able to secure a Women's Masters at Augusta National sometime in the peak season in Georgia. Would the patrons show up at the event like they do at The Masters? Sure, you will have some show up because it's Augusta National, and any opportunity you have to see that course, you would take, but I also doubt the patrons would be as lined up as they are when The Masters tees off. Of all the hypothetical scenarios, the one that would hurt the LPGA the most is if they play in front of a weak crowd only weeks after they came out in waves for the men's tournament. It would show the lack of support for the LPGA compared to their male counterparts. The LPGA has made several huge strides in the past couple of years, and the last thing they need is to be reminded that they're not as supported as the PGA Tour.
1) Does Augusta National Care About The LPGA Tour?
Whether or not Paula Creamer or the rest of the LPGA wants a Women's Masters is irrelevant if Billy Payne and the members of Augusta National doesn't want it. Payne has been more progressive than his predecessors in his role of chairman - he has allowed female members for the first time in history, and he helped create and host the Drive, Chip, and Putt contest at Augusta National. Still, Augusta National is a "good ole boys" club that takes themselves very seriously. I can't imagine any of the Augusta brass sitting down and watching the LPGA at any level, and if they don't care about the product, I doubt they would put the time and energy into hosting a tournament for them.
2) Could The Ladies Play The Course Well?
There are a lot of words I would use to describe Augusta National - iconic, legendary, beautiful - but "difficult" would not be at the top of that list; however, it seems that Augusta's attempt to strengthen their course just means they will add more length. For the PGA Tour, that means nothing - they are hitting it father than ever, so lengthening the course will only help the big hitters and eliminate anyone who can't average over 300 yards a drive. For the LPGA players, however, lengthening the course means the entire field is laying up on par 5's and hitting woods into the par 4's. Of course, they probably wouldn't be playing from the sticks, but I doubt they would play from the member's tees, either. It would be rough to watch the ladies play the same course as the men, only to see the men play it in -12 and the ladies play it in +6. That would be harmful to the LPGA Tour product.
3) Does The LPGA Need To Copy The PGA?
Let's call a Women's Masters what it actually would be - piggybacking off the success of the men. The only reason this event would exist is because a similar event exists on the men's tour. To me, that goes against what we have heard so often from the LPGA - that they are different. In fact, their slogan is "See Why It's Different Out Here." They already have a women's version of the Open Championship and a women's version of the US Open, which they even played on the same course as the men last year. This year, the PGA of America will take over the LPGA Championship, so by adding a Women's Masters, you have a copycat of all four men's majors. The new slogan should be "See Why It's Kind Of The Same Out Here." I understand that the PGA Tour is more popular than the LPGA Tour, but the LPGA should be trying to find an identity of their own, not trying to be a female version of the PGA Tour. There is so much more that this Tour could offer.
4) Shouldn't The LPGA Strengthen The Majors They Have?
The LPGA Tour already has five majors. Adding a sixth would be laughable, and no one would take the majors seriously if you had six opportunities to win one. Instead of adding one onto the schedule, perhaps the LPGA should work on strengthen the five majors they already have. The ANA Inspiration used to be the flagship event on the LPGA Tour, but their attendance has plummeted and the event is no longer suited for Rancho Mirage. Commissioner Mike Whan has talked about creating a major in Asia now that the sport has grown in that area of the world and Asian players make up a majority of champions on the LPGA Tour. ANA, or All Nippon Airlines, is based out of Japan. Now is the perfect time to move the ANA Inspiration to Asia to test the idea of an Asian major. Asia supports women's golf more than the US does, and putting a major in Asia would be a great way to reward that support. The Evian Masters became a major two years ago, and very few currently see it as one of the majors. With the right marketing, Evian could become the new flagship event. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but the LPGA Tour has five very good events that they could easily strengthen to prove that they don't need a Women's Masters.
5) Would The Patrons Truly Support A Women's Masters?
