2020 LPGA Season Odds and Ends

[18majors]

13 minutes ago, Lobby said:

I'm one of those who doesn't much like golf coverage of only one or 2 featured groups.   Yeah, the folks featured are popular with many, but I'm more of an underdog supporter and prefer to watch the lesser known folks.

As long as I get to pick which of the lesser knowns are featured.   After all, not all lesser knowns are created equal.

?

 

 

During 2019 Masters Tournament, we could see every shot by every player.  It won't be long before it's available to every tournament.

 

But, it won't change broadcast TV, which will continue to feature stars or perceived stars. 

[18majors]

LPGA is doing the right things

 

 

[18majors]

That's a smart thing to do, Jaclyn Lee!  She's played two LPGA tournaments this season and missed both cuts.

 

"The 23-year-old has decided to defer her medical exemption until next season, but she has plans to play as many tournaments as possible for the rest of 2020.

 

 

Jaclyn Lee

 

 

[18majors]

It looks like the rookies on the Top-20 Official Money list not only made it to ANA, they also qualified for KPMG.

In fact, many other rookies down to Jillian Hollis, #108 with $21,796, are also in the field.  Unfortunately, Haley Moore, #116 with $18,006, wasn't.

 

Preliminary field for 2020 KPMG

[xxio]

Nice to see a Filipina on the list.

[18majors]

Hee Jeong Lim; the top post-2000 LPGA player, will play ANA Inspiration

 

Hee Jeong Lim

 

[18majors]

Another prodigy, 17 years old Ruoning Yin

 

Chinese teen golfer wins third straight title after turning pro

 

[18majors]

This is a good article about Muni He

 

Lily He: 'My Instagram fame used to define me'

[TerpFangolfer]

On 9/3/2020 at 3:16 PM, 18majors said:

LPGA is doing the right things

 

 

Smart reaction now...but i still wonder why they choose Sept for ANA? The LPGA champ is in Pa in Oct...why couldn't they have swapped those 2?

Oh well...im sure there were other reasons. But they had to know Palm Springs in mid-Sept would be like that 

[18majors]

A nice article about Gabriela Ruffels

 

Gabriela Ruffels on her late switch from tennis to golf, playing against the men and settling into LPGA majors

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by 18majors

[Golf Dino]

On 9/4/2020 at 4:33 PM, 18majors said:

This is a good article about Muni He

 

Lily He: 'My Instagram fame used to define me'

 

I suspect that her agents at IMG are being a little bit more proactive with her public persona in her doing this story as a way of mitigating, in advance, some of the criticisms that had been directed at Michelle Wie and more recently and with more vitriol  towards Paige Spiranac.  Whether the criticism directed at Wie and Spiranac was fair or not, wasn't the point as one of the criticisms that persisted was that they were more focused on their PR images than on golf.  That also took on a sharp edge with Spiranac as she put herself out there as a professional golfer when she hadn't any status on any formal tour and had played only a few cactus events.  Yet, her 1.0 MM Instagram followers helped propel her to a sponsors exemption to an LET event in Dubai.   Some of the pros at the time were critical of it as it took a potential spot away from a tour player or developing player.     So, I suspect that He's agents are trying to change the narrative from Lily He, Instagram personality to Muni He, professional golfer ... particularly as she has been on the receiving end of some sponsors exemptions, etc.  

 

Regardless, professional golf is a cutthroat business.  It truly is a "dog eat dog" kind of world as its each player for themselves in competition (notwithstanding the sportsmanship aspects to golf and the collegial approach away from the course).

 

 

[Newinup]

11 hours ago, Golf Dino said:

 

I suspect that her agents at IMG are being a little bit more proactive with her public persona in her doing this story as a way of mitigating, in advance, some of the criticisms that had been directed at Michelle Wie and more recently and with more vitriol  towards Paige Spiranac.  Whether the criticism directed at Wie and Spiranac was fair or not, wasn't the point as one of the criticisms that persisted was that they were more focused on their PR images than on golf.  That also took on a sharp edge with Spiranac as she put herself out there as a professional golfer when she hadn't any status on any formal tour and had played only a few cactus events.  Yet, her 1.0 MM Instagram followers helped propel her to a sponsors exemption to an LET event in Dubai.   Some of the pros at the time were critical of it as it took a potential spot away from a tour player or developing player.     So, I suspect that He's agents are trying to change the narrative from Lily He, Instagram personality to Muni He, professional golfer ... particularly as she has been on the receiving end of some sponsors exemptions, etc.  

 

Regardless, professional golf is a cutthroat business.  It truly is a "dog eat dog" kind of world as its each player for themselves in competition (notwithstanding the sportsmanship aspects to golf and the collegial approach away from the course).

