Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Editor's Note: A profile of Yani Tseng appears on pg. 74.
Man, those editors at Golf Magazine are quick with the comebacks! After LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan politely but resolutely roasted their ridiculous decision to name Rory McIlroy their Player of the Year instead of everyone's obvious choice, Ya Ni Tseng, they responded with the bon mot that I took for my title.
I can come up with several ways of slicing the tone of that little note. What do you got?
I'm leaning toward the last reading, given that the one line from the letter they chose to blow up in a graphic--"Yani certainly doesn't need me--or anyone else--to validate her position"--seems to suggest that Whan didn't need to write the letter and they didn't need to award her the POY.
Nicely done, editors of Golf Magazine. Well played!
[Update 1 (12/19/11, 4:30 pm): Armchair Golf has picked up this story; instead of focusing on the editors' anemic response, Neil summarizes Whan's letter and adds in telling supporting evidence that Whan didn't cite (like the fact that 96% of those Golf Magazine polled on Facebook thought Ya Ni should be POY!).]
I can come up with several ways of slicing the tone of that little note. What do you got?
- Move-it-along-nothing-to-see-here just-the-facts blaseness: "[Whistling casually] Thank you for your letter. Can we interest you in our table of contents?"
- Embarrassed defensiveness: "Hey, we screwed up, we know, but at least we mentioned her in this issue, right? Right? Come on, you guys, stop being so harsh on us! ....Please?"
- Brazen arrogance: "Yeah, Ya Ni had a pretty good year. Not a Player of the Year year. A pg. 74 year. Siddown and shaddup, Commish!"
I'm leaning toward the last reading, given that the one line from the letter they chose to blow up in a graphic--"Yani certainly doesn't need me--or anyone else--to validate her position"--seems to suggest that Whan didn't need to write the letter and they didn't need to award her the POY.
Nicely done, editors of Golf Magazine. Well played!
[Update 1 (12/19/11, 4:30 pm): Armchair Golf has picked up this story; instead of focusing on the editors' anemic response, Neil summarizes Whan's letter and adds in telling supporting evidence that Whan didn't cite (like the fact that 96% of those Golf Magazine polled on Facebook thought Ya Ni should be POY!).]
Can Lexi Close the Deal in Dubai?
Lexi Thompson is the only player in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters to reach double digits under par through the 1st 54 holes. At -10, she has a 1-shot lead on Sophie Gustafson, a 2-shot lead on Lee-Anne Pace and Pernilla Lindberg, a 3-shot lead on Becky Morgan, Julieta Granada, and Stacy Lee Bregman, and a 5-shot lead on Michelle Wie. With Caroline Hedwall and Carlota Ciganda breaking 70 today to get to -4, I'm curious to see if they can get in the mix tomorrow. The LET has the details on all the leaders, along with the final-round pairings. Can Lexi become the youngest professional winner and 2nd-youngest winner on the LET? 18 holes will tell!
[Update 1 (12/17/11, 8:56 am): bangkokbobby did his usual bang-up job on the 3rd round, with lots of great photos and a rundown of the entire leaderboard.]
[Update 1 (12/17/11, 8:56 am): bangkokbobby did his usual bang-up job on the 3rd round, with lots of great photos and a rundown of the entire leaderboard.]
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
2011 CLPGA Money Title Up for Grabs this Week...in 2012 KLPGA Season-Opener!
There's one money-list title in women's golf that has yet to be decided: the CLPGA's. And it's going to be decided in the 1st KLPGA event of 2012, the Hyundai China Ladies Open.
As the Asia Pacific Golf Group's preview makes clear, a few Thai and Chinese golfers have a chance to leapfrog the absent Porani Chutichai and take the #1 spot for 2011, including Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, Yan Hong Pan, and Jia Yun Li (it looks to me like 19-year-old Thidapa Suwannapura and Tian Hong have an outside chance to take the title, as well). Given that this is the 2011 season-closer for the CLPGA and the 2012 season-opener for the KLPGA, though, the competition should be particularly intense. Let's see how the CLPGA's hopefuls stand up against the likes of Shanshan Feng from the LPGA and JLPGA, Pornanong Phatlum from the LPGA, Li-Ying Ye from the JLPGA, and the top 40 from the 2011 KLPGA money list. It's a swan song of sorts for most of them, as in 2012 Li will be a JLPGA member (along with Chutichai, who finished T11 at JLPGA Q-School) and Kongkraphan and Suwannapura LPGA members.
Who will join the LPGA's Ya Ni Tseng, the JLPGA's Sun-Ju Ahn, the KLPGA's Ha Neul Kim, and the LET's Ai Miyazato as the queen of the hill for the CLPGA? Stay tuned!