Let's say everything works the way Paula Creamer wants it to. Billy Payne gets on board, the ladies can play the course under par, the LPGA dumps one of their other majors, and they are able to secure a Women's Masters at Augusta National sometime in the peak season in Georgia. Would the patrons show up at the event like they do at The Masters? Sure, you will have some show up because it's Augusta National, and any opportunity you have to see that course, you would take, but I also doubt the patrons would be as lined up as they are when The Masters tees off. Of all the hypothetical scenarios, the one that would hurt the LPGA the most is if they play in front of a weak crowd only weeks after they came out in waves for the men's tournament. It would show the lack of support for the LPGA compared to their male counterparts. The LPGA has made several huge strides in the past couple of years, and the last thing they need is to be reminded that they're not as supported as the PGA Tour.
Friday, April 24, 2015
News Grab-Bag: 4/24/2015
- When is the next time we will see Tiger Woods? We still don't know, but we do know for sure that he will be playing in The Memorial. Jack Nicklaus this week said that he had "a long, long talk" with Tiger, and Woods told him that he will be playing the Memorial at the end of May. Everyone is still looking to see if Tiger will commit to The Players, but the Memorial is a good spot for Tiger, as he has won that event five times. He did not play last year as he was recovering from back surgery. On the flip side, however, Rory McIlroy will not be teeing it up at Jack's tournament.
- While we don't know when Tiger will play next, we do know that his travel schedule is not getting lighter anytime soon. This weekend, Tiger will be visiting China and Japan to try and boost local interest in the game of golf. I'm not sure if that involves playing a round, or if he's just doing autograph signings and personal appearances.
[EDIT: 9:35 A.M] - Tiger Woods just announced on Twitter that he will be playing in The Players Championship. Mystery over.
- Lexi Thompson had a bit of a busy week this week. Prior to teeing it up at the Swinging Skirts, Thompson played in the pro-am for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, playing alongside her brothers Nicholas and Curtis. Lexi is signed to an endorsement deal with Zurich, so playing alongside her brothers had to be an added bonus. This outing didn't help any of the Thompson siblings, however, as none of them broke par in the opening round of their respective tournament.
- Speaking of not breaking par, the wheels have seriously come off Paula Creamer as she shot her worst round ever as a professional (82) in the first round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. Already sitting on her worst Rolex Ranking ever, Creamer said that the issue is "99 percent mental", as she is going through a swing change, equipment change, and adjusting to life as a newly wed. Her worst round as a professional came days after saying she wants a "women's Masters", which I will expand on in a later post.
- Ian Poulter will not be playing one of the flagship events on the European Tour, and he wants everyone to know why. In a series of tweets, Poulter defended himself against a Daily Mail writer, saying that he isn't playing the BMW PGA Championship because of his poor history at Wentworth. Poulter was involved in revitalizing the British Masters, and will be playing in that event. I find it rare when I defend Ian Poulter, but I stand by him in this case. Media types shouldn't be the ones to tell players where they should and should not play. A player shouldn't be forced to play in an event that doesn't suit their game.
- SFGate in San Francisco had a small write up about Sei Young Kim's victory last week. Give it a read.
- While we don't know when Tiger will play next, we do know that his travel schedule is not getting lighter anytime soon. This weekend, Tiger will be visiting China and Japan to try and boost local interest in the game of golf. I'm not sure if that involves playing a round, or if he's just doing autograph signings and personal appearances.
[EDIT: 9:35 A.M] - Tiger Woods just announced on Twitter that he will be playing in The Players Championship. Mystery over.
- Lexi Thompson had a bit of a busy week this week. Prior to teeing it up at the Swinging Skirts, Thompson played in the pro-am for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, playing alongside her brothers Nicholas and Curtis. Lexi is signed to an endorsement deal with Zurich, so playing alongside her brothers had to be an added bonus. This outing didn't help any of the Thompson siblings, however, as none of them broke par in the opening round of their respective tournament.
- Speaking of not breaking par, the wheels have seriously come off Paula Creamer as she shot her worst round ever as a professional (82) in the first round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. Already sitting on her worst Rolex Ranking ever, Creamer said that the issue is "99 percent mental", as she is going through a swing change, equipment change, and adjusting to life as a newly wed. Her worst round as a professional came days after saying she wants a "women's Masters", which I will expand on in a later post.
