LPGA Tour adds Malaysian tournament to its October schedule

The LPGA has filled a slot on its 2010 tournament calendar – initially reserved for an event in China – with an elite, limited-field competition in Malaysia.
The inaugural Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia is scheduled to be played from October 22 to 24 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, according to Zayra Calderon, the LPGA’s executive vice president, tournament development & worldwide sales.
The new event, to be held at least through 2012 according to the three-year agreement, is expected to feature the top 50 LPGA members from the Official Money List, plus 10 sponsor’s exemptions. The 54-hole stroke-play event will not have a cut.
Sime Darby Group is a leading multi-national corporation in Malaysia.
The company’s sponsorship continues support for the LPGA’s swing through the Far East. The tour began this season with two tournaments in Asia: the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. In addition, Hana Bank Financial committed to serving as title sponsor of an LPGA tournament for the next three years in Korea.
The Malaysian tournament is scheduled to be broadcast on Golf Channel in the U.S. from 12 noon to 2 p.m. EST during all three days of the tournament.

Ai Miyazato with the HSBC Women's Champions' trophy (Courtesy of Getty Images/HSBC Women's Champions). Click on image to enlarge.

Ai Miyazato's double whammy in LPGA

season's first two tournaments

By Lewine Mair, http://www.hsbcgolf.com/
Ai Miyazato emerged triumphant from a thriller of a last day at the HSBC Women’s Champions to complete the rare feat of winning the LPGA’s two opening events. The last player to do as much was America’s Marilyn Smith in 1966.
Miyazato, though she did not know it, had a two-shot lead over Cristie Kerr coming down Tanah Merah’s 414 yards 18th at the Singapore venue. She bisected the fairway with a stunning drive - and followed it up with a second to nine feet which left the spectators positively open-mouthed. The title was as good as hers.
Having tapped in for a 4, this hugely popular competitor hugged her caddie and, as the applause was giving way to a rousing Lion dance, so she signed for her closing 69 and ten-under-par tally of 278. Kerr finished on 280 with Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen, Yani Tseng and Song-Hee Kim sharing third place on 281.
Guy Harvey-Samuel, the CEO of HSBC Singapore, presented the 5ft 2in Japanese player with the handsome trophy, the size of which is such that she did well to raise it above her head.
Kerr, two parties in front, had held the lead when she teed up at the penultimate hole.
"I know better than to miss the fairway on the left but that’s what I did,” she said ruefully. Her ball ran down into the trees and finished in what the referee termed “a dangerous situation”. He was not referring to the way she had jeopardised her position in the tournament but to the red fire ants which were chasing up and down the TV cables between her ball and a sturdy tree.
Kerr was given a free drop, one which furnished a small corridor of an approach to the green. She almost made the most of it but her shot took a last-minute swing into the left-hand bunker and she ended up with a bogey.
As she fell to nine under so Miyazato made the birdie at the 16th which lifted her to ten under par to Kerr’s nine under.
In going all out for a birdie at the last, Kerr miscued with her tee shot and wound up with a second successive dropped shot. “It was a disappointing finish but I still have to keep my head high,” she said.
Miyazato started her magic at the 269yd 16th on Saturday. After driving the green, she holed an up-hill-and-down-dale putt for an eagle which set the place alight.
On Saturday night, she bedded down in a share of the lead with Juli Inkster but, when she began today with a couple of bogeys, everyone wondered if her best golf was in the past as far as this week was concerned.
As it was, she hit back with a pair of birdies at the fifth and sixth and, after turning in 35, reeled off three birdies in a row from the 11th to put people in mind of the way she came through last week’s field in Thailand with a closing 63. Miyazato herself put the lengths of those birdie putts at five yards, 10 yards and four yards.
“I’m not,” she explained afterwards, “trying to hole this length. I’m just trying to concentrate on the moment and on the stroke – and also to keep a low centre of gravity.”
The winner also revealed what has made her the player she is at the moment….
In her eyes, it is all down to the struggles she had after romping through the LPGA qualifying school in 2006. After that heady start, she had problems with her driving and did nothing to write home about until she won last year’s Evian in France.
“Overcoming the hard times makes me what I am right now.”
Next week, she is playing in Japan. She will try “not to get greedy” but it goes without saying that this great little competitor has her heart set on making it three in a row.

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)

Players from United States unless stated otherwise
278 Ai Miyazato (Japan) 69 71 69 69
280 Cristie Kerr 68 73 71 68
281 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 74 67 71 69, Jiyai Shin (South Korea) 71 71 72 67, Song-Hee Kim (South Korea) 69 70 75 67, Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 70 70 72 69
282 Vicky Hurst 73 71 69 69, In-Kyung Kim (South Korea) 70 72 71 69
283 Jee Young Lee (South Korea) 73 73 68 69, Na Yeon Choi (South Korea) 73 69 71 70, Sakura Yokomine (Japan) 73 71 69 70, Juli Inkster 70 70 69 74, Angela Stanford 68 71 74 70, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 68 74 69 72
284 Michelle Wie 72 73 69 70, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 70 71 73, Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 75 68 68 73, Hwa seon Lee (South Korea) 73 71 72 68
285 Mika Miyazato (Japan) 73 72 70 70, Karrie Webb (Australia) 70 72 72 71
286 Stacy Prammanasudh 73 71 74 68, Eunjung Yi (South Korea) 72 74 72 68, Katherine Hull (Australia) 71 72 72 71
287 Hee-Won Han (South Korea) 73 67 71 76, Amy Yang 73 70 71 73
288 Brittany Lincicome 71 73 72 72, Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 73 70 71 74, Shanshan Feng (China) 74 72 70 72
289 Meena Lee (South Korea) 75 70 74 70, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 73 73 70 73, Christina Kim 69 75 75 70
290 Chie Arimura (Japan) 74 74 70 72, Meaghan Francella 72 74 72 72, Inbee Park (South Korea) 72 73 69 76, Kristy McPherson 70 77 71 72, Kyeong Bae (South Korea) 73 76 70 71
291 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 72 71 71 77
292 Shinobu Moromizato (Japan) 74 72 74 72, Morgan Pressel 74 73 73 72, Lorena Ochoa (Mexico) 68 79 73 72, Stacy Lewis 76 71 73 72, Candie Kung (Taiwan) 71 76 72 73
293 Soo-Yun Kang (South Korea) 77 72 72 72, Se Ri Pak (South Korea) 74 74 70 75
294 Teresa Lu (Tai) 72 74 74 74, Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 73 75 73 73, Nicole Castrale 77 74 68 75
295 Ji-Young Oh (South Korea) 74 77 76 68, M J Hur (South Korea) 73 74 76 72, Brittany Lang 76 72 77 70
296 Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 77 72 76 71, Angela Park (Brazil) 76 69 77 74
297 Jimin Kang (South Korea) 77 75 73 72, Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) 69 74 74 80
298 Natalie Gulbis 73 77 73 75, Helen Alfredsson (Sweden) 78 70 72 78
300 Wendy Ward 75 77 75 73
302 Bo-Bae Song (Kor) 80 72 74 76
303 Pat Hurst 78 74 74 77
304 Michele Redman 74 79 76 75, Sandra Gal (Germany) 73 77 76 78
310 Amanda Blumenherst 77 76 79 78
323 Joey Poh (Singapore) 82 80 83 78

Ai Miyazato and her caddie after the third round of the HSBC Women's Champions tournament at Singapore. Below, joint leader Juli Inkster in action. Both images by courtesy of Getty Images/HSBC Women's Champions.

Ai Miyazato eyes second win

-

in as many weeks

By Lewine Mair, http://www.hsbcgolf.com/
Juli Inkster and Ai Miyazato, who are sharing the lead on seven under par going into the last round of the HSBC Women's Champions at Tannah Bay Resort's Garden Course, Singapore, could not make for a greater contrast.
Inkster is 49 and has been talking about this year being her last on tour. Miyazato, for her part, is 24 and is only now beginning to reach her potential. Where Inkster has bagged seven majors and a total of 31 LPGA titles, Miyazato notched her first LPGA win at the 2009 Evian. As for her second, that came in Thailand last week as she had a last-round 63 to seize the title from Suzann Pettersen.
Inkster says that if she could come out on top tomorrow, it would be “one of my best wins ever,” partly because she has not won since the 2006 Safeway tournament and partly because her game has been playing up over the last few years.
She was still at odds with her irons at the start of this week but, in practising yesterday evening, she realised that there was a touch of the bad workman blaming his tools. Once she moved the ball forward in her stance, everything fell into place.
Today, she was hitting all her shots well, with her only mistake one of letting a few putts get away.
Asked if she thought her greater experience would tell tomorrow, Inkster was quick to say that she feels like the underdog. “Ai,” she pointed out, “won last week so that experience has to be the more relevant.”
Miyazato, who describes Juli as one of her idols, is no less desperate to get her hands on the trophy. Since the Women’s HSBC Champions is viewed at Asia’s major, she knows that this title would go down well in her homeland.
It was Miyazato who came up with the shot of the day at Tanah Merah, one which detonated a roar to match that of any of the planes taking off at the adjacent Changi Airport. Having driven the green at the 269 yards 16th, she had a swirling putt of 15 meters for the eagle. Stroke perfect and head well down, she was soon breaking into a run as the ball chased towards the hole. “I was so happy,” she said.
If Inkster were to win and to carry on playing good golf throughout the season, she could well have a change of heart about retirement. After all, it was the struggles she was having with her swing which were telling her to call it a day. “It’s when you don’t want to go out there and hit balls that you know that it’s time,” she said.
After yesterday’s good play, the light was back in her eye – and her fans will be hoping that it stays there.
Both Inkster and Miyazato are well aware that they are not free of the pack. Momoko Ueda, Sun Young Yoo, Hee-Won Han and Hee Young Park are all lurking on five under par, with Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr and Yani Tseng one shot further back.
Meanwhile, Michelle Wie gave herself half a chance when she added a 69 to a Thursday 72 and a Friday 73. Where, on Thursday, Wie finished bogey, bogey, she signed off today with a couple of birdies. In other words, with all guns blazing.

