July 2011: Golf Digest Woman: Golf Digest

Tseng continues her assault on the record books

Sunday, July 31, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- In many ways, the four-stroke victory Sunday by Yani Tseng in the Ricoh Women's British Open was more impressive than her 10-stroke romp in the Wegman's LPGA Championship six weeks ago. One was child's play, the other was a woman's work.

At Locust Hill CC in June, Tseng was hitting on all cylinders. At Carnoustie, in a July that could have passed for April, she bookended middle-round 66s with a pair of scrambling rounds in which she did what she had to do when she had to do it. And that's what being a champion is all about.

Tseng started the final round two strokes behind Caroline Masson, a 22-year-old from Germany who one day may be able to handle being in the last group of a major, but not today. An immediate hiccup by Yani, who is a much more battled-tested 22, came in the form of a missed three-foot par putt on No. 1, falling three back.

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Pak is an inspiration to a generation, but still trying to be a threat as well

Friday, July 29, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Se Ri Pak stood on the 18th tee of Royal Lytham & St. Annes on a gloriously warm Sunday afternoon with a chance to win the 2003 Weetabix Women's British Open. When she pulled the 3-wood from her bag, Annika Sorenstam, with whom she was tied for the lead, and her caddie Terry McNamara shared a glance. It was a curious club selection that brought the par-killing pot bunkers into play.

Pak still has the game to take on many of the young players she inspired.
Photo by Getty Images

Sure enough, Pak drove into a bunker and eventually made a bogey. McNamara handed Sorenstam the driver, she ripped her tee shot over the bunkers and made a par to complete the career Grand Slam. Pak lost more than a tournament that day -- she lost her confidence and slipped into several years of the driver yips, unable to find a fairway.

Since her career took that downward turn after 2003 -- only four of her 25 career LPGA victories have come in the last eight years and only one of her five major championships -- the 33-year-old Pak has shown flickers of her old form. On Friday the flicker erupted into flames as Pak fired a 64 to go into the weekend at the Ricoh Women's British Open at eight-under par, two strokes behind Inbee Park, who also ravaged a defenseless Carnoustie in 64 strokes.

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A conflicted Pettersen carries on with homeland in mind

Friday, July 29, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- The rain that fell during virtually every shot Suzann Pettersen struck in the first round of the Ricoh Women's British Open was an appropriate reflection of her mood. The tears she shed later that night, after opening with a 76 to be 11 strokes off the lead, reflected the pain, disappointment and confusion she felt teeing it up at Carnoustie GL less than a week after the murderous tragedy at home in Norway.

Pettersen was disappointed by her start on Thursday, but rallied in the second round.
Photo by Getty Images

On Friday, a determined Pettersen fought back with a 66 that moved her to two-under par going into the weekend. That will leave her at least a half-dozen strokes back as the lack of wind has made the shortened version of Carnoustie ripe for the taking, but it sure beats the alternative.

"At least I'm playing on the weekend," she said after making a birdie on No. 18 to finish her second round. Those close to Pettersen said she took her disappointing first round very hard, crying when behind closed doors, in part because she felt she had let her country down.

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To start, Carnoustie conspicuously absent of teeth

Thursday, July 28, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- The half-hour drive from Dundee to Carnoustie shortly after 5 a.m. for Thursday's first round of the Ricoh Women's British Open couldn't have been more beautiful. The sun, seemingly rising out of the North Sea, gave the blanket of fog hugging the gentle hills that roll toward the water's edge an almost mystical glow. There was not a bit of breeze, almost as if the east coast of Scotland had paused to catch its breath before play began. It needn't have bothered.

The hardest part of the 18th hole at Carnoustie? Maybe it's just traversing it in cart.
Photo by David Cannon, Getty Images

When Caroline Hedwall struck the first ball at 6:30, the local tourist bureau was in hog heaven or, more accurately around here, sheep serenity. The Women's British Open began in glorious weather. And then Scotland happened -- rain followed by more rain, interrupted by periods of rain. But not even that was enough to return a bafflingly benign set-up of Carnoustie into the Carnasty the men have known in their British Open.

