New Zealand Open

[Mick Douglas]

First off I don't want to put down this tournament as we have been looking forward to Lydia coming home and she has talked up the event for ages and promised top players but looking at the field it's terribly weak for the tours first visit to NZ. No event this week nor the week after so perfect timing for the girls to enjoy some R&R and take there time flying here and taking there time getting to Korea a fortnight after and if you look at Christina Kim and Paula C both have come early to enjoy but I'm curious how the tour has pushed this event.

I know they can't play every week and with a few injured etc yes I expect a few to rest but they all want to play for millions that the tour fights for them to provide great events and new events need the top players in the initial tournament. I'm assuming the tour has chased the players months out and they all prefer not to travel that far.

Not even the top Aussie girls are coming either.

 

[rushfan96]

A lot of the European Lpga pros were playing in Spain too.

[Mick Douglas]

A lot of the European Lpga pros were playing in Spain too.

 

Yeah I know, NZ number 2 Cathryn Bristow looks to be the only player I could see that's played in Spain and will play in NZ. We all know this tour has problems, Bristow has her LET tour card but hasn't had any tournaments to play in for months and finally there is one in Spain so goes from NZ to play that event then back to NZ for 1 tournament then back to France the following week - the life of a battling tour pro I guess 60,000km of flying in just over 2 weeks.

[4waymiss]

 

It may be a C list field this week. But looks like Danielle Kang has got herself an A list caddie, Stevie Williams.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZcVZtuls8e/

[Raving Shanker]

Unfortunately for us deep Southerners, it is a long, long haul down here. The Aussie Open gets a B grade field.

[ausgolfgirl]

For those playing at home, Windross Farm is quite generous off the tee, fescue rough around the course but if you hit it in the fescue you deserve to be punished as its wide from rough line to rough line.

 

The wind and green complexes are the course's protection, the practice round was alot windier today than yesterday. In certain winds some of the greens can be hard to hold and I'm quite a high ball hitter.

 

My favourite holes out there are 15 and 17. 15 is a 282m short par 4 that's drivable with today's wind but a couple big bunkers and hazard all the way along the right are there to snag wayward shots. 17 is a 163m par 3 that played into the teeth of a 2 club wind this evening and has a water hazard left and tiny bunker right that will catch alot of shots trying to access the back part of the green.

 

It's not a long course so if the wind stays away it will be very scoreable but wind direction will be a big factor as a large section of the course played in crosswinds today.

 

 

[Argonne69]

Over 11 hours from Seoul. Close to 24 hours from Zurich. I can see why a lot of players would be hesitant.

 

The tournament would probably have better luck attracting players if it was moved to early February just before the ISPS Handa in Australia.

[ClairefromClare]

Over 11 hours from Seoul. Close to 24 hours from Zurich. I can see why a lot of players would be hesitant.

 

The tournament would probably have better luck attracting players if it was moved to early February just before the ISPS Handa in Australia.

 

As several members of this forum have been saying since it was announced. Better weather, too.

[Mellow]

Ah, I'm sorry to our ANZ parts of the family for the kind of lack of field. With the internet, get so used of distance not mattering, that it's lousy when it does again.

 

No Minjee? Aww thought she'd go, darn :(

 

I'll be cheering for Su Oh! And I'm going prayer mode for Hee Young to do well. And Xi Yu too (think she's in even worse shape this year :( ) As good an opportunity as is going to come.

 

Field or no field, obviously a win for Lydia in her home would be a picture perfect resurgence. After the last couple results there's real hope. Would be a really neat thing.

[4waymiss]

Over 11 hours from Seoul. Close to 24 hours from Zurich. I can see why a lot of players would be hesitant.

 

The tournament would probably have better luck attracting players if it was moved to early February just before the ISPS Handa in Australia.

 

As several members of this forum have been saying since it was announced. Better weather, too.

 

They announced this event last November, probably too late to squeeze it in the first Asian/Australia swing. Let's hope it will happen next year. Assuming Mckayson don't rescind its sponsorship after the turn out this year. :)

 

They also got screwed by the China event scheduled for next week that got cancelled. I assume some players would break down the long Asian swing into chunks, playing the China event after New Zealand.

[4waymiss]

This is odd, according to Whan, it is New Zealand government that wants this in October. But in previous years, it was held in February.

"We've said over the course of these three years let's figure out how to evolve this from an October event to a February event, and then we can team up with the Australian Women's Open and we're on to great field strength, a great trip and great time of year to be in New Zealand."