Catriona Matthew had a 73 for 221 - 12 shots off the pace.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)

Players from United States unless stated otherwise
209 Ai Miyazato (Japan) 69 71 69, Juli Inkster 70 70 69
211 Sun Young Yoo (South Korea) 70 70 71, Momoko Ueda (Japan) 75 68 68, Hee-Won Han (South Korea) 73 67 71, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 68 74 69
212 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 74 67 71, Cristie Kerr 68 73 71, Suzann Pettersen (Norway) 70 70 72
213 Vicky Hurst 73 71 69, Na Yeon Choi (South Korea) 73 69 71, In-Kyung Kim (South Korea) 70 72 71, Sakura Yokomine (Japan) 73 71 69, Angela Stanford 68 71 74
214 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 72 71 71, Karrie Webb (Australia) 70 72 72, Amy Yang 73 70 71, Song-Hee Kim (South Korea) 69 70 75, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 73 70 71, Inbee Park (South Korea) 72 73 69, Jee Young Lee (South Korea) 73 73 68, Michelle Wie 72 73 69, Jiyai Shin (South Korea) 71 71 72
215 Mika Miyazato (Japan) 73 72 70, Katherine Hull (Australia) 71 72 72
216 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 73 73 70, Brittany Lincicome 71 73 72, Hwa seon Lee (South Korea) 73 71 72, Shanshan Feng (China) 74 72 70
217 Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) 69 74 74
218 Chie Arimura (Japan) 74 74 70, Stacy Prammanasudh 73 71 74, Se Ri Pak (South Korea) 74 74 70, Eunjung Yi (South Korea) 72 74 72, Meaghan Francella 72 74 72, Kristy McPherson 70 77 71
219 Meena Lee (South Korea) 75 70 74, Nicole Castrale 77 74 68, Candie Kung (Taiwan) 71 76 72, Christina Kim 69 75 75, Kyeong Bae (South Korea) 73 76 70
220 Shinobu Moromizato (Japan) 74 72 74, Teresa Lu (Taiwan) 72 74 74, Morgan Pressel 74 73 73, Lorena Ochoa (Mexico) 68 79 73, Helen Alfredsson (Sweden) 78 70 72, Stacy Lewis 76 71 73
221 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 73 75 73, Soo-Yun Kang (South Korea) 77 72 72
222 Angela Park (Brazil) 76 69 77
223 Natalie Gulbis 73 77 73, M.J. Hur (South Korea) 73 74 76
225 Jimin Kang (South Korea) 77 75 73, Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 77 72 76, Brittany Lang 76 72 77
226 Pat Hurst 78 74 74, Bo-Bae Song (South Korea) 80 72 74, Sandra Gal (Germany) 73 77 76
227 Ji-Young Oh (South Korea) 74 77 76, Wendy Ward 75 77 75
229 Michele Redman 74 79 76
232 Amanda Blumenherst 77 76 79
245 Joey Poh (Singapore) 82 80 83

Catriona Matthew trails by nine shots in HSBC Women's Champions

Inkster on heels of leaders at half-way stage

By LEWINE MAIR http://www.hsbcgolf.com/
Angela Stanford, who is lying on five under par with Song-Hee Kim going into the third round of the HSBC Women’s Champions, is not remotely surprised that the 49-year-old Juli Inkster is among those lurking just one shot off the lead at the Singapore venue.
“I don’t know Tiger Woods but I’ve always said that Juli is the most competitive player of them all,” said Stanford.
The Solheim Cup golfer noted that the 71 she tacked to her opening 68 featured two halves – 33 and 38 - which were every bit as different as the figures would suggest. There was a thoroughly disconcerting wind on the back nine and one which contributed to the bad decisions she made at the 14th and 18th. On each occasion, her shot to the green veered off course and she failed to get down in a chip and a putt.
“I’m disappointed,” she admitted. “If you have the opportunity to create a bit of space between you and the rest you should always take it. I didn’t.”
Kim had the homeward half Stanford would have wanted – namely, a one-under-par 35 for the 70 which lifted her to five under. This Korean has an ice-cool exterior but insists that her emotions will often come to the surface, if not quite to the same extent as those of a Christina Kim.
Inkster was not raving about her four-under tally. Not by any means. Having started with a couple of birdies, she signed off with two bogeys, partly because of the wind and partly because she is not yet on the best of terms with her new irons.
When, because of the new rules pertaining to grooves, she had to change her clubs, there were no shafts to match her old ones. “My three-quarter shots are going as far as full shots and I’ve got no idea how far I’m hitting the thing.” she complained.
At the 17th, she missed the green when she had nothing more than a nine-iron in hand while, when it came to the last, she miscued with a seven iron to leave herself with arguably the most unappetising chip that the hole has to offer.
Her ball ran past the flag and she duly missed the three-footer which would have seen her sitting alongside Stanford and Kim.
Asked for the secret to her golfing longevity, Inkster laughingly suggested that it could be “stupidity”. In fact, she loves what she does. Having started golf later than most and never having had anyone chasing her out to play or practise, she finds that the fun has stayed firmly in place.
A happily married mother of two, she says that her balanced lifestyle is probably another factor. “I don’t care over-much about my golf and I certainly don’t take it home with me any more.”
Last year, when she played in what was her eighth Solheim Cup, Inkster said it was her last. Stanford is just one player out here who is even now urging her to try for the team next year in Ireland.
Michelle Wie was dragged down by an early double-bogey in her second round and eventually signed off for the day at one over par for the tournament. That, though, paled into insignificance as against what happened to Lorena Ochoa. Having opened with a 68, the World No. 1 plummeted to a 79 in which her back nine took in three bogeys and a watery triple-bogey.
SCOREBOARD TO COME

Lorena Ochoa in action in Singapore (by courtesy of Getty Images/HSBC Women's Champions).

Four share lead on four-under 68 in heat of Singapore

By Lewine Mair, http://www.hsbcgolf.com/
Lorena Ochoa, Angela Stanford, Cristie Kerr and Hee Young Park all returned 68s to top a thrillingly-cluttered leaderboard at the end of the first day of the Women’s HSBC Champions in Singapore.
Each of the leaders felt differently about her four-under-par tally. Ochoa, who won here in 2008, was happy with the score but irritated with a series of miscued shots to the greens. Stanford was concerned about her shape of shot - left to right. “Usually for me that spells danger,” she said, before heading for the range.
Kerr, meantime, was conscious of the need to stick with “the boring golf” which made for her inward 31. “Boring golf is good golf,” she advised. “When I try to be too perfect, as I did at the start, it doesn’t work.”
Only Park had one of those days which left her with absolutely nothing to worry about. On Wednesday she amassed as many as nine birdies in the pro-am round, with her party winning the event by a little matter of 12 shots. Her gleeful partners advised, “Keep up the good work tomorrow” and she duly did, making only two birdies fewer. “I was so confident when I went to the first tee,” she said.
Having found Singapore too hot and the course too difficult last year, Park trained over the winter with this event in mind, spending long hours in the gym and on her course management. She was in the enviable position of never noticing the heat today, while she was always putting herself in “position A” on what everyone sees as a difficult course.
Though Park does not have an LPGA title under her belt, she has shown steady signs of improvement. Where, in 2008, her rookie season, she had four top ten finishes, she last year upped that tally to six.
Though heat was definitely a factor for most of the day, the later starters were troubled rather more by a playful wind which turned parasols inside-out and sent hats flying.
Michelle Wie, who attracted a large and admiring gallery for what was her first round on Singapore soil, missed each of the last two greens in these feisty conditions to finish bogey, bogey for a level-par 72. The Stanford student was frustrated but acknowledged that she had hit enough good shots over the day to escape with her confidence intact.
Christina Kim led the way at 8.40 this morning and started the tournament in style…Kim style. There was an emerald green back-to-front beret, a multi-coloured shirt and orange shorts. “It’s not what you wear but how you wear it,” she advised, cheerfully.
Unlike Ian Poulter, another clothes-conscious soul, Kim does not decide in advance she will wear on the different tournament days. In her case, everything depends on how she feels when she wakes up. Today, she was “thinking green”, though she went on to explain that there is always something green in the mix by way of marking her devotion to saving the planet.
As late as Wednesday evening, this larger-than-life figure was experimenting with a variety of shots – shots of gin, Cherry Heering, Benedictine and fresh pineapple - as she served Singapore Slings at the pro-am dinner at Raffles Hotel.
There was much the same extravagant mix on the course – high shots and low to fit every occasion. Though the Solheim Cup golfer’s putting cost her a couple of bogies early on, she hit back with three stunning birdies from the 12th and four in five holes on her way to an inward 33.
“I’m swinging so damn good right now that it’s scary,” she announced.

LPGA Tour Scoreboard
HSBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS' TOURNAMENT
Tanah Mera Country Club, Tanah Bay Resort, Garden Course, Singapore

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from United States unless stated otherwise.
68 Lorena Ochoa (Mexico), Angela Stanford, Cristie Kerr, Hee Young Park (South Korea)
69 Ai Miyazato (Japan), Sophie Gustafson (Sweden), Song-Hee Kim (South Korea), Christina Kim
70 In-Kyung Kim (Kor), Sun Young Yoo (South Korea), Karrie Webb (Australia), Juli Inkster, Kristy McPherson, Suzann Pettersen (Norway)
71 Jiyai Shin (Kor), Brittany Lincicome, Candie Kung (Tai), Katherine Hull (Aus)
72 Lindsey Wright (Australia), Michelle Wie, Teresa Lu (Taiwan), Eunjung Yi (South Korea), Meaghan Francella, Inbee Park (South Korea)
73 Stacy Prammanasudh, Amy Yang, Vicky Hurst, Jee Young Lee (South Korea), M.J. Hur (South Korea), Sun-hwa Lee (South Korea), Kyeong Bae (South Korea), Mika Miyazato (Japan), Catriona Matthew (Scotland), Hee-Won Han (South Korea), Maria Hjorth (Sweden), Sandra Gal (Germany), Sakura Yokomine (Jpn), Na Yeon Choi (South Korea), Natalie Gulbis, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden)
74 Morgan Pressel, Michele Redman, Shinobu Moromizato (Japan), Yani Tseng (Taiwan), Chie Arimura (Japan), Ji-Young Oh (South Korea), Se Ri Pak (South Korea), Shanshan Feng (China)
75 Meena Lee (South Korea), Momoko Ueda (Japan), Wendy Ward
76 Angela Park (Brazil), Brittany Lang, Stacy Lewis
77 Jimin Kang (South Korea), Soo-Yun Kang (South Korea), Eun Hee Ji (Kor), Nicole Castrale, Amanda Blumenherst
78 Pat Hurst, Helen Alfredsson (Sweden)
80 Bo-Bae Song (South Korea)
82 Joey Poh (Singapore)

CATRIONA MATTHEW POST-ROUND INTERVIEW

Q. How did your round go today?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, I really actually played not too badly. Just didn't putt very well. I find these greens quite tricky. They are very grainy, so hope to master them tomorrow.

