9/11 Tribute at Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Includes Free Admission

Yani Tseng

TO MARK THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY of 9/11, all active and retired service personnel (along with family members) and all fire, police and emergency employees will be admitted free to the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship during the entire week of the LPGA tournament. The event is held at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas.

On Sunday, September 11, the tournament’s final day, American flags will serve as pin flags on all 18 greens. Representatives from the four military branches and fire and police personnel in full uniform will serve as pin flag bearers. Hosted by U.S. Representative and military veteran Steve Womack, a brief 9/11 program will be conducted on the 18th green at the conclusion of play.

This year’s championship will have its best-ever field, with 47 of the top 50 players in the Rolex Rankings and the top 10 players on the LPGA money list competing in the event. Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, the purse has risen from $1.25 million to $2 million, and is now the highest non-major U.S. purse on the LPGA Tour.

World No. 1 Yani Tseng will defend her title. Last year Tseng fired 13 under (67-68-65) to beat Michelle Wie by a shot. Tseng has four wins this season, including two majors.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo: Courtesy of Keith Allison, Flickr, Creative Commons License)

9 Returning Players on U.S. Solheim Cup Team

U.S. SOLHEIM CUP CAPTAIN Rosie Jones called forming her team “an extremely exciting and difficult selection process.” Jones made two captain’s picks—veteran Vicky Hurst and LPGA Tour rookie Ryann O’Toole. That may have been the hard part, but the rest of the 12-player squad—all automatic qualifiers based on a points system—looks like it was as easy as an 18-inch putt.

This year’s U.S. Solheim Cup team will include nine of the players that won the Cup two years ago at Rich Harvest Farms west of Chicago, Illinois. They are world No. 2 Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Brittany Lang, Christina Kim and Juli Inkster. Stacy Lewis, a Solheim Cup rookie, was the other player to make the team on points.

In addition to playing, Inkster will serve as an assistant captain to Jones. Playing will come first said the 51-year-old Inkster, the oldest player to compete in The Solheim Cup.

“I feel like most of my career I’ve worn two hats as a mom and as a player,” Inkster said in reference to her dual Solheim Cup roles, “but it will be a challenge.”

The European Solheim Cup Team will be announced on August 29. Alison Nicholas will serve as captain. Melissa Reid, Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen and Christel Boeljon have already made the team based on the Ladies European Tour point standings.

The Solheim Cup will be played at Killeen Castle in Ireland on September 23-25.

−The Armchair Golfer

2011 U.S. Women’s Open TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2011 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN teed off on Thursday at The Broadmoor (East Course) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was halted due to weather. Cristie Kerr and amateur Amy Anderson are tied for the lead at 2 under par. Neither player has completed her round. Inbee Park and Ai Miyazato are 1 under par.

Juli Inkster finished with a 3-over 74, and, with one hole to play, Michelle Wie is 7 over par. Alexis Thompson is 5 over after 15 holes. Grouped together, defending champion Paula Creamer and four-time major winner Yani Tseng have not started play.

(Photo: Paula Creamer at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open.)

“It’s an exhausting golf course,” Creamer said on Wednesday. “It’s a long walk, lots of thinking. Definitely if you lose your mind on one shot, it’s gonna cost you big time here.”

“I feel less pressure this week than before,” Tseng said on Tuesday. “I always feel so much pressure on U.S. Open course. It’s such a tough, tough golf course. But after I see Rory McIlroy do it I feel much more relaxed. You just have got to come out here and have fun, enjoy the pressure and enjoy the big crowds.”


Purse: $3.25 million
Defending champion: Paula Creamer
Course: The Broadmoor, East Course, Par 71, 7,047 yards

2011 U.S. Women’s Open Leaderboard

Tournament preview
Final field
Pairings
Spectator guide
U.S. Women’s Open website


TV SCHEDULE

TV coverage of the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open is on ESPN2 and NBC.

Thu, Jul 07
5:00-9:00 PM ET ESPN2

Fri, Jul 08
5:00-9:00 PM ET ESPN2

Sat, Jul 09
3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC

Sun, Jul 10
3:00-6:00 PM ET NBC


−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: John E Kaminski, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

The Ladies Tee Off in Thailand

HERE COME THE LADIES. Finally. The 2011 LPGA season gets underway on Thursday at the Honda LPGA Thailand. A field of 60, including new World No. 1 Yani Tseng, will tee it up at the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The 22-year-old Tseng was last season’s Rolex Player of the Year. She has superstar potential.

World No. 6 Ai Miyazato is the defending champion. A year ago Miyazato chipped in for birdie on the final hole to beat Suzann Pettersen by a shot. She went on to win the following week on her way to five 2010 victories. Her favorite pizza topping is pepperoni. And she doesn’t like cilantro. (It’s true. I read it at LPGA.com.)

(Photo: “I’m pretty sure this is my driver.” It’s been a long layoff for Ai Miyazato and all the ladies.)