Brittany Lincicome, who teed off early and played only a few holes in the wet stuff, birdied 12 and 13, eagled 14 and birdied 17 for an opening 67 capped with an incoming 32. Given the rain, it seemed unlikely anyone would beat that number, but Meena Lee played her entire round in the rain and still shot 65.

How is that possible? Well, there was no wind to speak of, but just look at the yardages the women are playing this week. Clearly, there was a concern by some that if weather rolled in the course could become embarrassingly difficult.

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LPGA needs a rival to emerge for Yani Tseng

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Welcome to the Yani Tseng era, which might be subtitled: "Who's My Rival?" In the 22-year-old from Taiwan, the LPGA just might have found the breakout star it needs to grab the interest of the casual golf fan. Now what it needs is for a heated rivalry to develop, when in fact what it has right now is a rivalry-by-committee not unlike men's golf had back when Tiger Woods was winning major championships by the bucketful.

Tseng comes into Carnoustie as the clear favorite, having won the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale last year, three of the last seven majors played and four in her brief career. More to the point is who would be the second favorite. And the answer to that is that Yani is being chased by a posse right now and not a lone rider.

Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer have yet to win this year but both have placed themselves in position a lot and it is only a matter of time until one or both breaks through. Ai Miyazato, who won last week at the Evian Masters, has yet to win a major but does have seven LPGA wins in the last 24 months. Stacy Lewis was second last week and Angela Stanford tied for third. Jiyai Shin won the British at Sunningdale but has been off her game this year.

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Sirak's Carnoustie Notebook

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland - Suzann Pettersen sat behind the microphone at Carnoustie Golf Links on Tuesday still looking drained from the terrorist tragedy that had devastated her homeland. A day early, the streets of Olso were overwhelmed with people as Norway mourned the senseless murder of dozens of mostly young people. "It's still heartbreaking," she said with solemn defiance.

For Pettersen, there was no question that the Ricoh Women's British Open is where she is supposed to be this week -- where she can do the most good for her country. "You just go out there and fight for your friends at home," she said after cleansing her mind with a deep sigh. "It's kind of our 9/11 because of the size of our country," she said.

Sporting events were called off in Norway and Pettersen said she was told that Friday night the bars and restaurants were shuttered as families shared their sorrow behind closed doors, watching as horrify news reports came in.

Petersen was eating lunch after the second round of the Evian Masters last Friday when her parents, Axel and Mona, broke the news to her. "They said they had something bad to tell me and I thought it was about someone in the family," she said. She knew no one personally who was killed in either the Oslo bombing or the shooting at an island youth camp.

"It doesn't matter," Pettersen said. "One loss is one loss for all of us. When I went to bed Friday night it was 13 dead and when I woke up Saturday morning it was in the 90s. Breakfast did not taste very good." The death toll was later revised downward to 76.

Wearing a black armband and playing with a heavy heart, Pettersen shot 69-68 on the weekend at Evian to finish T-6, four strokes behind winner Ai Miyazato.

"Yesterday, there was supposed to be a parade in Oslo, but 150,000 people turned out and there were too many people for a parade so they had a concert," Pettersen said, speaking with evident sorrow mixed with an intense pride for her homeland. She shook her head and said: "150,000 people in a city of 500,000 -- barely."

Last week, Miyazato made it clear her victory at the Evian Masters was for the people of Japan, devastated earlier this year by an earthquake and tsunami. Don't be surprised if Pettersen pulls off a similar emotional miracle here this week. On Tuesday, there was determination in her eyes.

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Miyazato wins for more than herself

Sunday, July 24, 2011

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE -- There are parties every night at the Evian Masters, always capped by fireworks at the Hotel Royal high on the hill above this quaint resort town on Lake Geneva. The Evian may not become an LPGA major championship until 2013, but Franck Riboud, the chairman and CEO of tournament owner Danone, a $40 billion company -- and that's a lot of yogurt and bottled water -- has always treated the players in a major way.

There are precious few stops on any pro golf tour that combine natural beauty, luxurious accommodations and just plain fun as successfully as the Evian. There is another little tournament with the name "Masters" in its title that spoils its participants this way, but Washington Road in Augusta, Ga., will never be confused with Rue Nationale in Evian, just as no one would ever confuse Evian GC with Augusta National GC.