Q. You got off to a good start, though.
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Played pretty well today. I gave myself some chances, just one silly, bad hole, 10, for a double.
Just pulled my second shot into the bunker, and then kind of made a mess of it from there. But apart from that played well.

Q. So you're still quite close to everything coming together.
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah.

Q. And how did the course play, seems like it was scoring well.
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, I think it's a quite tricky course. I find the greens quite difficult here. It's quite tricky actually.

Q. It's easier playing when you're not pregnant?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, I don't know how I did it last year.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...

LPGA Tour event tees off in Singapore tomorrow

LPGA Tour player Amanda Blumenherst conducts a clinic for juniors at Tanah Merah (Courtesy of Gerry Images/HSBC Women's Champions). Click to enlarge.

Michelle Wie is a Catriona Matthew fan!

By Lewine Mair
That Lorena Ochoa is desperate to regain the HSBC Women’s Champions title she won in Singapore two years ago was evident from the moment she stepped off her plane from Thailand on Monday.
Where others arrived in their regular clothes, with Michelle Wie’s bright pink boots catching the eye of every photographer in town, Ochoa was ready for golf. Her first port of call was the practice ground at Tanah Merah.
As much as anything, she was anxious to recapture her rhythm after finishing in an anticlimactic share of 18th place behind Ai Miyazato in the Honda PTT. “I was a little frustrated that I couldn’t score better,” she admitted, before putting the blame fairly and squarely on her shots to the green.
Now, Ochoa is confident that her swing is in a better position and feels ready “to start making birdies.”
Ochoa’s companions for a first round which starts tomorrow at 10.19 are Miyazato and Jiyai Shin, the latter of whom is this week's defending champion. Though Ochoa has the utmost respect for both, she will not be watching either. “In my case, I’m never really thinking about other players. I just try to focus on my own game and make as many birdies as I can.”
Another key group will be 9.45 trio of Catriona Matthew, Yani Tseng and Michelle Wie.
For Matthew, the reigning Ricoh Women’s British Open champion, this will be the first time she has been in Wie’s group in over a year.
“It’s going to be interesting to play with Michelle again,” said Matthew, who has revelled in the heat of Thailand and Singapore after a winter of Scottish frost. “There will be a lot of people watching her but that’s not going to worry me. You maybe have to wait a couple of seconds for the crowds to quieten down but that’s about as far as it goes.”
The other thing which is never going to bother Matthew is if Wie’s drives go bounding past hers. The truth is, of course, that nothing bothers the Scot, with Tseng saying that she would love nothing more than to pick up something of Matthew’s body language. “My shoulders tend to go down when things are going wrong but Catriona always keeps her chin up,” said the Taiwanese golfer.
Wie is another of Matthew fan. “I so admire Catriona and the way she won the British only weeks after having a second baby,” said Wie. “She’s amazing. I look up to her a lot and, hopefully, I’ll learn from her.”
There are times when Wie would seem to favour university over golf and others when the golf matters more.
For the moment, though, it is golf first every time. “I’ve had an overload of studying in the last couple of months,” she explained cheerfully.
Overall, Wie is entirely happy with where she is on both fronts – happy that she turned professional when she did and happy that she is at Stanford.
“I couldn’t imagine life any other way. I made the right decisions at the right time.”

HSBC Champions at Tanah Merah, Singapore

The Art of Golf: LPGA stars are dab hands

By Lewine Mair, working with www.HSBCGolf.com
Several top players were tangling with the Singapore orchids prior to this week’s $1,300,000 HSBC Champions at Tanah Merah. It was not that they had strayed off line in their early practice rounds. Rather that they had been invited to put the finishing touches to a Batik painting at a press conference at Raffles Hotel.
Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa, Jiyai Shin, Cristie Kerr and Ai Miyazato were asked to colour in an orchid apiece before the picture was prepared for display at the Pro-Am dinner. One way and another, it was an exercise in which the women’s attention to detail went a long way towards explaining how they have all worked their way into golf’s top ten. Meanwhile, the fact that Batik painting was originally practised as a form of meditation gave rise to the suggestion that it could only help the group to get into tournament mode.
Earlier, Guy Harvey-Samuel, the CEO of HSBC Singapore, and Giles Morgan, HSBC Head of Sponsorship, welcomed everyone to Singapore and said that the company took great pride in the way the golfers had turned out in force, with 54 of the top 55 ranked players ready to do battle. The sponsors expressed the wish to give competitors and fans alike the best possible week and, at the same time, to inspire the youth of Singapore. Currently, HSBC have 400 players on their youth programme on the island, with girls making up a healthy 30% of that figure.
“We are keen to see our young players maximising their potential,” said Harvey-Samuel, who spoke proudly of how the 16-year-old Joey Poh, who was the local qualifier last year and this, had come through the scheme. Poy dreams of turning professional when she has finished her education.
Michael Whan, the LPGA’s new commissioner, thanked HSBC for their continuing sponsorship and described himself as “Flat-out honoured" to be in Singapore for a tournament which has become universally known as “Asia’s major”. Whan stressed that he saw himself as a fan no less than a commissioner. “If you want to see great golf,” he advised the media-packed ballroom, “it’s going to start here on Thursday.”
Kerr, in an impromptu response to HSBC on behalf of the LPGA players, said that a variety of things had to be right for a tournament to be great “and HSBC have hit it on the head”.
Shin, last year’s winner at Tanah Merah, said she had “only good memories of Singapore.” All of which was hardly surprising in that she finished the tournament with a couple of exquisite 66s to win by two.
Ochoa, who came out on top in 2008, was similarly thrilled to be back. “This is a beautiful week, we love to be here,” she assured the audience.
Wie, whose first visit this is to Singapore, described Tanah Merah as “fantastic” and the competition as “fierce”.
In answer to a question on her progress, Wie said she had been happy with 2009, her first year, and was revelling in the weeks she was spending on tour. “The girls are cool people and great players. I’ve learned a lot. I felt I had a great year last year but hopefully I will do better this season.”
For the record, Wie won last year’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational and finished ninth on the season-ending money-list.
Yet if any player stole the show, it was Miyazato who has come to Singapore having bagged the season’s opening Honda tournament in Thailand.
The Japanese player’s eyes sparkled and cameras flashed as the crowd recognised her efforts with a special round of applause.
The least boastful of competitors, Miyazato wasted no time in pointing to her sister players at the top table and saying that much of her success was down to them.
“They give me lots of inspiration,” she said.

Ai Miyazatao in action (image by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography).

Miyazato pips Pettersen for Thailand prize

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
PATTAYA, Thailand -- Japanese star Ai Miyazato rallied to win the LPGA Tour's season-opening Honda PTT LPGA Thailand on Sunday, holing a 30-foot birdie chip on the final hole for a fabulous nine-under-par closing round of 63 and a one-stroke victory over Norway's Suzann Pettersen.
Miyazato, six strokes behind Pettersen after the third round, was six under in a six-hole stretch midway through the round, then birdied three of the last six holes to match the tournament record of 21 under par 267, set by Pettersen in October 2007.
"I didn't think of winning. I was just focused on my game and tried to do my best in the final round," Miyazato said. "It was my lucky day as no matter what I did was right. This victory is a good start of the season for me."
Pettersen finished with a 70 for 268 over Siam Country Club's Old Course. She had a chance to force a playoff on the par-5 18th, but missed a 23-foot eagle try.
"There's nothing I can do when Ai shoots 9 under," Pettersen said.
"I played pretty good golf and I don't waste much energy thinking of why I didn't win it. For me, it was a great start. ... Obviously, it's not a win. I had two bogeys this entire week, they both came today, but it's hard to play four rounds of no-bogey golf. What I've been doing this winter has been a good thing."
The 24-year-old Miyazato earned $195,000 for her second LPGA Tour title.
"I was trying to focus on every single shot and not trying to win or get a low score," Miyazato said. "Just every single shot, try to hit the fairway, hit the green and make some putts. It was really simple, but under the pressure it was really difficult to do. I did it well."
Miyazato, 10 under on her final 16 holes, also won the Evian Masters last year in France and has 15 victories on the Japanese tour.
"The Evian Masters gave me good experience," she said. "There were a lot of pressure packed situations today, but I controlled myself really well. This time, I felt like I was able to get the win with my style of golf."
Taiwan's Yani Tseng (69) was third, six strokes back at 15 under. Karrie Webb (67) and Cristie Kerr (70) followed at 13 under, and Laura Davies 65), Maria Hjorth (71), Momoko Ueda (72) and Song-Hee Kim (73) were 12 under.