Miyazato told USA Today’s Steve DiMeglio that she hasn’t played a competitive round of golf in two and a half months. Nonetheless, Ai said she’s ready to go after spending much of her offseason in Phoenix. She worked on getting the clubhead more square at the top of her backswing.

A long offseason is probably nice. But the rust can set in quickly. World No. 4 Cristie Kerr spent her break working on fitness—and relaxing. Kerr took five weeks off from playing golf, starting up again in mid-January. Her goals for 2011 are to bag another major and have a multiple win season.

Other LPGA players who are expected to contend for top honors such as player of the year and the money title include Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen, Na Yeon Choi, I.K. Kim, Sun Ju Ahn, Song-Hee Kim, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie.

The season opener is the first of 25 LPGA events on the 2011 calendar. The ladies tour has lost nine events since the economy tanked in late 2008. The Solheim Cup will be played in late September in Ireland.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: Keith Allison, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

Kerr and Creamer Voice Serious Concerns About New Event

LPGA STARS CRISTIE KERR and Paula Creamer have serious concerns about the inaugural RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, according to Randall Mell of GolfChannel.com. Neither player has committed to play in the new event that honors the LPGA’s 13 founders.

The tournament will be played on March 18-20 in Phoenix, the first of 13 U.S. events on the 2011 LPGA schedule. A projected $500,000 of the “mock” $1.3 million purse will go to the LPGA Foundation. Except for receiving a stipend for tournament-related expenses, the ladies will play for free. The women’s “mock” winnings from the imaginary purse will count on the official money list.

Playing gratis doesn’t bother Creamer. She likes the concept and the cause. What Paula told Mell she is “having a difficult time with” is why the new title sponsor can’t donate the entire mock purse amount to the LPGA charity.

“If we were able to have $1.3 million in real money sitting there, and donate it back, I would be the first one to sign up for this event,” she said.

Creamer was also concerned about how the format looks to existing title sponsors that offer real purse money.

Kerr said the new tournament went from an idea to a 2011 event too quickly without adequate player input. “It’s turned what was an opportunity into an obligation.”

She gave LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan credit for a good concept, but was undecided about her involvement based on concerns about the format. Other uncommitted players include Michelle Wie, Suzann Pettersen and Morgan Pressel.

Those committed to teeing it up in Phoenix include Jiyai Shin, Ai Mazato, Juli Inkster, Brittany Lincicome, Angela Stanford and Christina Kim.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: Pablo Lancaster-Jones, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2010 LORENA OCHOA INVITATIONAL is underway at Guadalajara Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico. Cristie Kerr is the first-round leader after firing a 64, a tournament record. Defending champion Michelle Wie withdrew due to two cysts near her spine and a bulging disc, according to Golfweek.

Purse: $1.1 million
Defending champion: Michelle Wie

Final field
Pairings
Interviews
Tournament website

2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational Leaderboard


TV SCHEDULE

All TV coverage of the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational is on Golf Channel.

Fri, Nov 12
4:00-6:30 PM ET

Sat, Nov 13
4:00-6:30 PM ET

Sun, Nov 14
4:00-6:30 PM ET

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Pablo Lancaster-Jones/Flickr)

Michelle Wie Is Halfway Leader in Canada

MICHELLE WIE HAS A THREE-STROKE lead after two rounds of the CN Canadian Women’s Open at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnepeg, Manitoba. Wie backed up a first-round 65 that included an ace with a 69 on Friday. She’s 10-under par and averaging a lengthy 294 yards off the tee, but has only hit 10 fairways in 36 holes. Apparently, it hasn’t hurt her much.

Asked about stringing together good rounds, Wie said, “ ... sometimes you have bad weeks and sometimes you have good weeks, but I’m just going out there and I’m not thinking tomorrow’s the third round or tomorrow’s the final round. I’m just going out there and focusing on every shot and just playing my hardest.”

Jiyai Shin, Morgan Pressel and Suzann Pettersen are Wie’s closest pursuers.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

15-Year-Old Alexis Thompson Will Turn Pro in June

TEENAGER ALEXIS THOMPSON has lined up a summer job: professional golf. Thompson will make her pro debut on the LPGA Tour when she tees it up in mid June at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey. Before she arrives in New Jersey, she’ll play on the U.S. Curtis Cup team in the June matches against Great Britain and Ireland in Manchester, Massachusetts.

“She thinks she’s ready,” said her father, Scott Thompson, at SunSentinel.com. “She tells me all the time at dinner, 'I’m ready, Dad, let me go.'”

Alexis will be a younger pro than Michelle Wie, who was one week shy of her 16th birthday when she entered the professional ranks.

The golf prodigy is used to firsts. In 2007 at age 12, Thompson was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. She also played in the championship in 2008 and 2009, and was ranked as the No. 1 female amateur last year.

−The Armchair Golfer

Related:
Alexis Thompson Still Tops News About 14-Year-Olds