 

 

Most likely the case, Ill digress a bit-- "tough times" for her and her beau's career these days with Albon under fire with his driving (the racing kind, not golf driving) performance this season. Maybe she can take some tips from Alex on how to handle the media scrutiny (which is more intense than the LPGA, imho)

[18majors]

This is the shot that's etched into my memory when I think of In Gee Chun

 

 

[Golf Dino]

9 hours ago, Newinup said:

Most likely the case, Ill digress a bit-- "tough times" for her and her beau's career these days with Albon under fire with his driving (the racing kind, not golf driving) performance this season. Maybe she can take some tips from Alex on how to handle the media scrutiny (which is more intense than the LPGA, imho)

 

Albon hasn't been all that bad ... could be worse ... he could be driving for Ferrari! ??    Nonetheless, I dare say that Muni/Lily is a much bigger public personality in China than Albon is.  It's part of the reason why she has received sponsor's invites to some of the events in Asia where she hadn't qualified on her playing merits (i.e. Money List).  Plus I suspect Nike is going all in on her too as the face of golf in China.   Regardless, I would still say that professional golf is much more intense than F1 in that being an F1 driver means that you have a contract regardless and can focus the entire year in a team environment (until it becomes a one on one racing situation a la Hamilton and Rosberg).  As a professional golfer, you do not earn a cent unless you can make the cut and finish in the money.    I do understand your point though and I suspect that outside of China, Albon is probably a bigger personality than Muni He is ... except in golf circles and golf hotbed areas.  Good thing though that neither of them are British or the English tabloids would run riot with drones flying overhead trying to capture intimate moments and all.

[quackhead]

Just realized Kia Classic was cancelled.  Bummer.

[18majors]

Both BMW Championship in Korea and Toto in Japan have been removed from LPGA's tournament schedule.

 

The first tournament scheduled after the upcoming KPMG (October 8-11) is Pelican which is scheduled for November 19-22.

 

LPGA planed to fill the 5 weeks vacuum with at least one Drive On Championship, may be two.

 

 

@Newinup

 

I hope they've two more Drive On's; it will give Bianca two more starts and two more opportunities to win.

Edited September 15, 2020 by 18majors

[Newinup]

57 minutes ago, 18majors said:

Both BMW Championship in Korea and Toto in Japan have been removed from LPGA's tournament schedule.

 

The first tournament scheduled after the upcoming KPMG (October 8-11) is Pelican which is scheduled for November 19-22.

 

LPGA planed to fill the 5 weeks vacuum with at least one Drive On Championship, may be two.

 

 

@Newinup

 

I hope they've two more Drive On's; it will give Bianca two more starts and two more opportunities to win.

That assumes a 156 man field, but if only 144, it'll be hard for her given her priority ranking, right?

[18majors]

@Newinup

 

Here it's.

 

LPGA ANNOUNCES NEW DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP AMID ASIA CANCELLATIONS

 

The LPGA Drive On Championship - Reynolds Lake Oconee will take place Oct 22-25. The four-day, full-field event will be held on the Great Waters Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga. It will feature a $1.3 million purse and will be televised on Golf Channel and the LPGA’s international broadcast partners.

 

 

 

[18majors]

3 minutes ago, Newinup said:

That assumes a 156 man field, but if only 144, it'll be hard for her given her priority ranking, right?

 

 

She got into Cambia with 144 field and $1.7 million purse.

 

She should also get into Drive On Championship - Reynolds Lake Oconee with $1.3 million purse, be it 144 or 156 field. 

[Stooch]

2 hours ago, 18majors said:

Both BMW Championship in Korea and Toto in Japan have been removed from LPGA's tournament schedule.

 

The first tournament scheduled after the upcoming KPMG (October 8-11) is Pelican which is scheduled for November 19-22.

 

LPGA planed to fill the 5 weeks vacuum with at least one Drive On Championship, may be two.

 

 

@Newinup

 

I hope they've two more Drive On's; it will give Bianca two more starts and two more opportunities to win.

 

I was looking at both events yesterday and figured they would get cancelled.  I think the Japan event could have been a go but with the strict quarantine rules in Korea I knew that event had no chance.  It would be tough get a quality field to go to a one off Asia event soon as Korea was cancelled.

[Newinup]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

 

 

She got into Cambia with 144 field and $1.7 million purse.

 

She should also get into Drive On Championship - Reynolds Lake Oconee with $1.3 million purse, be it 144 or 156 field. 

I see what you're saying... purse dictates participation rate - that makes sense...  (of course along with the venue, etc) thanks

[Newinup]

BTW, as an aside (this is an odds and ends thread anyway), does anyone have a summary of who is back in the US and who isn't?  Aside from JYK and Shanshan, any notables in the top 80 still not back?  

