2021 LPGA Season Odds and Ends

[HMHS]

With so many people (me included) asking Yuka this ever since who knows when...  --  at least she knows how to retort now ☺︎

 

"

KAWAGOE, JA­PAN— The ques­tion is be­ing asked too of­ten that it’s vis­i­bly got­ten to Yuka Saso’s nerves.

Why is she play­ing for the Philip­pines when she is also a Ja­panese with a fam­ily that is liv­ing in Tokyo?

This was brought up by a lady Ja­panese re­porter again in one of the press in­ter­views at Ka­sum­i­gaseki Coun­try Club prior to the start of the women’s golf event of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 20 year-old Saso just had to cut her off with a re­ply that was al­ready tinged with de­fi­ance.

It could have been one of the things that threw her game off in the first round, when she shot a three-over­par 74 and found it dif­fi­cult to get back in the mix.

When asked if she was find­ing it dif­fi­cult to play for the Philip­pines in front of Ja­panese peo­ple and bal­anc­ing her loy­alty for both coun­tries, Yuka had this re­ply:

“I don’t get that feel­ing. I chose to be with the Philip­pines and I don’t think that if the Ja­pan team is here, I don’t want to be here,” she an­swered. “We don’t think like that, right? We came here to play golf. We’re not here to think [that] when we’re here in Ja­pan, I feel con­scious, no we don’t feel that way.”

Saso just wants to play golf and en­joy its fringe benefits. And she can only wish that in the long run, peo­ple will come to un­der­stand what she’s say­ing.

Just seven shots off

Saso played the fi­nal three rounds at nine-un­der-par, capped by a 65 on Satur­day that gave her a Top 10 fin­ish with a 274 to­tal in a field made up of the best play­ers in the world.

Amer­i­can Nelly Korda ruled the event with a fi­nal round 69 for a 267, a stroke ahead of Ja­pan’s Mone Inami and New Zealand’s Ly­dia Ko, who played off for the sil­ver with Inami win­ning.

“I’ve al­ways been rep­re­sent­ing the Philip­pines since I was an am­a­teur, it’s in the records. I grew up in the Philip­pines, I was born in the Philip­pines. You know, I wish I could rep­re­sent two, but I think in the world right now, it’s im­pos­si­ble.”

Rightly so. Saso was born in Bu­la­can prov­ince and she spent most of her child­hood hon­ing her skills in cour­ses like the Royal North­woods and then in Can­lubang.

It was an eco­nomic is­sue, ac­cord­ing to Saso’s fa­ther Masakazu, as he found spend­ing for both their golf­ing too ex­pen­sive if they chose to play in Ja­pan.

Per­fect train­ing ground

The fa­ther and daugh­ter found the Philip­pines as the per­fect train­ing ground.

While she is well aware of a Ja­panese law that re­quires dual cit­i­zens born af­ter 1985 to choose their cit­i­zen­ship be­fore they turn 22, Saso says she’s not even think­ing about it yet and stands by what she’s al­ways been say­ing all these years.

“I love the Philip­pines as much as I love Ja­pan. Why do I have to choose? And why can’t I be both?” she of­ten asks.

US as base now

With her flour­ish­ing cam­paign on the Ladies Pro­fes­sional Golf As­so­ci­a­tion af­ter win­ning the Women’s US Open, Saso’s camp is ob­vi­ously pre­par­ing for the trans­fer of their base to the United States. Saso’s dad has al­ready signed a lease agree­ment for a con­do­minium unit in Dal­las, Texas, which will serve as their home ad­dress in the United States.

Yuka’s new world as a golf­ing su­per­star re­mains wide open for a lot of pos­si­bil­i­ties, but for the mean­time, those who are wait­ing for her to change the flag at­tached to her name ev­ery time she cam­paigns in events like the Olympics will have to wait a lit­tle longer.

Ul­ti­mately, it’s go­ing to be her de­ci­sion and no one else’s.

But for now, it’s go­ing to be the Philip­pine ver­sion of the red, white and blue with the yel­low col­ored sun.

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by HMHS

[18majors]

 

The Thais are coming, the Thais are coming.........

 

Thai players set to dazzle Dumbarnie in Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open

 

"09 August 2021 – Eleven Thai golfers are set to compete in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at the magnificent Dumbarnie Links, as Thai-based technology company Trust Golf embarks on a new sponsorship deal with the tournament formerly known as the Ladies Scottish Open. Founded by Dr. Prin Singhanart, Trust Golf works with the next generation of Thai golf professionals and is dedicated to growing the game through technology, education, and innovation."
 

Edited August 9, 2021 by 18majors

[18majors]

We've to appreciate Inbee every time she tees off from now on!

 

(Olympics) LPGA star Park In-bee bids adieu to Olympics

 

"I've now played at two Olympics. The next one is three years from now (in Paris) and that seems too far away for me," the 33-year-old said. "I came into this tournament thinking it will be my last Olympics."

