In what almost certainly represents a first at the professional level, a new event on the LPGA schedule this spring is allowing fans to select the final player in an elite, 16-woman field that will battle for a $1 million purse in Jamaica....
In an era when stroke-play golf has seemingly grown stale with some of its customer base, the Mojo event is certainly offering a new presentation platform--in all, the 16 players will log 30 six-hole matches in approximately 30 hours.
I'll even forgive Elling his lobbying for Anna Rawson to get in on the action. Once I find out who #12 through #15 are (I'm hoping for Michelle Wie, In-Kyung Kim, Na Yeon Choi, and Ya Ni Tseng), I'll let you know who I'll be voting for today. A lot depends on who makes the Mojo 6's list of 12 potential final picks besides Rawson. I'm hoping to see Song-Hee Kim, Morgan Pressel, Vicky Hurst, Amy Yang, Katherine Hull, Jee Young Lee, Natalie Gulbis, Eun-Hee Ji, Stacy Lewis, Hee Young Park, and Jane Park make it.
Why no Japanese players on my list? For the same reason that I didn't put the best active match-play specialist, Seon Hwa Lee, on it. I expect them to be in Japan playing in a 4-week stretch on the JLPGA leading up to the Salonpas Cup, the tour's 1st major, in the 1st week of May. The LPGA's mini-silly-mid-season is just fine for those without any other options in April....
[Update 1 (4:29 pm): Here are the players you can vote into the 16th spot. Now if only I knew who #12 through #15 are.]
[Update 2 (4:31 pm): Ah, by simply scrolling down further on that page, looks like it's Choi, Tseng, Pressel, and Blumenherst.]
[Update 3 (2/11/10, 6:24 am): My bad! Pressel had been in from the start--the newbie to the regular 14 was Brittany Lincicome. Along with Georgia teen Mariah Stackhouse, the 16th player to be voted in by the fans will round out the field. But that voting link above now takes you to the site's main page. Try this one!]
5 comments:
I'm looking forward to seeing how this format plays out - but it's that "elite field of 16 LPGA pros" that bugs me - especially when the field includes a 15 year old (soon to be 16 year old) amateur...even if she IS from Georgia.
Anna Rawson adds a little zing to day one, assuming she would be invited for bikini shots and tournament fodder...in which case, Natalie Gulbis should be in the field.
Good addition with Yani Tseng - she's fun to watch and will be willing to take chances.
But Amanda Blumenherst ? Untested rookie, Amanda Blumenherst ?
Where is Brittany Lincicome ? She hit THE big shot of the 2009 season to win the Kraft Nabisco. Match Play requires taking chances.
Gotta question either the marketing of the tournament or the intentions of the organizers to actually have 16 top LPGA pros.
My bad--Lincicome is in!
Where are you getting this information ? She's not on the web site.
oh - NOW she's on there ! Amazing.
And Na Yeon Choi (LOVE that swing !) - but she's a "Steady Eddie" type of player.
Ok - down to one spot - Gulbis has it ALL over Rawson in a bikini, so Rawson's out. And "top LPGA player" is off the table...
How about a little old school nastiness ? Someone who knows how to intimidate, take chances, and win win win ?
Karrie Webb.
(LMAO !! my word verification for this post - constud. gotta love it)
I want to see Vicky Hurst get the same kind of opportunity that Amanda Blumenherst is getting. If not Hurst, I'd love to see Jeong Jang in there!
Post a Comment