Ricoh British Women's Open champion Catriona Matthew from North Berwick finished joint 16th on seven-under-par 281.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, the winner last year, had a 72 to tie for 18th at 6 under, while Michelle Wie closed with a 69 to tie for 22nd at 5 under.
"Wish I could have made a few more putts. Hopefully I'll play better next week," said Wie, headed to Singapore for the HSBC Women's Champions.
Miyazato began her big mid-round run with a birdie on the par-4 sixth, then eagled the par-5 seventh and added birdies on Nos. 9-11 to cut Pettersen's lead to a stroke.
Pettersen dropped a stroke on the par-4 ninth with her first bogey of the tournament, but birdied the par-5 10th for the fourth straight day to push her advantage back to two strokes. Miyazato quickly countered, birdieing the 13th to again pull within one, and making another birdie on 15 to tie Pettersen at 20 under.
Pettersen fell back with a bogey on 16, missed a 6-foot birdie putt on 17, then settled for a birdie on 18 after missing her eagle try. In her 2007 victory, Pettersen beat Davies with an eagle on 18 after blowing a seven-stroke lead in the final round.
"Had my chances," Pettersen said. "I should have made the putt on 17. I played it exactly where I wanted it, but it broke a little bit more. I can't really control other players. I still shot 20 under par. I came close."
FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72)

267 Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 67 67 70 63
268 Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 66 64 68 70
273 Yani Tseng (Tai) 68 68 68 69
275 Karrie Webb (Aus) 69 69 70 67, Cristie Kerr 68 71 66 70
276 Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 70 65 69 72, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 67 68 68 73, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 66 70 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 70 71 70 65
277 Amy Yang 70 72 65 70
278 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 70 71 67 70, Hee Young Park (Kor) 67 66 72 73
280 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 71 71 69 69, M.J. Hur (Kor) 66 74 68 72, Hwa seon Lee (Kor) 70 70 70 70
281 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 70 68 70 73, Angela Stanford 68 72 71 70
282 Stacy Prammanasudh 72 68 70 72, Nontaya Srisawang (Tha) 69 69 73 71, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 69 72 69 72, Amanda Blumenherst 71 74 68 69
283 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 71 74 69 69, Michelle Wie 72 68 74 69, Stacy Lewis 68 75 73 67, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 69 70 71 73
284 Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 73 71 70, Morgan Pressel 73 68 72 71, Brittany Lincicome 68 74 71 71
285 Pat Hurst 70 73 71 71
286 Aryia Jutanugarn (Tha) 72 74 72 68
287 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 71 74 71
288 Se Ri Pak (Kor) 70 71 73 74, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 74 71 73 70, Brittany Lang 73 71 69 75, Katherine Hull (Aus) 70 71 73 74
289 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 78 70 68 73, Shinobu Moromizato (Jpn) 72 74 72 71
290 Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 74 74 71 71, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 73 75 70
291 Natalie Gulbis 74 72 70 75, Christina Kim 76 72 66 77, Candie Kung (Tai) 72 77 74 68
292 Meena Lee (Kor) 71 75 71 75, Kristy McPherson 75 72 72 73
293 Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha) 75 73 74 71, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 75 74 74 70
294 Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 73 74 74 73, Inbee Park (Kor) 71 77 73 73
295 Juli Inkster 72 77 71 75, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 74 74 72 75
296 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 72 77 74 73, Russamee Gulyanamitta (Tha) 74 75 72 75
297 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 74 78 72 73
298 Vicky Hurst 78 75 73 72, Meaghan Francella 74 76 70 78, Thipada Suwannapura (Tha) 77 72 74 75, Sandra Gal (Ger) 74 75 73 76
300 Wendy Ward 76 76 74 74
308 Maria Verchenova (Rus) 73 75 79 81

LPGA Tour Scoreboard
HONDA PTT CLASSIC
Siam CC, Chonburi, Thailand
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
130 Suzann Pettersen 66 64.
133 Hee Young Park 67 66.
134 Ai Miyazato 67 67.
135 Mornoko Ueda 70 65, Maria Hjorth 69 66, Song-Hee Kim 67 68.
136 Yani Tseng 68 68, Catriona Matthew 70 68, Karrier Webb 69 69, Nontaya Srizaweng 69 69.
Selected scores:
140 Michelle Wie 72 68 (jt 13th).
141 Laura Davies 70 71, Lorena Ochoa 69 72 (jt 18th).
142 Anna Nordqvist 71 71 (jt 24th).

LPGA Tour tees off in Thailand

Paula Creamer has a 69, but is flying home

for treatment to hand injury

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
By BETH ANN BALDRY
CHONBURI, Thailand – Paula Creamer has withdrawn from the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand with a nagging left hand injury. Creamer is heading back to the U.S. to seek further medical attention, according to her management company. She also was scheduled to play next week in the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.
Creamer, pictured, ended her first round of the season with a creditable score of 69 - but in tears - yesterday. One can’t help but wonder if those tears were as much about fear as they were about pain. At 23 years old, Creamer is awfully young to be dealing with so many health problems.
Last year at this time she battled a mysterious stomach illness that doctors said could take up to two years to fully recover from.
Then last June she injured her left thumb hitting out of the rough. She changed her swing in the off-season, hoping to alleviate the pain. Now it’s back to the drawing board.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway and M J Hur of South Korea each shot a six-under 66 to share the lead after the first round in Thailand as the LPGA Tour kicked off its 210 campaign.
Pettersen had a four-birdie, bogey-free round capped with an eagle on the last hole. Hur had seven birdies and a bogey on the Old Course at Siam Country Club.
Ai Miyazato, Kim Song-hee and Park Hee Young are one stroke back at 67.
Defending champion and world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa put together a blemish-free round of 69 that yielded three birdies.
Michelle Wie shot par 72. She had a double bogey on the 10th followed by a bogey on the 11th, but finished with three birdies in the last four holes.
==============================================
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
66 M J Hur (Kor), Suzann Pettersen (Nor)
67 Ai Miyazato (Jpn), Song-Hee Kim (Kor), Hee Young Park (Kor)
68 Yani Tseng (Tai), Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lincicome, Stacy Lewis
69 Paula Creamer, Nontaya Srisawang (Tha), Karrie Webb (Aus), Lorena Ochoa (Mex), Maria Hjorth (Swe), Kyeong Bae (Kor)
70 Sun Young Yoo (Kor), In Kyung Kim (Kor), Catriona Matthew (Sco), Amy Yang, Pat Hurst, Momoko Ueda (Jpn), Se Ri Pak (Kor), Hwa seon Lee (Kor), Laura Davies (Eng), Katherine Hull (Aus)
71 Anna Nordqvist (Swe), Jiyai Shin (Kor), Na Yeon Choi (Kor), Meena Lee (Kor), Inbee Park (Kor), Amanda Blumenherst
72 Lindsey Wright (Aus), Stacy Prammanasudh, Aryia Jutanugarn (Tha), Juli Inkster, Hee-Won Han (Kor), Candie Kung (Tai), Shinobu Moromizato (Jpn), Michelle Wie
73 Maria Verchenova (Rus), Morgan Pressel, Eun Hee Ji (Kor), Brittany Lang
74 Mika Miyazato (Jpn), Natalie Gulbis, Eunjung Yi (Kor), Meaghan Francella, Russamee Gulyanamitta (Tha), Sophie Gustafson (Swe), Helen Alfredsson (Swe), Sandra Gal (Ger)
75 Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha), Ji-Young Oh (Kor), Kristy McPherson
76 Wendy Ward, Christina Kim
77 Thipada Suwannapura (Tha)
78 Vicky Hurst, Jee Young Lee (Kor)
===============================================
Pettersen won the event in 2007 when she eagled the 18th to beat Laura Davies after blowing a seven-stroke lead.
"Gave myself a lot of chances. Made some and tried to stay patient," she said. "When it finally turns around, you're able to make some moves."
Hur was pleased with her round.
"I played really solid. Everything was perfect," said Hur, who won her first title at the Safeway Classic last year.

New match-play tournament


on LPGA Tour in May

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE LPGA
Together with Octagon and Sybase, Inc., the LPGA today announces the debut of the Sybase Match Play Championship, a unique match-play tournament to be held at the prestigious Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey, from May 20-23 this year.
An official LPGA event, the Sybase Match-Play Championship will invite 64 of the top LPGA Tour professionals to compete for a $1.5-million purse. Matches will be held in a bracket-style format (Editor's note: Sudden-death match-play rather than a league table format?).
The match-play format creates the excitement of head-to-head golf that is not found in traditional tournament stroke play.
The champion of this inaugural event will take home $375,000, which is currently tied for the third largest pay-out on the LPGA Tour in 2010. Golf Channel will broadcast round two through the finish, worldwide Friday through Sunday.
“We're pleased that Sybase has enabled the LPGA to bring a prestigious women's golf event back to the Greater New York area,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “It is especially gratifying to continue the momentum that the LPGA has been enjoying since the end of last season, thanks to great partners like Sybase and Octagon.”
Sybase has had a long-standing partnership with the LPGA Tour. It previously was the title sponsor of the Sybase Classic from 2001 through 2009.
“Sybase is excited to extend our partnership with the LPGA by sponsoring the Sybase Match Play Championship,” said John Chen, chairman, CEO and president, Sybase. “We are committed to providing outstanding opportunities for world-class golf as well as valuable charity endeavors.”
Hamilton Farm Golf Club, host club for the event, was the site of the 2005 and 2006 HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship. Located less than an hour from New York City, it is renowned for its historic setting and admired as one of the nation's elite clubs.
More information on the Sybase Match Play Championship will be available at www.sybasematchplaychampionship.com.

Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin top the all-star

cast for HSBC Women's Champions 2010

NEWS RELEASE
Winners of the HSBC Women’s Champions 2008 and 2009, Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin, will return to Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC), Singapore from February 25-28, 2010 to challenge for the top honours once again.
HSBC made the announcement today, underlining the prestige and allure of ‘Asia’s Major’ to the best female golfers in the world.
World number one and the inaugural ‘Champion of Champions,’ Lorena Ochoa of Mexico will make her third appearance in Singapore and look to continue her fine form at the start of her eighth year on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour.
The Rolex Player of the Year for a fourth consecutive season in 2009, Ochoa is a strong force leading the way in ladies' golf and enjoying strong support from her fans around the world.
Ochoa is excited to be going back to Singapore, saying, “I am very much looking forward to returning to Tanah Merah and trying to win a second HSBC Women’s Champions title. Singapore is a fantastic city to visit and I am sure that we will have another excellent tournament in February.”
Defending champion and world number two, Jiyai Shin enthused, “I have had an amazing year and it all started when I won the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore in March. The confidence I took from both playing my final two rounds in 12 under par and coming out on top of such a strong field of the world’s best players, really kick-started my season and definitely played a big part in helping me reach a career high of Number 2 in the World Ranking. I am very excited to return as defending champion.”
In her first full year on Tour, Shin topped the LPGA Official Money List for 2009 with three titles and an additional nine top-10 finishes and won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award.
With her remarkable victory at the HSBC Women’s Champions, after a second successive six-under par 66 on Sunday, she also became a Rolex First-Time Winner.
The 63 player line-up of the world’s top female golfers will go to Singapore for only the second event on the 2010 LPGA schedule. They will be refreshed after the winter break and ready to tackle the Garden Course at TMCC, playing for a share of the US$1.3million prize purse.
More star players confirmed to make an appearance in Singapore will be announced in the New Year. Along with two sponsors invites, the field will be completed by the winning Singaporean amateur or professional of a two-day local qualifying tournament taking place at TMCC on 20-21 January.