Miyazato said she would donate some or all of her winnings to earthquake relief in her native Japan. Photo by Getty Images.

This event began as a Ladies European Tour stop in 1994 and became co-sanctioned as an LPGA event in 2000, the year before the Weetabix Women's British Open -- now the Ricoh -- became an LPGA major. That created a compelling two-week European swing -- a $3.2 million purse at Evian followed by a major -- but this is the last year they will be played together.

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Mired in putting slump, Paula Creamer showing signs of life

Friday, July 22, 2011

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE -- When Paula Creamer won the 2005 Evian Masters, making it the second LPGA victory of her Rolex Rookie of the Year season, she was still 13 days away from her 19th birthday. In fact, after getting her first win as a pro on May 22 of that year at the Sybase Classic, becoming the youngest player to win a multiple-round LPGA event, Creamer had to skip the next tournament to attend her high school graduation.

That Sunday night in Evian, after the awards ceremony and various sponsor obligations, Paula's parents -- Paul and Karen --placed their daughter in the care of Juli Inkster and let her head into town for some supervised adult celebration. Juli is, after all, the mother of two daughters not much younger than Paula. "I speak teenager," Inkster said at the time about her ability to communicate with the increasing number of young players on tour.

Creamer is looking for her first win since last year's U.S. Women's Open. Photo by Getty Images

Those first few years as a professional unfolded like a dream for Creamer as she racked up eight LPGA wins and two other victories on the Japan LPGA by October 2008. Since then, however, Creamer, who turns 25 on Aug. 5, has hit a couple of speed bumps. She has not won since last year's U.S. Women's Open, and that is her only victory since the fall of 2008. The obstacles have been significant.

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Michelle Wie's regression began at Evian

Thursday, July 21, 2011

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE -- The Evian Masters will become an LPGA major championship in 2013, but the tournament already has a history of major-caliber memories, beginning as a Ladies European Tour event in 1994 then becoming co-sanctioned by the LPGA in 2000. Helen Alfredsson won the first Evian, following with victories in 1998 and, improbably, 10 years later when the volcanic Swede had a renaissance year that amounted to her swan song.

The first time the Evian was on the LPGA schedule Annika Sorenstam, the best player of her generation, was appropriately the winner. Paula Creamer won here in her rookie year of 2005; Natalie Gulbis's only LPGA victory was at Evian in 2007 and Ai Miyazato made the Evian Masters her first LPGA Tour victory in 2009. And then there is the time Michelle Wie almost won here -- almost, the word that haunts her career.

Perhaps the most curious story to emerge from this mountainside course is the interesting role it has played in the career of Wie. It was here five years ago that the can't-miss-kid began her transformation into an enigma that has many wondering if the full potential of her enormous talent will ever be realized. There was nothing in her four-over-par 76 on Thursday to ease that concern.

Wie turned pro in October 2005 and was 16 years old when she came into the 2006 Evian Masters on an upward arc that screamed of greatness. She had played five LPGA tournaments on the year and finished no worse than fifth, where she was at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the year, followed by impressive third-place efforts at both the LPGA Championship and the U.S. Women's Open.

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Evian to be LPGA's fifth major starting in 2013

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE -- There are few spots on the far-flung global golf tour known as the LPGA that the players enjoy more than the Evian Masters. The accommodations high on the hill at the Hotel Royal and the Ermitage are luxurious, the views of Lake Geneva and the Alps are breathtaking, and the $3.2 million purse put up by Franck Riboud and his company, Danone, is rivaled only by the U.S. Women's Open.

Now there is one more reason to want to be in the field: Beginning in 2013 the Evian will be a major championship. The tour's only stop in France will join the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the U.S. Women's Open, the Wegmans LPGA Championship and the Ricoh Women's British Open in becoming the fifth major under a five-year rolling contract, it was announced Wednesday.

One of the few downsides of the Evian Masters -- which features fireworks, concerts, soccer games, an infamous beer garden, a champagne tent, quaint outdoor dining and a casino along with the views -- is the fact the Evian Golf Club is a short layout, a tick or two below being of major-championship quality. On Wednesday, Riboud and LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said that will be addressed through a $7.5 redesign by Steve Smyers that will begin immediately after this year's event ends on Sunday.

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