Whan understands the New Zealand government preference (and backing) is tagged to it being in the "shoulder" tourist period of October, but hopes to change that thinking.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/97168367/lpga-commissioner-mike-whan-eyes-bigger-and-better-things-for-nz-open

[ausgolfgirl]

Course was playing alot windier today and out of a different direction than Sunday and Monday's rounds. It bounced between a 2-3 club wind all day. With no trees on the course it gets retry exposed in parts. On Sunday I flicked a wedge into the 356m (391yd) par 4 9th and today was driver then 4 iron. Some pins were tricky to access even with wedges today so it will be interesting to see how they set it up on Thursday. Some holes you're going to have to settle with 20 ft being a solid shot, especially the downwind holes.

 

Tomorrow will be alot of chipping, pitching and lag putting work.

[Mick Douglas]

Course was playing alot windier today and out of a different direction than Sunday and Monday's rounds. It bounced between a 2-3 club wind all day. With no trees on the course it gets retry exposed in parts. On Sunday I flicked a wedge into the 356m (391yd) par 4 9th and today was driver then 4 iron. Some pins were tricky to access even with wedges today so it will be interesting to see how they set it up on Thursday. Some holes you're going to have to settle with 20 ft being a solid shot, especially the downwind holes.

 

Tomorrow will be alot of chipping, pitching and lag putting work.

 

Thoughts on a winning score this week Ausgolfgirl.?Or will it be very dependant on the weather. Can you let us know your tee time Thursday so we can following scores, unlike most events might be best to not be off early as it will be cold and the ball won't go far.

[unpc]

Some names may be missing, but having watched the practice today I was most impressed by the very fine bunch of young women. Attractive, personable, highly skilled, hardworking, very fit, friendly, natural and charming.

The course has the ability to bite although the Carex sedge grass has been heavily trimmed, errant shots often simply disappear never to be seen again, and wind and rain can be factors. Welcome and good luck to all.

[Highland]

It will be on Golf Channel at 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, then on tape in the afternoons Saturday and Sunday. I hope to catch at least some of it.

[ClairefromClare]

It will be on Golf Channel at 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, then on tape in the afternoons Saturday and Sunday. I hope to catch at least some of it.

 

Ninety minutes each of Thursday and Friday. Really? There's something better to show at 4:30 on Thursday morning??

[Argonne69]

It will be on Golf Channel at 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, then on tape in the afternoons Saturday and Sunday. I hope to catch at least some of it.

 

Ninety minutes each of Thursday and Friday. Really? There's something better to show at 4:30 on Thursday morning??

 

At least we get three hours on Saturday and Sunday. 'Could be worse I guess. Given that the coverage is tape delayed, hopefully they'll edit it to show more shots, and less standing around.

 

Yeah. Right.

[Stooch]

It will be on Golf Channel at 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, then on tape in the afternoons Saturday and Sunday. I hope to catch at least some of it.

Ouch! Tape-delayed and then it gets aired at 3 AM (for 1 hour and a half). I really hope Whan looks into producing LPGA content within the tour itself when their contract with the Golf channel ends. Find a fair price point and sell streaming services globally to the true diehard fans. As producers of the content you can negotiate individual deals with Network in various countries across the world for those interested. The initial investment would be steep but I think it would pay for itself. In the US why is the LPGA not shown on ESPN or Fox outside the majors cause the Networks have no desire to foot the bill for the infrastructure needed to cover a golfing event. If these sport networks only had to aired the events with no cost to them I'm betting they'd be very receptive to getting the rights during the summer. Heck cause of Brooke Henderson, here in Canada our sport networks (who are owned by multi-billion dollar media and telecom companies) would probably pay as much for the rights for just Canada annually as much as the Golf Channel pays right now. IMO going this model would be a huge benefit cause negotiating with specific markets around the world would be the sum of its part would be greater than the whole of being the Golf Channels B*tch.

 

This is a similar model used by the ATP and WTA in Tennis, TennisTV used to provide all content of most tournaments globally for both men and women for 19.99 but WTA didn't like their cut of the money and left Tennistv to produce their own content. The WTA made a mess of the process though as you were unable to stream women events for half of this season, but now they are up and running at a cost of 14.99/month. I didn't subscribe to the WTA this season as they made mess of the process but I will next season and I also subscribe to the ATP through TennisTV. So Tennis is gonna get 14.99 (WTA) + 19.99 (ATP) next year for all the tennis I wanna watch. How many people globally would subscribe to LPGA stream service, I'm not sure but I'm betting it would be in the hundred of thousands, plus deals with various sports networks globally would be a solid revenue stream IMO. In this digital age the old rules of content consumption by viewers and fans is completely different and sports league should adjust and serve the their own best interests.