 

[JungleJimbo]

16 hours ago, Supermilo said:

“I love the Philip­pines as much as I love Ja­pan. Why do I have to choose? And why can’t I be both?” she of­ten asks.

Yuka Saso’s remark =
Reminds me of the “Cablinasian” discussion w.r.t. Tiger 🐯 . 
 

https://golf.com/news/tournaments/tiger-woods-oprah-winfrey-10-things/

[miamistomp]

  The Olympic rules are loose when it comes to playing for a country

 

 Many of the foreign players are right here living and practicing in Florida-truthfully they should be repping USA-except that would mean little international representation

 

Abe Ancer born in Texas but plays for Mexico ??

 

I had a friend , not world class in his birth country USA, who took a coaching position living and coaching in Colombia for 2 years and made the Colombian Olympic team

 

Just how it is

[AWinfortheAges]

4 hours ago, 18majors said:

We've to appreciate Inbee every time she tees off from now on!

 

(Olympics) LPGA star Park In-bee bids adieu to Olympics

 

"I've now played at two Olympics. The next one is three years from now (in Paris) and that seems too far away for me," the 33-year-old said. "I came into this tournament thinking it will be my last Olympics."

 

Time for her fans to start the campaign to play 1 more. 

[Golf Dino]

 

The most anticipated Women's Scottish Open yet.

 

https://bit.ly/WomensScottishOpen

 

[KBong]

19 minutes ago, Golf Dino said:

 

The most anticipated Women's Scottish Open yet.

 

https://bit.ly/WomensScottishOpen

 

What a deal....only $450 Cdn...lol.

Look like a nice course.

Not far from Kingsbarn, St. Andrews and Carnousite.

 

I've played Carnousite for $15 Cdn.

Ok...ok....Carnousite, Port Coquitlam, BC

In 2018, Redbook coupon 2 for 1...using it at twilight.....the Redbook is lousy now because of Covid.

Additional cheap*ss bonus nearby...Costco $1.50 hotdog & pop (free refill) & cheap Costco gas....and $7.99 BBQ whole chicken.

 

Pre-Covid it was a go-to-course in the spring & fall because they closed the course in the winter and they didn't punch the course when other courses were punching.

A course where ya can't differentiate the fairway from the rough....lol.

The front 9 is a good test from the blues.

 

They had some green disease issues for awhile...but the greens are supposedly nice this year....I haven't played it in 2021.

[18majors]

Twenty LPGA tournaments are in the book, not including the Olympics.  The winning countries are:

 

USA                            6

Thailand                     4

South Korea               3

The Philippines          1

Australia                     1

New Zealand              1

Japan                          1

Finland                        1

Canada                       1

Taiwan                        1

 

The regional balance of power:

 

North America           7

Asia Pacific                12

Europe                        1

 

 

[18majors]

We finally have a almost normal LPGA event after a primarily LET event and an once in a while Olympics:

 

 

 

[Golf Dino]

1 hour ago, KBong said:

What a deal....only $450 Cdn...lol.

Look like a nice course.

Not far from Kingsbarn, St. Andrews and Carnousite.

 

I've played Carnousite for $15 Cdn.

Ok...ok....Carnousite, Port Coquitlam, BC

In 2018, Redbook coupon 2 for 1...using it at twilight.....the Redbook is lousy now because of Covid.

Additional cheap*ss bonus nearby...Costco $1.50 hotdog & pop (free refill) & cheap Costco gas....and $7.99 BBQ whole chicken.

 

Pre-Covid it was a go-to-course in the spring & fall because they closed the course in the winter and they didn't punch the course when other courses were punching.

A course where ya can't differentiate the fairway from the rough....lol.

The front 9 is a good test from the blues.

 

They had some green disease issues for awhile...but the greens are supposedly nice this year....I haven't played it in 2021.

 

I thought that there might be someone who commented about PoCo.  Do they even make the Redbook anymore or has it fallen victim to Covid?

[Titleist_PT23]

15 hours ago, 18majors said:

We've to appreciate Inbee every time she tees off from now on!

 

(Olympics) LPGA star Park In-bee bids adieu to Olympics

 

"I've now played at two Olympics. The next one is three years from now (in Paris) and that seems too far away for me," the 33-year-old said. "I came into this tournament thinking it will be my last Olympics."

 

It will be interested to see if she dials it back dramatically.  She has played well recently; hard to know how much of this was an effort to qualify for and defend the gold?  Personally, I am a bit surprised it (gold) seems to have meant so much to her.  While certainly possible, I don't think she will catch Si Re Pak's LPGA win total.  She could grab another major (or maybe two) and/or pass Pak's win total, but I don't think it will change the narrative much.  She's the most accomplished ROK golfer but will never be the most influential.