Amanda wins LPGA Tour School -

but clutch of Europeans win

playing rights in America

Former US Curtis Cup player and star college circuit performer Amanda Blumenherst, pictured, from Scottsdale, Arizona lead the qualifiers from the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at LPGA International Golf Club, Daytona Beach in Florida.
But it was a good event also for Europeans. Quite a few, starting with Norway's Marianne Skarpnoord, Azahara Munoz and fellow Spaniards Maria Hernandez and Beatriz Recari, and France's Gwladys Nocera made it with ease.
Also among the top 20 card-winners were Denmark's Iben Tinning and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg.

Surprise European names outwith the top 40 included Dewi-Claire Schreefel from the Netherlands and Galway-born Alison Walshe. Both had very good US college circuit records.

Walshe played for the United States in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews.

She has entered the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School of which Stage 1 will be played at La Manga, Spain next week.

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE

Former Duke University star Amanda Blumenherst easily passed her first big test as a professional on Monday when she closed with a 4-under 68 to be medalist at the LPGA Tour Q-School finals to lead 20 players earning their cards for next year.
Playing on the Champions Course at LPGA International for the final round, Blumenherst played without a bogey and finished the 90-hole event at 9-under 351.
"It's kind of a one-shot deal for the whole year," said Blumenherst, the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, a three-time NCAA Player of the Year (2006-08) and the winner of 12 collegiate tournaments. "I was confident in my game, but still, you never know what can happen. I just stayed in the fairway and got onto the greens and my putts were close. It was a winning combination."
Katie Kempter had a 68 and shared second with Marianne Skarpnord of Norway, who had a 71.
The final card was decided in a play-off between Il Hee Lee of South Korea and American Christi Cano, determined by an aggregate score over three holes. They each made par on the first two holes, and Lee earned the card with a birdie on the 18th.
Kempter played her collegiate golf at the University of Denver. Skarpnord is a two-time winner overseas, winning this year's Deutsche Bank Ladies Open and Carta Ladies Italian Open.
The 90-hole qualifier got underway Wednesday with Round 1 and Thursday with Round 2, then the rains came early Friday morning. On Friday, third-round play was suspended at 10:20 a.m. due to unplayable course conditions, and play was scheduled to resume first thing Saturday morning.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. With more heavy rains in the forecast overnight and Saturday morning, the decision was made to cancel play on Saturday. Sunday's weather, despite a chill in the air, worked out fine and allowed the rest of Round 3 and all of Round 4 to be played. The final, decisive round was played in full on Monday.

FINAL FIVE-ROUND TOTALS
1 Amanda Blumenherst 72 71 73 67 68 351
2 Katie Kempter 70 69 73 73 68 353
2 Marianne Skarpnord 76 66 70 70 71 353
4 Julieta Granada 72 69 76 70 67 354
5 Azahara Munoz 69 72 73 72 69 355
5 Maria Hernandez 73 70 70 72 70 355
5 Lisa Meldrum 71 70 75 68 71 355
5 Nicole Jeray 70 70 76 67 72 355
9 Nicole Hage 74 71 71 72 68 356
9 Beatriz Recari 79 71 68 68 70 356
9 Leah Wigger 69 73 70 72 72 356
12 Mariajo Uribe 75 71 74 68 69 357
12 Tamie Durdin 75 70 73 69 70 357
12 Lucy Kim 73 73 73 67 71 357
15 Iben Tinning 70 74 72 69 73 358
16 Gwladys Nocera 68 74 79 69 69 359
16 Tania Elosegui 76 70 70 72 71 359
16 Liz Janangelo 74 70 74 68 73 359
16 Pernilla Lindberg 73 73 71 69 73 359
20 Il Hee Lee 69 76 75 67 73 360
*Top-20 above (Priority List Category 11)
========================================================
20 Christi Cano 72 74 78 66 70 360 (lost three-hole aggregate play-off for 20th place)
22 Sarah-Jane Smith 73 72 77 69 70 361
22 Paola Moreno 72 73 77 69 70 361
22 Jamie Hullett 74 71 77 68 71 361
22 Nanette Hill 73 78 70 69 71 361
22 Diana D’Alessio 73 72 76 69 71 361
22 Cathryn Bristow (amateur) 73 71 76 69 72 361
22 Tanya Dergal 73 70 75 69 74 361
22 Adrienne White 72 71 71 72 75 361
30 Gerina Mendoza 77 72 72 70 71 362
*21 - 30 above (Priority List Category 16)
===============================================
30 Libby Smith 76 71 72 71 72 362 (beaten for 30th place on last card countback)
32 Jessica Shepley 77 70 75 72 69 363
32 Jeehae Lee 74 71 78 70 70 363
32 Cindy Lacrosse 77 74 71 70 71 363
32 Pornanong Phatlum 75 71 73 73 71 363
32 Jane Chin 73 65 78 76 71 363
32 Meredith Duncan 72 72 76 71 72 363
38 Mallory Blackwelder 74 72 74 72 72 364
38 Lisa Ferrero 74 71 76 70 73 364
38 Kim Welch 72 75 74 68 75 364
*31 - 40 above(Priority List Category 20)

=================================
41 Kitty Hwang 73 74 75 74 69 365
41 Aimee Cho 74 75 71 74 71 365
43 Esther Choe 71 76 76 74 69 366
43 Briana Vega 80 73 69 75 69 366
43 Emma Cabrera-Bello 71 72 78 74 71 366
43 Lauren Doughtie 77 73 72 72 72 366
43 Ashley Knoll 77 72 72 73 72 366
43 Angela Oh 79 71 69 75 72 366
43 Kirby Dreher 74 69 76 75 72 366
43 Lisa Strom 71 75 74 73 73 366
43 Kris Tschetter 77 72 69 75 73 366
43 Dewi-Claire Schreefel 71 73 78 70 74 366
43 Nikki Garrett 67 71 78 71 79 366
54 Alison Walshe 74 73 78 72 70 367
54 Yuko Mitsuka 69 75 77 76 70 367
54 Sung Ah Yim 71 71 78 71 76 367
58 Ayaka Kaneko 77 73 73 74 71 368
58 Christine Song 71 73 79 73 72 368
58 Ashleigh Simon 75 73 73 74 73 368
58 Carolina Llano 72 70 82 70 74 368
58 Nontaya Srisawang 72 74 82 65 75 368
58 Izzy Beisiegel 74 76 67 73 78 368
64 Mollie Fankhauser 76 76 71 74 72 369
64 Charlotte Mayorkas 77 74 72 73 73 369
64 Virada Nirapathpongporn 74 71 77 71 76 369
64 Lehua Wise 73 72 77 70 77 369
68 Carling Coffing 78 72 72 75 73 370
68 Miriam Nagl 77 72 75 71 75 370
70 Tiffany Joh 78 75 71 73 74 371
70 Young-A Yang 75 68 76 75 77 371
72 Stephanie Connelly 73 75 78 69 77 372

Europeans to the fore with a round to go

in LPGA Tour Final Q School

Norway's Marianne Skarpnord, the 2003 British girls' open amateur champion, leads the field from former US Curtis Cup and college star Amanda Blumenherst with one round to play in the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School tournament at LPGA International Golf Club, Daytona Beach where the leading 70 and ties after Sunday's fourth round will today (Monday) be playing a fifth and final round.
Other Ladies European Tour players in the top 20 include Denmark's Iben Tinning, Spain's Maria Hernandez, Beatriz Recari, from the same home town of Pamplona, Pernilla Lindberg from Sweden, Azahara Munoz (Spain), winner of this year's British women's open amateur championship at Harlech and already a winner on the Ladies European Tour, and also from Spain, Tania Elosegui.