[Argonne69]

I have to imagine that production costs for tennis are much lower. A handful of courts vs. multiple TV towers + on-course cameras and reports.

[Mick Douglas]

Wow only live 2 of the 4 days.

On a sad note Paula C has pulled out with her wrist problem.

[Desflurane]

No Paula, dam .

Played the course last week, forward tees. Third time I've played it.

Fairways are wide, as has been said.

Greens pretty firm, need spin to hold them.

Wind is forecast to increase over the four days.

I'm there Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

My only regret is Lincicome is paired with Lyds, so it will be a nightmare to try and watch my favourite player. Bam Bam obviously!

[Mick Douglas]

Didn't realise the hall of fame night was on which is maybe why Kerrie Webb didn't come and also Laura Davies always plays this tournament when its been in Christchurch the last few years.

My father is flying up from Queenstown to watch on the weekend and I'm curious what the locals think of the ticket prices, he told me $50 ($35US) each day on the weekend which he is fine with until I mentioned to him this, I'm currently in the UK, the British Masters is on in Newcastle and with the currency adjustment it's pretty much the same price per day to go see Rory, Sergio etc, big difference in talent available.

Will be interesting to see the number of spectators that turn up, should be pretty high due to the large Asian contingent in the field and the matching population in and around Auckland.

Hopefully the NZ and Aussie girls are near the top come Sunday and many non LPGA card holders are playing so life changing possibilities for someone to earn a card in the US.

[duffer987]

Wow only live 2 of the 4 days.

On a sad note Paula C has pulled out with her wrist problem.

 

I'm guessing GC doesn't want to break away from replay coverage of USA chants in New Jersey, to show some actual live golf.

Much like the Xmas-time coverage of the three main men's events from Australia, the ladies' Far East swing can be fun to watch, but apparently to start much harder to track down :-S

[AKL Kiwi]

The weather is fine and sunny to start the day here. Possibly a few showers during the day but hopefully they stay away. Live coverage for the event here in NZ...

Sky Sport 3 Thursday 2.00pm - 6.00pm

Sky Sport 3 Friday 2.00pm - 6.00pm

Sky Sport 3 Saturday 1.00pm - 5.00pm

Sky Sport 4 Sunday 1.00pm - 5.00pm

I guess the Golf Channel would have access to the live feed but choose when and how much to cover. Those who can access Sky Go online it will be streamed live on their service too.

[jzona]

Didn't realise the hall of fame night was on which is maybe why Kerrie Webb didn't come and also Laura Davies always plays this tournament when its been in Christchurch the last few years.

My father is flying up from Queenstown to watch on the weekend and I'm curious what the locals think of the ticket prices, he told me $50 ($35US) each day on the weekend which he is fine with until I mentioned to him this, I'm currently in the UK, the British Masters is on in Newcastle and with the currency adjustment it's pretty much the same price per day to go see Rory, Sergio etc, big difference in talent available.

Will be interesting to see the number of spectators that turn up, should be pretty high due to the large Asian contingent in the field and the matching population in and around Auckland.

Hopefully the NZ and Aussie girls are near the top come Sunday and many non LPGA card holders are playing so life changing possibilities for someone to earn a card in the US.

might be able to get your dad free tickets if you like...my daughter is in the field, can contact her tonight after her round if you like?

[Stooch]

The LPGA tweeting out a storm of I.K Kim at the president's Cup yet almost an hour in to the NZ event not a single scoring update,,,,,,,at least the got their priorities straight, lol. I feel bad for how the inaugural tournament in NZ is being treated.

[jzona]

The LPGA tweeting out a storm of I.K Kim at the president's Cup yet almost an hour in to the NZ event not a single scoring update,,,,,,,at least the got their priorities straight, lol. I feel bad for how the inaugural tournament in NZ is being treated.

check now i have scores at

http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/mckayson-new-zealand-womens-open/leaderboard

[Argonne69]

The LPGA tweeting out a storm of I.K Kim at the president's Cup yet almost an hour in to the NZ event not a single scoring update,,,,,,,at least the got their priorities straight, lol. I feel bad for how the inaugural tournament in NZ is being treated.

check now i have scores at

http://www.lpga.com/...pen/leaderboard

 

Yeah, except the "live" scoring appears to be nearly 30 minutes behind. The leaderboard was updated last at 8:24 am local time, which was over 25 minutes ago.

[Mick Douglas]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/97324989/live-lydia-ko-tees-off-at-the-nz-womens-open

 

 

 

Live updates throughout Lydia's round.

[jzona]

cause there using this for live scoring