We Have Played 3...and What Do I See?

3 of the LPGA’s 24 tournaments are now complete and here are some observations.

The only person to finish in the top 10 in all 3 tournaments is Karrie Webb who has finished 3rd once and has won twice.

Paula Creamer and Yani Tseng are the only other golfers to finish in the top 5 twice.

Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Sun Young Yoo are the only girls (besides Webb) to have 3 top 20 finishes.

Solheim Cup Girls Creamer, Lincicome and Kerr have all made the Titleholders Tournament this week. They join Tseng, Na Yeon Choi, Morgan Pressel, Michelle Wie, Webb and Yoo.

The new Rolex rankings have Paula Creamer as the only player breaking into the top ten this week (moving from 12 to 9), while Michelle Wie falls out (dropping from 8 to 11).

Karrie Webb has shot under par in 10 of her 11 rounds this year.

The race for the 2011 Vare Trophy looks this way so far:

Karrie Webb 68.91
Yani Tseng 69.64
I.K. Kim 70.38
Paula Creamer 70.55
Sun Young Yoo 70.64

The Race for Player of the Year after 3 events:

Karrie Webb 69 Points
Yani Tseng 39
Paula Creamer 18
I.K. Kim 13
Lincicome & Wie 12

Other Interesting Notes:

The Sybase Championship is around the corner. It is a match play event.
The field will consist of 64 players. It will be made up of the top 48 from the 2010 LPGA money list, 2 sponsor exemptions (one has been announced as Belen Mozo), the top 10 after 2 rounds of the Avnet Classic who haven’t already qualified and the top 4 players on the 2011 LPGA money list who aren’t already in. With only 3 tournaments to go before Sybase here are the top 4 based on the 2011 money that would get in:

Mindy Kim $36,459
Natalie Gulbis 32,625
Kyeong Bae 31,222
Sandra Gal 20,244 (tie)
Sarah Jane Smith 20,244 (tie)

I will be paying very close attention to this event as it is being held just a couple of miles from my home town and I will keep everyone posted on the names of the ladies who will be added.

Lucky 13 – Pornanong Phatlum who started the year ranked #228 in the world has finished 13th in both the events she has played in (although the money she earned at the Honda Classic does not count on the money list as the LPGA does not recognize sponsor exemption purses in international tournaments). She has moved up 55 spots and is currently ranked #173.

My hard to believe stat of the week:

Gwladys Nocera has played 10 rounds this year (9 of them over par) and is a total of 38 strokes over par.