FOUR-ROUND TOTALS
Champions Course & Legends Course, both par 72.
Par 288 (4x72)
1 Marianne Skarpnord Sarpsborg, Norway 76-66-70-70 - 282 (-6).
2 Amanda Blumenherst Scottsdale, Arizona 72-71-73-67 - 283 (-5)
2 Nicole Jeray Berwyn, Illinois 70-70-76-67 - 283 (-5)
4 Leah Wigger Louisville, Kentucky 69-73-70-72 - 284 (-4)
4 Lisa Meldrum Montreal, Canada 71-70-75-68 - 284 (-4)
6 Iben Tinning Fredensborg, Denmark 70-74-72-69 - 285 (-3)
6 Maria Hernandez Pamplona, Spain 73-70-70-72 - 285 (-3)
6 Katie Kempter Albuquerque, New Mexico 70-69-73-73 - 285 (-3)
9 Beatriz Recari Pamplona, Spain 79-71-68-68 - 286 (-2)
9 Liz Janangelo West Hartford, Connecticut 74-70-74-68 - 286 (-2)
9 Adrienne White Red Deer, Alberta Canada 72-71-71-72 - 286 (-2)
9 Lucy Kim Overland Park, Kansas 73-73-73-67 - 286 (-2)
9 Pernilla Lindberg Bollnas, Sweden 73-73-71-69 - 286 (-2)
9 Azahara Munoz San Pedro Alcantara, Spain 69-72-73-72 - 286 (-2)
15 Tamie Durdin Adelaide, Australia 75-70-73-69 - 287 (-1)
15 Il Hee Lee Seoul, South Korea 69-76-75-67 - 287 (-1)
15 Tanya Dergal Durango, Mexico 73-70-75-69 - 287 (-1)
15 Julieta Granada Paraguay 72-69-76-70 - 287 (-1)
15 Nikki Garrett Shelly Beach, Australia 67-71-78-71 - 287 (-1)
20 Nicole Hage Coral Sprngs, Florida 74-71-71-72 - 288
20 Tania Elosegui San Sebastian, Spain 76-70-70-72 - 288
20 Mariajo Uribe Colombia 75-71-74-68 - 288
23 Cathryn Bristow (amateur) Auckland, New Zealand 73-71-76-69 - 289 (+1)
23 Kim Welch Sacramento, California 72-75-74-68 - 289 (+1)
23 Izzy Beisiegel Montreal, Canada 74-76-67-73 - 290 (+2)
23 Nanette Hill Pelham Manor, New York 73-78-70-69 - 290 (+2)
23 Jamie Hullett Mesquite, Texas 74-71-77-68 - 290 (+2)
23 Diana D'Alessio Flanders, New Jersey 73-72-76-69 - 290
23 Christi Cano San Antonio, Texas 72-74-78-66 - 290 (+2)
23 Gwladys Nocera France 68-74-79-69 - 290 (+2)
23 Libby Smith Essex Junction, Vermont 76-71-72-71 - 290 (+2)
32 Lisa Ferrero Lodi, California 74-71-76-70 - 291 (+3)
32 Meredith Duncan Shreveport, Louisiana 72-72-76-71 - 291 (+3)
32 Sarah-Jane Smith Queensland, Australia 73-72-77-69 - 291 (+3)
32 Paola Moreno Cali, Colombia 72-73-77-69 - 291 (+3)
32 Sung Ah Yim South Korea 71-71-78-71 - 291 (+3)
32 Gerina Mendoza Roswell, New Mexico 77-72-72-70 - 291 (+3)
38 Cindy Lacrosse Tampa, Florida 77-74-71-70 - 292 (+4)
38 Dewi Claire Schreefel Diepenveen, Netherlands 71-73-78-70 - 292 (+4)
38 Lehua Wise Kauai, Hawaii 73-72-77-70 - 292 (+4)
38 Pornanong Phatlum Chaiyaphum, Thailand 75-71-73-73 - 292 (+4)
38 Mallory Blackwelder Versailles, Kentucky 74-72-74-72 - 292 (+4)
38 Jane Chin Mission Viejo, California 73-65-78-76 - 292 (+4)
44 Jeehae Lee Seoul, South Korea 74-71-78-70 - 293 (+5)
44 Virada Nirapathpongporn Bangkok, Thailand 74-71-77-71 - 293 (+5)
44 Danah Ford Indianapolis, Indiana 75-69-76-73 - 293 (+5)
44 Kris Tschetter Sioux Falls, North Dakota 77-72-69-75 - 293 (+5)
44 Nontaya Srisawang Chiang Mai, Thailand 72-74-82-65 - 293 (+5)
44 Lisa Strom Huntersville, North Carolina 71-75-74-73 - 293 (+5)
54 Lauren Doughtie Suffolk,Virginia 77-73-72-72 - 294 (+6)
54 Angela Oh Maple Shade, New Jersey 79-71-69-75 - 294 (+6)
54 Aimee Cho Orlando, Florida 74-75-71-74 - 294 (+6)
54 Young-A Yang Dae Gui City, South Korea 75-68-76-75 - 294 (+6)
54 Kirby Dreher Fort St. John, Canada 74-69-76-75 - 294 (+6)
54 Ashley Knoll The Woodlands, Texas 77-72-72-73 - 294 (+6)
54 Jessica Shepley Oakville, Ontario Canada 77-70-75-72 - 294 (+6)
54 Carolina Llano Colombia 72-70-82-70 - 294 (+6)
58 Emma Cabrera-Bello Gran Canaria, Spain 71-72-78-74 - 295 (+7)
58 Miriam Nagl Berlin, Germany 77-72-75-71 - 295 (+7)
58 Ashleigh Simon Johannesburg, South Africa 75-73-73-74 - 295 (+7)
58 Stephanie Connelly Pasadena, Maryland 73-75-78-69 - 295 (+7)
64 Charlotte Mayorkas Las Vegas, Nevada 77-74-72-73 - 296 (+8)
64 Christine Song Fullerton, California 71-73-79-73 - 296 (+8)
64 Kitty Hwang Guayaquil, Ecuador 73-74-75-74 - 296 (+8)
65 Yuko Mitsuka Japan 69-75-77-76 - 297 (+9)
65 Ayaka Kaneko Honolulu, Hawaii 77-73-73-74 - 297 (+9)
65 Mollie Fankhauser Columbus, Ohio 76-76-71-74 - 297 (+9)
65 Carling Coffing Middletown, Ohio 78-72-72-75 - 297 (+9)
65 Briana Vega Andover, Massachusetts 80-73-69-75 - 297 (+9)
65 Tiffany Joh San Diego, California 78-75-71-73 - 297 (+9)
65 Alison Walshe Westford, Massachusetts 74-73-78-72 - 297 (+9)
65 Esther Choe Scottsdale, Arizona 71-76-76-74 - 297 (+9)
MISSED THE 72-HOLE CUT
Kathleen Ekey Sharon Township, Ohio 73-77-73-75 - 298 (+10)
Ryann O'Toole San Clemente, Calif. 75-79-71-73 - 298 (+10)
Janell Howland Boise, Idaho 72-75-76-75 - 298 (+10)
Ashli Bunch Morristown, Tennesee 78-74-71-76 - 299 (+11)
Malinda Johnson Eau Claire, Wisconsin 75-75-68-81 - 299 (+11)
Dawn Shockley Estes Park, Colorado 80-75-73-71 - 299 (+11)
Kendall Dye Edmond, Oklahoma 75-75-71-79 - 300 (+12)
Michaela Cavener Tulsa, Oklahoma 78-76-70-76 - 300 (+12)
Jenny Suh Fairfax, Virginia 76-78-74-72 - 300 (+12)
Sara Wikstrom Jonkoping, Sweden 73-81-73-73 - 300 (+12)
Min Seo Kwak Seoul, South Korea 75-72-82-71 - 300 (+12)
Elizabeth Stuart Tampa, Florida 76-76-80-69 - 301 (+13)
Sarah Brown Phillipsburg, New Jersey 80-73-75-73 - 301 (+13)
Jessi Gebhardt Chandler, Arizona 74-75-77-75 - 301 (+13)
Brandi Jackson Greenville, South Carolina 74-77-78-73 - 302 (+14)
Tiffany Tavee Tempe, Arizona 75-79-76-72 - 302 (+14)
Sofie Andersson Angelholm, Sweden 77-72-76-77 - 302 (+14)
Christina Lecuyer Edmonton, Canada 78-71-77-76 - 302 (+14)
Selanee Henderson Apple Valley, California 73-78-81-71 - 303 (+15)
Stephanie Na Adelaide, Australia 72-77-77-77 - 303 (+15)
Nicole Smith Riverside, California 77-72-79-75 - 303 (+15)
Sophia Sheridan Guadalajara, Mexico 77-72-76-79 - 304 (+16)
Hannah Jun San Diego, California 82-73-76-73 - 304 (+16)
Lee Ann Walker-Cooper Southport, North Carolina 74-78-74-81 - 307 (+19)
Stephanie Kirchmayr (amateur) Pocking, Germany 76-77-78-76 - 307 (+19)
Shasta Averyhardt Flint, Michigan 79-75-78-75 - 307 (+19)
Olivia Chung (amateur) Auckland, New Zealand 74-75-85-77 - 311 (+23)
Leanne Bowditch (amateur) Peregian Beach, Australia 77-80-78-76 - 311 (+23)
Hwanhee Lee Las Vegas, Nevada 84-75-76-77 - 312 (+24)
Maru Martinez Venezuela 79-79-77-81 - 316 (+28)
Dorothy Delasin San Francisco, California 90-95-85-79 - 349 (+61)

LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School
LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Florida.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
+Field cut for fifth and final round to leading 70 & ties after four rounds
Champions Course Par 72 (6389yd), Legends Course Par 72 (6468yd)
Par 216 (3x72)
1 Leah Wigger Louisville, Kentucky 69-73-70 - 212 (-4)
1 Marianne Skarpnord Sarpsborg, Norway 76-66-70 - 212 (-4)
1 Katie Kempter Albuquerque, New Mexico 70-69-73 - 212 (-4)
4 Maria Hernandez Pamplona, Spain 73-70-70 - 213 (-3)
5 Adrienne White Red Deer, Alberta Canada 72-71-71 - 214 (-2)
5 Azahara Munoz San Pedro Alcantara, Spain 69-72-73 - 214 (-2)
7 Iben Tinning Fredensborg, Denmark 70-74-72 - 216
7 Nicole Hage Coral Springs, Florida 74-71-71 - 216
7 Amanda Blumenherst Scottsdale, Arizona 72-71-73 - 216
7 Tania Elosegui San Sebastian, Spain 76-70-70 - 216
7 Nicole Jeray Berwyn, Illinois 70-70-76 - 216
7 Lisa Meldrum Montreal, Canada 71-70-75 - 216
7 Jane Chin Mission Viejo, California 73-65-78 - 216
7 Nikki Garrett Shelly Beach, Australia 67-71-78 - 216
15 Izzy Beisiegel Montreal, Canada 74-76-67 - 217 (+1)
15 Pernilla Lindberg Bollnas, Sweden 73-73-71 - 217 (+1)
15 Julieta Granada Paraguay 72-69-76 - 217 (+1)
21 Tamie Durdin Adelaide, Australia 75-70-73 - 218 (+2)
21 Malinda Johnson Eau Claire, Wisconsin 75-75-68 - 218 (+2)
21 Beatriz Recari Pamplona, Spain 79-71-68 - 218 (+2)
21 Liz Janangelo West Hartford, Connecticut 74-70-74 - 218 (+2)
21 Tanya Dergal Durango, Mexico 73-70-75 - 218 (+2)
21 Kris Tschetter Sioux Falls, North Dakota 77-72-69 - 218 (+2)
24 Angela Oh Maple Shade, New Jersey 79-71-69 - 219 (+3)
24 Young-A Yang Dae Gui City, South Korea 75-68-76 - 219 (+3)
24 Kirby Dreher Fort St. John, Canada 74-69-76 - 219 (+3)
24 Pornanong Phatlum Chaiyaphum, Thailand 75-71-73 - 219 (+3)
24 Lucy Kim Overland Park, Kansas 73-73-73 - 219 (+3)
24 Libby Smith Essex Junction, Vermont 76-71-72 - 219 (+3)
31 Cathryn Bristow (amateur) Auckland, New Zealand 73-71-76 - 220 (+4)
31 Meredith Duncan Shreveport, Louisiana 72-72-76 - 220 (+4)
31 Danah Ford Indianapolis, Indiana 75-69-76 - 220 (+4)
31 Il Hee Lee Seoul, South Korea 69-76-75 - 220 (+4)
31 Aimee Cho Orlando, Florida. 74-75-71 - 220 (+4)
31 Mariajo Uribe Colombia 75-71-74 - 220 (+4)
31 Mallory Blackwelder Versailles, Kentucky 74-72-74 - 220 (+4)
31 Sung Ah Yim South Korea 71-71-78 - 220 (+4)
31 Lisa Strom Huntersville, North Carolina 71-75-74 - 220 (+4)
44 Yuko Mitsuka Japan 69-75-77 - 221 (+5)
44 Kendall Dye Edmond, Oklahoma 75-75-71 - 221 (+5)
44 Nanette Hill Pelham Manor, New York 73-78-70 - 221 (+5)
44 Lisa Ferrero Lodi, California. 74-71-76 - 221 (+5)
44 Emma Cabrera-Bello Gran Canaria, Spain 71-72-78 - 221 (+5)
44 Diana D'Alessio Flanders, New Jersey 73-72-76 - 221 (+5)
44 Gwladys Nocera France 68-74-79 - 221 (+5)
44 Gerina Mendoza Roswell, New Mexico 77-72-72 - 221 (+5)
44 Ashley Knoll The Woodlands, Texas 77-72-72 - 221 (+5)
44 Ashleigh Simon Johannesburg, South Africa 75-73-73 - 221 (+5)
44 Kim Welch Sacramento, California 72-75-74 - 221 (+5)
50 Cindy Lacrosse Tampa, Florida 77-74-71 - 222 (+6)
50 Dewi Claire Schreefel Diepenveen, Netherlands 71-73-78 - 222 (+6)
50 Virada Nirapathpongporn Bangkok, Thailand 74-71-77 - 222 (+6)
50 Jamie Hullett Mesquite, Texas 74-71-77 - 222 (+6)
50 Carling Coffing Middletown, Ohio 78-72-72 - 222 (+6)
50 Lauren Doughtie Suffolk,Virgina 77-73-72 - 222 (+6)
50 Sarah-Jane Smith Queensland, Australia 73-72-77 - 222 (+6)
50 Lehua Wise Kauai, Hawaii 73-72-77 - 222 (+6)
50 Briana Vega Andover, Massachusetts 80-73-69 - 222 (+6)
50 Paola Moreno Cali, Colombia 72-73-77 - 222 (+6)
50 Jessica Shepley Oakville, Ontario Canada 77-70-75 - 222 (+6)
50 Kitty Hwang Guayaquil, Ecuador 73-74-75 - 222 (+6)
62 Kathleen Ekey Sharon Township, Ohio 73-77-73 - 223 (+7)
62 Christine Song Fullerton, California 71-73-79 - 223 (+7)
62 Charlotte Mayorkas Las Vegas, Nevada 77-74-72 - 223 (+7)
62 Jeehae Lee Seoul, South Korea 74-71-78 - 223 (+7)
62 Ayaka Kaneko Honolulu, Hawaii 77-73-73 - 223 (+7)
62 Ashli Bunch Morristown, Tennesee 78-74-71 - 223 (+7)
62 Mollie Fankhauser Columbus, Ohio 76-76-71 - 223 (+7)
62 Esther Choe Scottsdale, Arizona 71-76-76 - 223 (+7)
62 Janell Howland Boise, Idaho 72-75-76 - 223 (+7)
=========projected cut line after four rounds ==========
71 Tiffany Joh San Diego, California 78-75-71 - 224 (+8)
71 Michaela Cavener Tulsa, Oklahoma 78-76-70 - 224 (+8)
71 Miriam Nagl Berlin, Germany 77-72-75 - 224 (+8)
71 Christi Cano San Antonio, Texas 72-74-78 - 224 (+8)
71 Carolina Llano Colombia 72-70-82 - 224 (+8)
76 Sophia Sheridan Guadalajara, Mexico 77-72-76 - 225 (+9)
76 Sofie Andersson Angelholm, Sweden 77-72-76 - 225 (+9)
76 Ryann O'Toole San Clemente, California 75-79-71 - 225 (+9)
76 Alison Walshe Westford, Massachusetts 74-73-78 - 225 (+9)
80 Lee Ann Walker-Cooper Southport, North Carolina 74-78-74 - 226 (+10)
80 Stephanie Na Adelaide, Australia 72-77-77 - 226 (+10)
80 Jessi Gebhardt Chandler, Arizona 74-75-77 - 226 (+10)
80 Stephanie Connelly Pasadena, Maryland 73-75-78 - 226 (+10)
80 Christina Lecuyer Edmonton, Canada 78-71-77 - 226 (+10)
85 Sara Wikstrom Jonkoping, Sweden 73-81-73 - 227 (+11)
86 Sarah Brown Phillipsburg, New Jersey 80-73-75 - 228 (+12)
86 Jenny Suh Fairfax, Virginia 76-78-74 - 228 (+12)
86 Nicole Smith Riverside, California 77-72-79 - 228 (+12)
86 Dawn Shockley Estes Park, Colorado 80-75-73 - 228 (+12)
86 Nontaya Srisawang Chiang Mai, Thailand 72-74-82 - 228 (+12)
91 Brandi Jackson Greenville, South Carolina 74-77-78 - 229 (+13)
91 Min Seo Kwak Seoul, South Korea 75-72-82 - 229 (+13)
93 Tiffany Tavee Tempe, Arizona 75-79-76 - 230 (+14)
94 Stephanie Kirchmayr (amateur) Pocking, Germany 76-77-78 - 231 (+15)
94 Hannah Jun San Diego, California 82-73-76 - 231 (+15)
96 Selanee Henderson Apple Valley, California 73-78-81 - 232 (+16)
96 Elizabeth Stuart Tampa, Florida 76-76-80 - 232 (+16)
96 Shasta Averyhardt Flint, Michigan 79-75-78 - 232 (+16)
99 Olivia Chung (amateur) Auckland, New Zealand 74-75-85 - 234 (+18)
100 Leanne Bowditch (amateur) Peregian Beach, Australia 77-80-78 - 235 (+19)
100 Maru Martinez Venezuela 79-79-77 - 235 (+19)
100 Hwanhee Lee Las Vegas, Nevada 84-75-76 - 235 (+19)
103 Dorothy Delasin San Francisco, California 90-95-85 - 270 (+54)
Withdrew
Erica Blasberg Corona, California
Aree Song Seoul, South Korea

Saturday wash-out at LPGA Tour Final Q School in Florida

No play was possible today (Saturday) in the scheduled five-round LPGA Final Qualifying School at LPGA International Golf Club, Daytona Beach in Floriday.
Play for the field of 105 players had been called off early in Friday's third round and had been scheduled to resume at 11am (local time today). But heavy overnight rain had saturated the courses. It now seems very likely that the tournament will spill over into Monday instead of finishing on Sunday as planned.
Australian Nikki Garrett holds the clubhouse lead at six under par - but she has played only three holes of her third round.
The eliminator is played on both the 6,452-yard Legends and 6,389-yard Champions courses at LPGA International, with a 72-hole cut to the low-70 players and ties. Those players will then compete on the Champions Course for the final 18 holes of play.
The top 20 players at the conclusion of the event will earn their cards for 2010, while those finishing between 21st and 40th will receive limited privileges

Wind-tamer Jane shares lead with Nikki at LPGA Tour School

Jane Chin turned wind-tamer to produce a great round of seven-under-par 65 for a share of the lead with Nikki Garrett after two rounds of the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida.
In very windy conditions Chin was able to match Garrett (71) at six-under 138 with three rounds to go in the 90-hole eliminator for next year's LPGA Tour.
At LPGA International. Chin played the Champions Course, and Garrett played the Legends Course.
"Yesterday, I was pretty nervous the first few holes and then it kind of all sunk in," Chin said. "Then, I'm just thinking that it's a regular tournament. That's what I'm trying to keep in my head at least."
The top 20 finishers will earn Priority List Category 11. In the event of a tie, a playoff will decide the 20th position. Players finishing 21st through 30th will earn Priority List Category 16, and Nos. 31-40 will receive Priority List Category 20.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 Jane Chin 73 65, Nikki Garrett 67 71.
139 Katie Kempter 70 69.
140 Nicole Jeray 70 70.
141 Julieta Granada 72 69, Lisa Meldrum 71 70, Azahara Munoz 69 72.
142 Leah Wigger 69 73, Carlina Llano 72 70, Gwladys Nocera 68 74, Marianne Skarpnord 76 66, Sung Ah Yim 71 71.
Selected scores:
143 Maria Hernandez 73 70, Emma Cabrera-Bello 71 72, Amanda Blumenherst 72 71, Iben Tinning 70 74, Dewi-Claire Schreefel 71 73 (jt 20th).
146 Pernilla Lindberg 73 73, Tania Elosegui 76 70 (jt 39th).
147 Alison Walshe 74 73 (jt 48th)

Garrett leads from Nocera at LPGA Tour Q School

FROM THE CBS SPORTS WEBSITE
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Australia's Nikki Garrett shot a 5-under 67 in windy conditions to take a one-stroke lead over France's Gwladys Nocera after the first round of the 90-hole LPGA Tour qualifying tournament.
The 25-year-old Garrett, a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, opened on the Champions Course at LPGA International.
"It was a good start," Garrett said. "I actually probably didn't hit it that great today but I got up and down well and I putted pretty well. I kept my drives in play, which was good. It was just a fun day, really."
The top 20 finishers will earn Priority List Category 11. In the event of a tie, a play-off will decide the 20th position. Players finishing 21st through 30th will earn Priority List Category 16, and Nos. 31-40 will receive Priority List Category 20.
Nocera is a 10-time winner on the Ladies' European Tour and three-time Solheim Cup player.
"I want to be better, so I think I need to play a few tournaments in the U S," Nocera said. "Last year by being No. 1 on the Ladies European Tour I didn't get any invites, so I figured out the only way to play over here is to get my card."
Nocera also played the Champions Course, the site of the final round. The Legends Course also is being used for the first four rounds.
Yuko Mitsuka, Azahara Munoz, the British amateur champion, Il Hee Lee and Leah Wigger opened with 69s, and Katie Kempter, Iben Tinning and Nicole Jeray shot 70s.
Four-time tour winner Dorothy Delasin was last in the 105-player field at 90. She missed the cuts in all 16 events she played this season.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 N Garrett.
68 G Nocera.
69 Y Mitsuka, A Munoz, I H Lee, L Wigger.
70 K Kempter, I Tinning, N Jeray.
71 E Cabrera-Bello, L Meldrum, S A Yim, E Chloe, L Strom, D-C Schreefel, C Song.
Selected scores:
73 M Hernandez, P Lindberg (jt 29th)
74 A Walshe (jt 44th).
75 A Simon (jt 59th).
76 T Elosegui (jt 70th).
79 B Recari (jt 95th).