- Ian Poulter will not be playing one of the flagship events on the European Tour, and he wants everyone to know why. In a series of tweets, Poulter defended himself against a Daily Mail writer, saying that he isn't playing the BMW PGA Championship because of his poor history at Wentworth. Poulter was involved in revitalizing the British Masters, and will be playing in that event. I find it rare when I defend Ian Poulter, but I stand by him in this case. Media types shouldn't be the ones to tell players where they should and should not play. A player shouldn't be forced to play in an event that doesn't suit their game.
- SFGate in San Francisco had a small write up about Sei Young Kim's victory last week. Give it a read.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Extra Life 2015
Taking a quick break from golf for a second to tell you all about Extra Life. Last year, I played video games for 24 straight hours to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network, and I plan to do the same thing on November 7th of this year.
This year, I will be raising money for the Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania. Any donations made to my fundraising page will go directly towards helping the kids. They need any and all help you can provide for them.
You can view my fundraising page here.
Last year, with the help and support from people all over the world, I was able to meet my goal of $250. This year, I have the same goal, but I hope we far exceed it. If you can not donate, then sharing my page with others would be a huge positive for the Janet Weis Children's Hospital. Any help that can be provided is greatly appreciated.
The golf world has been known to be one of these most charitable communities out there, and I hope we can continue those positive descriptions.
Thank you all for donating, sharing, and supporting me and Extra Life!
This year, I will be raising money for the Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania. Any donations made to my fundraising page will go directly towards helping the kids. They need any and all help you can provide for them.
You can view my fundraising page here.
Last year, with the help and support from people all over the world, I was able to meet my goal of $250. This year, I have the same goal, but I hope we far exceed it. If you can not donate, then sharing my page with others would be a huge positive for the Janet Weis Children's Hospital. Any help that can be provided is greatly appreciated.
The golf world has been known to be one of these most charitable communities out there, and I hope we can continue those positive descriptions.
Thank you all for donating, sharing, and supporting me and Extra Life!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Wednesday Preview - Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
Put away your Dancing Pants, because this week is all about the Swinging Skirts. This week is one of the most bizarre weeks on the schedule, with colorful statues and traditions brought over straight from Taiwan.
Course: Lake Merced Golf Club, a 6,400 yard layout. It is not overly challenging, but the length can be difficult to some of the short hitters, and winds off the Pacific Ocean can cause the scores to creep a little higher. Expect low teens under par to be the winning score.
Strength Of Field: B-. All the big names are back, but the field lacks depth. It is a limited field event, and several Taiwanese players received an exemption into the field. This meant several Q-School graduates got left out of the event.
Extra Tidbits: Swinging Skirts is an organization out of Taiwan that promotes the game of golf for women. They used to have their own event on the TLPGA Tour, but that was scrapped as this event became an official TLPGA event...Last year, Lydia Ko won her first event as an LPGA professional (her third LPGA victory overall)...Sakura Yokomine and Sue Kim are the Monday qualifiers this week...As this is an official TLPGA event, 17 players from the TLPGA Tour received invited into the event. Also receiving an invite are Haley Moore, the young amateur who made the cut at the ANA Inspiration, and Brooke Henderson, who recently turned professional...Friday will mark Lydia Ko's 18th birthday.
Fantasy Four:
Lydia Ko - The number one player returns as the defending champion, which is a huge advantage. Giving someone who already has all the confidence in the world an extra boost of confidence is a recipe for a great week. Hasn't played since the ANA Inspiration, where she played below expectations, but should be rested and ready to go.
Inbee Park - Top 10 machine. Will find a way to contend nearly every week, so she will find herself in this feature nearly every week.
Sei Young Kim - It will be interesting to see how she performs after her remarkable victory in Hawaii. That was her second victory of the season, so she could either be content with her performances or she will be hungry for more. If she's focused, she will be right back near the top once again.
Hyo Joo Kim - I was back and forth between Kim and Stacy Lewis for this spot, but Kim gets the slight edge because of her final round in Hawaii that got her close to being in contention down the stretch had her putter not abandoned her. She could win on any course during any week.