[Golf Dino]

21 minutes ago, Newinup said:

BTW, as an aside (this is an odds and ends thread anyway), does anyone have a summary of who is back in the US and who isn't?  Aside from JYK and Shanshan, any notables in the top 80 still not back?  

 

Have to check So Yeon Ryu ... not sure if she is back yet.

[18majors]

28 minutes ago, Newinup said:

BTW, as an aside (this is an odds and ends thread anyway), does anyone have a summary of who is back in the US and who isn't?  Aside from JYK and Shanshan, any notables in the top 80 still not back?  

 

 

The list goes on and on:

 

Jin Young Ko, Jeong Eun Lee6, HyoJoo Kim, Mi Jung Hur (back KPMG), Shangshan Feng            (5)

So Yeon Ryu, Mo Martin, Suzann Pettersen, Wei Lin Hsu, Sandra Gal                                              (10)

Sakura Yokomine, Mariajo Uribe                                                                                                           (12)

[Golf Dino]

3 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

 

The list goes on and on:

 

Jin Young Ko, Jeong Eun Lee6, HyoJoo Kim, Mi Jung Hur (back KPMG), Shangshan Feng            (5)

So Yeon Ryu, Mo Martin, Suzann Pettersen, Wei Lin Hsu, Sandra Gal                                              (10)

Sakura Yokomine, Mariajo Uribe                                                                                                           (12)

 

 

Well including Suzann is a bit gratuitous as she retired at the end of the last Solheim Cup! ? As for Sandra Gal ... I believe she is back in the US now ... just not playing.  But good homework on the rest!!  

[18majors]

@Golf Dino

 

Suzann Pettersen is still on the priority list; she absolutely counts.

 

What @Newinup wants to know is how much Bianca Pagdanganan's priority is improved due to the absence of higher priority players.  Suzann counts as much as Jin Young Ko.

 

For @Newinup

 

Bianca's priority is improved by more than the twelve we've counted.  There're many more:

 

#88 Karrie Webb, #89 Yani Tseng, #93 Michelle Wie, #99, Ssu-Chia Cheng, #105 Mind Muamgkhumsakul                                 (5)

#108 Pavarisa Yoktuan, #113 Beatriz Recari, #114 Aditi Ashok, #116 Paula Creamer, #119 Benyata Niphatsophon                       (10)

#126 Candie Kung, #164 Nuria Iturrioz                                                                                                                                                 (12)

 

We've counted a total of twenty-four (24) absent players who've priorities higher than Bianca; therefore Bianca has an effective priority of #143.

 

Congratulations!

Edited September 15, 2020 by 18majors

[Golf Dino]

2 hours ago, 18majors said:

@Golf Dino

 

Suzann Pettersen is still on the priority list; she absolutely counts.

 

What @Newinup wants to know is how much Bianca Pagdanganan's priority is improved due to the absence of higher priority players.  Suzann counts as much as Jin Young Ko.

 

For @Newinup

 

Bianca's priority is improved by more than the twelve we've counted.  There're many more:

 

#88 Karrie Webb, #89 Yani Tseng, #93 Michelle Wie, #99, Ssu-Chia Cheng, #105 Mind Muamgkhumsakul                                 (5)

#108 Pavarisa Yoktuan, #113 Beatriz Recari #116 Paula Creamer, #119 Benyata Niphatsophon, #126 Candie Kung                     (10)

#164 Nuria Iturrioz                                                                                                                                                                                  (11)

 

We've counted a total of twenty-three (23) absent players who've priorities higher than Bianca; therefore Bianca has an effective priority of #144.

 

Congratulations!

 

 

Suzann Pettersen would have to come out of retirement to play ... but yes, the LPGA will keep her on priority lists until she falls off -- Just like Jack Nicklaus is still eligible to play the Masters if he so chose (and the Open until age 60 - I know Jack's past this age, but it makes my point).  But for all intents and purposes, she is retired and not coming back to play so that does free up a spot (among the others that you have dug up - great job with that work).   I suspect that we will see Suzann propping up in the not too distant future as a Solheim Cup assistant captain and captain.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Golf Dino
Clarification on Jack Nicklaus's age

[Newinup]

Thanks for these analyses @18majors and @Golf Dino... Wow, no wonder you were confident of Bianca making the Georgia event... Lol. Where the heck do you guys get all the time to compile all these? Lol. 

[Golf Dino]

9 minutes ago, Newinup said:

Thanks for these analyses @18majors and @Golf Dino... Wow, no wonder you were confident of Bianca making the Georgia event... Lol. Where the heck do you guys get all the time to compile all these? Lol. 

 

You mean you work?   ?

[18majors]

Where is Paula Creamer, here she is!