Rookie Anna Nordqvist wins season-ending

LPGA Tour Championship

Sweden's successor to Annika Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist, British women's open amateur champion at North Berwick only last year, scored another big win as a rookie pro on the LPGA Tour today - the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship at The Houstonian Country Club, Texas.
The tournament, which spilled over into Monday because Saturday was a wash-out, reducing the event to 54 holes, saw Anna, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, come from behind with a final round of 65 for a 13-under-par total of 203 to win the $225,000 first prize.
By finishing second on 205 with a last-round 67, Lorena Ochoa won the Player of the Year honours.

Player of Year Lorena Ochoa getting married next month

FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE:
RICHMOND, Texas -- Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin's duel for LPGA player of the year fittingly came down to the final hole of the season.
Anna Nordqvist won the LPGA Tour Championship on Monday and Ochoa finished second to earn the top player title for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-year-old Nordqvist shot a final-round 65 to finish 13 under par. Ochoa was two strokes back and won the top player honor when Shin couldn't chip in for birdie from the front of the 18th hole.
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Leaderboard
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"I always say that I want to stay on top as long as I continue playing, so this is just a great year for me," Ochoa said. "It's been tough in many different ways, but the important thing is I'm at the top."
Shin led Ochoa by eight points (156-148) in the race entering the tournament. Once Ochoa secured second place, Shin had to finish no worse than seventh to win the player of the year award. Point totals are based on top-10 results.
Shin seemed to take the inside track when Ochoa needed two shots to escape a greenside bunker on the par-3 17th hole. Ochoa sank a bogey putt, virtually ending her chances of winning the tournament, as Shin and Nordqvist watched from the tee.
But Shin also hit a bunker on the 17th, blasted out short of the green and bogeyed.
Ochoa dropped her approach to the 18th hole about 16 feet away and studied the leaderboard as she walked to the green. She and caddie Greg Johnston talked about the situation before Ochoa curled in the putt, giving a modest fist pump after it fell.
Shin's second shot to the 18th hole stopped a few feet off the green. Her chip missed the hole by inches and Ochoa patted her heart, embraced Johnston and held back tears near the scorers' tent.
"I'm happy I can make history, and my goal is to continue that," said Ochoa, who's getting married in two weeks. "Hopefully, I'm going to get back home and work hard and be ready for next year."
Shin, a 21-year-old South Korean. fell short in her bid to win the rookie and player of the year awards. Nancy Lopez remains the only player to sweep both titles, in 1978.
The good-natured Shin was still smiling after coming up short.
"I learned a lot from this year," she said. "I need more focus, concentration, and everything. I really made my goals. I just missed player of the year, but I still had a good year."
Ochoa also won her fourth straight Vare Trophy, honouring the season's lowest scoring average. Ochoa and Shin were separated by decimal points in that race award coming into the tournament.
Though she was constantly aware of where she stood with Shin, Ochoa said she never lost focus on the task at hand.
"I was just trying to win the tournament, so I didn't have to worry about how she finished, or the points at the end of the day," Ochoa said. "I'm just really proud of the way I finished."
Nordqvist, meanwhile, earned her second career victory and made it through the season without missing a cut in 15 starts. She also won the LPGA Championship this year.
Shin and Nordqvist played in the day's final group, right behind Ochoa. The Houstonian Golf and Country Club was still soggy after more than an inch of weekend rain and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls.
Nordqvist surged to the lead at 12 under with five consecutive birdies between Nos. 8-12. She bogeyed the 13th, then added birdies on 14 and 15 to settle the tournament and clear the way for Ochoa and Shin to decide their duel.
"I definitely tried to be aggressive," Nordqvist said. "It was pretty tight up the leaderboard, so you were really going to have to shoot low in order to pull it off. I'm just very, very happy that I did."
Na Yeon Choi (64) and second-round leader Kristy McPherson (70) finished 10 under, tied for third. A trio of players finished 7 under and Shin's costly par dropped her into a four-way tie for eighth.
Choi surged up the leaderboard in the early afternoon with a 30 on the front nine. She holed a 175-yard shot from the ninth fairway and birdied the 10th hole to reach 10 under.
Shin struggled to make putts on the front nine and didn't make her first birdie until No. 11. By then, Ochoa was within a shot of the lead. But Ochoa dropped shots at Nos. 8 and 9, and Nordqvist to zip past her.
Ochoa got back on track with an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 15, setting up the dramatic finish.
The event was shortened to 54 holes after weekend rains forced long delays. The second round was completed Monday morning, the cut was made and the third round began immediately in sunny, calm conditions
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 70 68 65
205 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 66 72 67
206 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 70 72 64, Kristy McPherson 69 67 70
209 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 73 68 68, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 70 71 68, Hee Young Park (Kor) 70 72 67
210 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 70 67 73, Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 71 70, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 73 68 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 68 70
211 Heather Young 69 69 73, Jee Young Lee (Kor) 74 68 69, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 74 69 68, Cristie Kerr 72 69 70
212 Amy Yang 76 68 68, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 73 69 70, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 70 72 70, Wendy Ward 72 70 70
213 Taylor Leon 68 72 73, Chella Choi (Kor) 71 69 73, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 76 68 69, Meaghan Francella 71 75 67, Katie Futcher 73 69 71, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 72 70
214 Paige Mackenzie 73 71 70, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 68, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 73 66 75, Meena Lee (Kor) 72 70 72, Haeji Kang (Kor) 69 72 73, Karine Icher (Fra) 71 73 70
215 Karen Stupples (Eng) 71 69 75, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 72 71, Brittany Lang 73 74 68, Jimin Kang (Kor) 70 76 69, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 68 75, Angela Stanford 73 71 71, Stacy Lewis 70 71 74, Allison Fouch 70 74 71, Janice Moodie (Sco) 75 69 71
216 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 72 74 70, Morgan Pressel 72 71 73, Reilley Rankin 67 75 74, Sarah-jane Smith (Aus) 73 69 74, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 72 67 77, Meredith Duncan 72 72 72, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 77 69 70, Meg Mallon 70 73 73, Marcy Hart 76 71 69
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 72 71, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 75 71 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 77 69 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 75 70 72, Laura Davies (Eng) 76 69 72
218 Paula Creamer 76 70 72, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 70 75 73, Pat Hurst 69 75 74, Kris Tamulis 76 71 71, Jeehae Lee (Kor) 74 72 72
219 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 76 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 74 73, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 73 70 76, Juli Inkster 70 74 75, Brandi Jackson 72 75 72, Leah Wigger 74 72 73, Julieta Granada (Par) 75 71 73, Ashli Bunch 72 75 72
220 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 74 72 74, Irene Cho 70 77 73, Brittany Lincicome 70 75 75,
Leta Lindley 70 77 73
221 Jane Park 74 69 78, Erica Blasberg 73 72 76
222 Carolina Llano 72 74 76, Jimin Jeong 72 75 75, Lisa Strom (Gbr) 74 73 75
223 Diana D'Alessio 75 71 77
224 Anna Rawson (Aus) 72 74 78
DQ: 220 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 73 75

Texas weather delaying LPGA Tour Championship

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
The second round of the LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex at The Houstonian Golf & Country Club, Texas was supposed to tee off at 7 a.m. Friday morning. A six-hour rain delay pushed the start time to 1 p.m. Friday and play was then suspended for darkness after 5 p.m. that evening.
Second-round play was completely washed-out on Saturday and delayed again on Sunday morning until 12:05 p.m. due to unplayable course conditions.
As of Sunday evening at 5:21 p.m. when play was again suspended due to darkness, 35 players still need to complete their second rounds. Play will resume on Monday morning at 7 a.m (local time) and a cut will be made to low 70 and ties before players re-tee for the final round with an expected finish time of 4 p.m. local.
Later news: All the players have now completed their second rounds. Only those with 36-hole totals of 147 qualified to go out again for the third and final round.
SECOND-ROUND SCORES
Par 144 (2x72) 6650yd
136 Kristy McPherson 69 67.
137 Jiyai Shin 70 67.
138 Anna Nordqvist 70 68, Lorena Ochoa 66 72, Heather Bowie Young 69 69.
139 Mikaela Parmlid 73 66, Helen Alfredsson 72 67.
Selected scores:
140 Karen Stupples 71 69, Suzann Pettersen 72 68.
141 Sophie Gustafson 70 71.
144 Janice Moodie 75 69.
145 Laura Davies 76 69, Karrie Webb 75 70.
146 Becky Morgan 74 72, Catriona Matthew 77 69, Paula Creamer 76 70.

Weather just as bad in Texas as we are getting!

If you think the weather in Britain is awful at the moment, it might be some consolation to know that it is just as bad in some parts of Texas.
Persistent rain and wet conditions washed out Saturday's play at the LPGA Tour Championship, forcing officials to cut the season-ending event to 54 holes.
More than 1.2 inches of rain fell on The Houstonian Country Club lay-out from Friday morning until the decision was made at 2:30 pm local time today to cancel play for the day.
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LPGA Tour Championship links
Leaderboard
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Play is expected to resume at 8 am local time Sunday to complete the second round. A cut will be made to the low 70 scores and ties and a third round and final round will start at 7 a.m. Monday.
Tournament leader Lorena Ochoa and most of the other players were not in the clubhouse when the decision was made to cancel play on Saturday and return Sunday when the forecast is for sunny and dry conditions.