(SLEEPER) Mika Miyazato - I am cautiously optimistic about Mika-chan's chances this week after seeing her slowly improve every week. While last week was her first top 10, it was her fourth top 25 of the season, and she has only one missed cut, which took place the very first week of the season. She has some momentum now, and could translate that into a big finish this week.
Wednesday Preview - Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Honestly, ladies and gentlemen...this is a bit of an off week for the PGA Tour. No disrespect to New Orleans or the field playing this week, but we are two weeks removed from The Masters, and we have the Match Play and the Players Championship in back to back weeks following this event, so the Zurich Classic will be somewhat buried.
Course: TPC Louisiana, a 7,400 yard track. It is one of the easiest courses on Tour as long as there aren't any gale force winds like we saw on Sunday last year. Expect winning score to be above twenty under par.
Strength Of Field: B. I'm honestly surprised with how good the field is considering where it lies on the schedule. Justin Rose, Jason Day, and Dustin Johnson are the main headliners.
Extra Tidbits: Two years ago, Billy Horschel won his first PGA Tour event at this very tournament. He won the FedEx Cup last year, but enters this event slightly struggling...Monday qualifiers are Wes Homan, Chris Naegel, Zechariah Potter, and Michael Smith. Jonathan Byrd, Trevor Immelman, Tommy Gainey and Andrew Loupe received sponsor exemptions this week...The last player to win back to back New Orleans titles was Carlos Franco, who did it back in 1999 and 2000...David Toms will play this event for the 22nd time in his career. He won here in 2001.
Course: TPC Louisiana, a 7,400 yard track. It is one of the easiest courses on Tour as long as there aren't any gale force winds like we saw on Sunday last year. Expect winning score to be above twenty under par.
Strength Of Field: B. I'm honestly surprised with how good the field is considering where it lies on the schedule. Justin Rose, Jason Day, and Dustin Johnson are the main headliners.
Extra Tidbits: Two years ago, Billy Horschel won his first PGA Tour event at this very tournament. He won the FedEx Cup last year, but enters this event slightly struggling...Monday qualifiers are Wes Homan, Chris Naegel, Zechariah Potter, and Michael Smith. Jonathan Byrd, Trevor Immelman, Tommy Gainey and Andrew Loupe received sponsor exemptions this week...The last player to win back to back New Orleans titles was Carlos Franco, who did it back in 1999 and 2000...David Toms will play this event for the 22nd time in his career. He won here in 2001.
Fantasy Four:
Sean O'Hair - Proved that he was back to being a contender after notching another top 10 last week. His missed cut at the Texas Open appears to be a case of O'Hair putting too much pressure on himself, as it was his only missed cut since the Sony Open. Currently 36th in the FedEx Cup. A win will be the ultimate ending of this come back story.
Dustin Johnson - Has never played on this course, but his form dictates a look regardless of where he plays. He got the start over Jason Day, who is likely more focused on the match play next week. Johnson has proven he can go low, which is a huge plus on this course.
Jason Bohn - Sleeper pick, but would have made my top four regardless. Former winner that hasn't missed a cut in 2015. Two of his last four events have resulted in a top 25. Familiarity may push him over the edge.
Justin Rose - This is the week to prove if his performance at Augusta National was more than just a player playing well at a course that suits his game. Top 10's in two of his last three starts in New Orleans, so there should be no excuses this week.
Last Weeks Team:
Jordan Spieth: T11
Charl Schwartzel: T55
Mark Wilson: CUT
Russell Henley: CUT
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Furyk Finally Wins Number 17, And Sei Young Electrifies
- I love being wrong, especially when it's about players I like exceeding expectations. Last year, I said that we have seen the last of Jim Furyk winning on the PGA Tour. He made me look like a fool, firing a final round 63 to win his first title in five years. Was this Furyk's swan song, or is this victory what he needed to get over a mental barrier and start winning on a more consistent basis. We will only know as the season goes along, but it was still wonderful to see Furyk winning once again.
- Speaking of clutch moments from older players, how about Tom Watson making a birdie on the 18th hole on Friday to make the cut? He continues to amaze me.