As the Asia Pacific Golf Group's preview makes clear, a few Thai and Chinese golfers have a chance to leapfrog the absent Porani Chutichai and take the #1 spot for 2011, including Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, Yan Hong Pan, and Jia Yun Li (it looks to me like 19-year-old Thidapa Suwannapura and Tian Hong have an outside chance to take the title, as well). Given that this is the 2011 season-closer for the CLPGA and the 2012 season-opener for the KLPGA, though, the competition should be particularly intense. Let's see how the CLPGA's hopefuls stand up against the likes of Shanshan Feng from the LPGA and JLPGA, Pornanong Phatlum from the LPGA, Li-Ying Ye from the JLPGA, and the top 40 from the 2011 KLPGA money list. It's a swan song of sorts for most of them, as in 2012 Li will be a JLPGA member (along with Chutichai, who finished T11 at JLPGA Q-School) and Kongkraphan and Suwannapura LPGA members.
Who will join the LPGA's Ya Ni Tseng, the JLPGA's Sun-Ju Ahn, the KLPGA's Ha Neul Kim, and the LET's Ai Miyazato as the queen of the hill for the CLPGA? Stay tuned!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Stats & Facts, "Vol 6"
With the LPGA's 2011 season now over, let us take a look at some of the not-so-obvious stats from the past year.
Players who did not miss a cut all year:
1- Paula Creamer - (21 tournaments)
2- Brittany Lincicome - (21)
3- Karrie Webb - (20)
4- Maria Hjorth - (20)
5- Jiyai Shin - (18)
Players who ended the season on a streak of consecutive missed cuts:
Louise Friberg - (13) She retired.
Allison Hanna - (11)
Ji Young Oh - (9)
Jean Reynolds - (8)
Nicole Hage, Alison Whitaker, Angela Oh, Nicole Jeray, Kimberly Kim, Shasta Averyhardt - (7)
Allison Fouch - (6)
Players who went the entire season without a top-20 finish:
Meaghan Francella, Lindsey Wright, Jee Young Lee - (15 tournaments)
Mariajo Uribe - (14)
Na On Min, Karin Sjodin - (13)
Anna Grzebien, Pernilla Lindberg, Jennifer Rosales, Lorie Kane, Laura Davies - (12)
Ji Young Oh, Birdie Kim - (11)
The only players to play in all 23 LPGA Tournaments:
Stacy Lewis
Azahara Munoz
Beatriz Recari
Other Tidbits:
Yani Tseng won her 12th worldwide tournament this past weekend. She won the Swinging Skirts 2011 Taiwan Invitational. She was the only player to post an under par finish. Her 6-under total was 7 shots better than Ji-Yai Shin and So-Yeon Ryu.
Caroline Hedwall won her fourth L.E.T tournament at the Hero Women's Indian Open. The L.E.T's schedule concludes this weekend with the playing of the Omega Dubai Ladies Open. Besides Hedwall, the field will include LPGA regulars Michelle Wie, Anna Nordqvist, Christina Kim, Sandra Gal, Sophie Gustafson, and Lexi Thompson. The Golf Channel will broadcast this tournament all four days.
Players who did not miss a cut all year:
1- Paula Creamer - (21 tournaments)
2- Brittany Lincicome - (21)
3- Karrie Webb - (20)
4- Maria Hjorth - (20)
5- Jiyai Shin - (18)
Players who ended the season on a streak of consecutive missed cuts:
Louise Friberg - (13) She retired.
Allison Hanna - (11)
Ji Young Oh - (9)
Jean Reynolds - (8)
Nicole Hage, Alison Whitaker, Angela Oh, Nicole Jeray, Kimberly Kim, Shasta Averyhardt - (7)
Allison Fouch - (6)
Players who went the entire season without a top-20 finish:
Meaghan Francella, Lindsey Wright, Jee Young Lee - (15 tournaments)
Mariajo Uribe - (14)
Na On Min, Karin Sjodin - (13)
Anna Grzebien, Pernilla Lindberg, Jennifer Rosales, Lorie Kane, Laura Davies - (12)
Ji Young Oh, Birdie Kim - (11)
The only players to play in all 23 LPGA Tournaments:
Stacy Lewis
Azahara Munoz
Beatriz Recari
Other Tidbits:
Yani Tseng won her 12th worldwide tournament this past weekend. She won the Swinging Skirts 2011 Taiwan Invitational. She was the only player to post an under par finish. Her 6-under total was 7 shots better than Ji-Yai Shin and So-Yeon Ryu.
Caroline Hedwall won her fourth L.E.T tournament at the Hero Women's Indian Open. The L.E.T's schedule concludes this weekend with the playing of the Omega Dubai Ladies Open. Besides Hedwall, the field will include LPGA regulars Michelle Wie, Anna Nordqvist, Christina Kim, Sandra Gal, Sophie Gustafson, and Lexi Thompson. The Golf Channel will broadcast this tournament all four days.
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