- Jordan Spieth was completely wiped out following his media tour of New York. He has had to answer every media request thrown his way, and he has played so much golf that I'm sure he doesn't want to sing a club right now. He still managed to finish T11 in Harbour Town, a week that included a second round 62. Superstar.
- Sean O'Hair will win in 2015. Mark it down. He's gotten rid of all the negative influences in his life and he's learned how to compete against the biggest names in the game. He's ready to return to the highest level of the sport. He is playing in a pretty weak field next week in New Orleans. A perfect fit for him.
- Sei Young Kim's finish in Hawaii was among the most incredible victories I have ever witnessed. After surviving tough winds and a strong field nipping her her heels, Sei Young hit a perfect drive down the fairway on the 18th, only for the fairway to be completely baked out. The ball rolled at least 50 yards down the fairway, through the rough, and into the water, and looked to have given away the tournament. After Inbee Park secured the par on the hole, Sei Young chipped it into the hole from off the green to force a playoff, and holed it out from the middle of the fairway for eagle in the playoff to win her second LPGA event of the season. It was an amazing finish, and the perfect way to end a great event for the LPGA Tour.
- Lydia Ko set the bar for what a rookie can accomplish on the LPGA Tour, but Sei Young Kim has the opportunity to blaze right past her. Kim now has two victories this season, which is one shy of Ko's three from last season, and has a runner up finish at the first major championship of the season. She's currently second in the Race For The CME Globe, all while competing in the greatest LPGA rookie class of all time against players with a lot more experience on Tour. Even the most dialed in Korean golf fans could not have predicted this kind of season from Kim.
- Now Inbee Park knows what it's like to run into an unmovable object. Inbee played as well as she could on Sunday, but Sei Young Kim refused to budge. Talking about Inbee is a lot like talking about Stacy Lewis - we know they are going to play well. It's just a matter of how many wins they will have by the end of the season.
- I can't help but feel gutted for I.K. Kim, who appears to have too much scar tissue built up to be able to win again when the pressure is on. She has the perfect opportunity to walk away with this event, but a three putt bogey on the 17th when she was in close for a birdie ended her chances. Kim still strikes the ball well, but watching her putt can be painful at times. I hope Kim proves me wrong, but I don't think we will be seeing I.K. winning again on Tour.
- Sandra Gal did not play on the European Solheim Cup team in 2013, and she seems to be motivated to make the team this year. After struggling the past couple of seasons, Gal has finished inside the top 25 five times this season, and has moved up to 14th in the Race For The CME Globe. Gal has been known for her fashion and her personality more than her golf in recent years, but she appears to be changing that narrative this year.
- I am cautiously optimistic about Mika Miyazato's top 10 finish in Hawaii this week. It is a positive sign and she appears to be moving in the right direction, but I need to see more before I proclaim her as being "back". If Mika-chan can figure out what made her struggle last season, she has the talent to be one of the top players on the LPGA Tour.
- I was waiting for Kiradech Aphibarnrat to start taking advantage of the skills he has as a golfer, and it looks like that is finally happening. After finishing in the top 10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kiradech goes to China and wins the European Tour's Shenzhen International to get himself back inside the top 100 in the world. Kiradech has been as high as 59th in the world, and I'm sure he would love to get himself back into the biggest events on the schedule. He is close to doing so.
- Remember the name Hao-Tong Li. Last year's Chinese PGA Order Of Merit winner is currently the top ranked Chinese player in the world, has finished inside the top 25 on the Web.com Tour three times in six starts, is currently 31st in the Web.com Tour money list, and just finished in second place in front of several thousand Chinese fans. Li will be playing on the PGA Tour next year (another one of my guarantees), and could be the great Chinese men's golfer that we have been waiting for.
- Golf has not been kind to Y.E. Yang in recent years, but that may be changing. Entering this week, Yang has made two of three cuts on the European Tour and two of two cuts on the PGA Tour. This week, he finished T4 and two shots out of a playoff in China. Yang is a long way off from being the major winner he was in 2009, but it would be great if he can get some consistency in his game and see him back contending in golf tournaments.
- Speaking of clutch moments from older players, how about Tom Watson making a birdie on the 18th hole on Friday to make the cut? He continues to amaze me.
- Jordan Spieth was completely wiped out following his media tour of New York. He has had to answer every media request thrown his way, and he has played so much golf that I'm sure he doesn't want to sing a club right now. He still managed to finish T11 in Harbour Town, a week that included a second round 62. Superstar.
- Sean O'Hair will win in 2015. Mark it down. He's gotten rid of all the negative influences in his life and he's learned how to compete against the biggest names in the game. He's ready to return to the highest level of the sport. He is playing in a pretty weak field next week in New Orleans. A perfect fit for him.
- Sei Young Kim's finish in Hawaii was among the most incredible victories I have ever witnessed. After surviving tough winds and a strong field nipping her her heels, Sei Young hit a perfect drive down the fairway on the 18th, only for the fairway to be completely baked out. The ball rolled at least 50 yards down the fairway, through the rough, and into the water, and looked to have given away the tournament. After Inbee Park secured the par on the hole, Sei Young chipped it into the hole from off the green to force a playoff, and holed it out from the middle of the fairway for eagle in the playoff to win her second LPGA event of the season. It was an amazing finish, and the perfect way to end a great event for the LPGA Tour.
- Lydia Ko set the bar for what a rookie can accomplish on the LPGA Tour, but Sei Young Kim has the opportunity to blaze right past her. Kim now has two victories this season, which is one shy of Ko's three from last season, and has a runner up finish at the first major championship of the season. She's currently second in the Race For The CME Globe, all while competing in the greatest LPGA rookie class of all time against players with a lot more experience on Tour. Even the most dialed in Korean golf fans could not have predicted this kind of season from Kim.
- Now Inbee Park knows what it's like to run into an unmovable object. Inbee played as well as she could on Sunday, but Sei Young Kim refused to budge. Talking about Inbee is a lot like talking about Stacy Lewis - we know they are going to play well. It's just a matter of how many wins they will have by the end of the season.
- I can't help but feel gutted for I.K. Kim, who appears to have too much scar tissue built up to be able to win again when the pressure is on. She has the perfect opportunity to walk away with this event, but a three putt bogey on the 17th when she was in close for a birdie ended her chances. Kim still strikes the ball well, but watching her putt can be painful at times. I hope Kim proves me wrong, but I don't think we will be seeing I.K. winning again on Tour.
- Sandra Gal did not play on the European Solheim Cup team in 2013, and she seems to be motivated to make the team this year. After struggling the past couple of seasons, Gal has finished inside the top 25 five times this season, and has moved up to 14th in the Race For The CME Globe. Gal has been known for her fashion and her personality more than her golf in recent years, but she appears to be changing that narrative this year.
- I am cautiously optimistic about Mika Miyazato's top 10 finish in Hawaii this week. It is a positive sign and she appears to be moving in the right direction, but I need to see more before I proclaim her as being "back". If Mika-chan can figure out what made her struggle last season, she has the talent to be one of the top players on the LPGA Tour.
- I was waiting for Kiradech Aphibarnrat to start taking advantage of the skills he has as a golfer, and it looks like that is finally happening. After finishing in the top 10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kiradech goes to China and wins the European Tour's Shenzhen International to get himself back inside the top 100 in the world. Kiradech has been as high as 59th in the world, and I'm sure he would love to get himself back into the biggest events on the schedule. He is close to doing so.
- Remember the name Hao-Tong Li. Last year's Chinese PGA Order Of Merit winner is currently the top ranked Chinese player in the world, has finished inside the top 25 on the Web.com Tour three times in six starts, is currently 31st in the Web.com Tour money list, and just finished in second place in front of several thousand Chinese fans. Li will be playing on the PGA Tour next year (another one of my guarantees), and could be the great Chinese men's golfer that we have been waiting for.
- Golf has not been kind to Y.E. Yang in recent years, but that may be changing. Entering this week, Yang has made two of three cuts on the European Tour and two of two cuts on the PGA Tour. This week, he finished T4 and two shots out of a playoff in China. Yang is a long way off from being the major winner he was in 2009, but it would be great if he can get some consistency in his game and see him back contending in golf tournaments.
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