[Tasals]

15 hours ago, miamistomp said:

  The Olympic rules are loose when it comes to playing for a country

 

 Many of the foreign players are right here living and practicing in Florida-truthfully they should be repping USA-except that would mean little international representation

 

Abe Ancer born in Texas but plays for Mexico ??

 

I had a friend , not world class in his birth country USA, who took a coaching position living and coaching in Colombia for 2 years and made the Colombian Olympic team

 

Just how it is

 

When south korea hosted the winter olympics they got really fast and loose with giving citizenship to a bunch of Canadian/US hockey players to fill out the korean national team. Some guys only ties to Korea were they married a Korean woman, and had never been in the country before the Olympics. But that was enough to give a guy a spot on an Olympic team. I actually know a guy who was approached about trying out, his grandmother was korean, his mother was born in canada to a white canadian father and korean mother, and he was a quarter korean.

 

Kinda loses the magic when you look too closely at it, but I get why people would take the chance to compete in the olympics.

[KBong]

On 8/9/2021 at 7:05 PM, agolf1 said:

It will be interested to see if she dials it back dramatically.  She has played well recently; hard to know how much of this was an effort to qualify for and defend the gold?  Personally, I am a bit surprised it (gold) seems to have meant so much to her.  While certainly possible, I don't think she will catch Si Re Pak's LPGA win total.  She could grab another major (or maybe two) and/or pass Pak's win total, but I don't think it will change the narrative much.  She's the most accomplished ROK golfer but will never be the most influential.

I believe Inbee continues to play golf because she and hubby have had a difficult time conceiving and starting a family.

 

Rather than mope around in Vegas...Inbee just plays when she wants to.

I doubt Inbee beats balls and works out for 6-10 hrs a day when she is not on tour.

Edited August 12, 2021 by KBong

[KBong]

10 hours ago, Golf Dino said:

 

I thought that there might be someone who commented about PoCo.  Do they even make the Redbook anymore or has it fallen victim to Covid?

Yup...there's a 2021 Redbook...but the coupons are lousy because of Covid.

In the past, the Redbook was good....my friend and I would buy/share up to 6-8 books/year.

 

I have yet to inquire if there's a 2022 book and to determine if it's worth buying.

[18majors]

No more excuses!

 

 

[18majors]

The Pelican Women's Championship will live on

 

RAYMOND JAMES BECOMES CO-PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE PELICAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP LPGA TOUR EVENT

 

"BELLEAIR, Fla., Aug. 10, 2021– The Pelican Women’s Championship and Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) jointly announced today a multi-year strategic partnership for Raymond James to become co-presenting sponsor and official partner of the annual LPGA Tour event, taking place at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla. The Pelican Women’s Championship presented by Raymond James and Konica Minolta will take place Nov. 8-14, 2021, featuring the world’s best female golfers competing over 72 holes for a share of the $1.75 million purse.:

[Titleist_PT23]

On 8/10/2021 at 2:27 PM, KBong said:

I believe Inbee continues to play golf because she and hubby have hard a difficult time conceiving and starting a family.

 

Rather than mope around in Vegas...Inbee just plays when she wants to.

I doubt Inbee beats balls and works out for 6-10 hrs a day when she is not on tour.

I have silently wondered this.  Rewind a handful of years and it seemed like she was on the way out.  The 2016 Gold was quite an accomplishment for her considering people were calling for her to give up the spot (and had limped over the finish line for HOF qualifying).  I just wasn't sure what winning it twice was going to prove (more than what the first one proved).

 

I do commend her for staying competitive with a limited schedule.  Hope she will find happiness with whatever life and golf brings her (seems content with the golf game; if can compete and perhaps win every now and then that is good).

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, agolf1 said:

I have silently wondered this.  Rewind a handful of years and it seemed like she was on the way out.  The 2016 Gold was quite an accomplishment for her considering people were calling for her to give up the spot (and had limped over the finish line for HOF qualifying).  I just wasn't sure what winning it twice was going to prove (more than what the first one proved).

 

I do commend her for staying competitive with a limited schedule.  Hope she will find happiness with whatever life and golf brings her (seems content with the golf game; if can compete and perhaps win every now and then that is good).

 

She won 3/4 of a million dollars in 2018, and nearly a million in 2017. She'll pass 1 million dollars this season. 'Not bad for a limited schedule. Maybe she simply likes playing, and the paycheck that comes with it?

 

[miamistomp]

 Park is one of the all time great putters, so if she has a decent ball striking week , she is in the mix

 Why would she quit if she still enjoys the game ?

 I tune in to see her more than a rando 20 year old in a mini skirt and a pound of make up who will be gone in a couple of years and limp along as Amy or Paige  or whomever as " influencers "

 

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by miamistomp

[18majors]

Nothing will prevent Rose from winning it for another four consecutive years:

 

 

[Titleist_PT23]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

She won 3/4 of a million dollars in 2018, and nearly a million in 2017. She'll pass 1 million dollars this season. 'Not bad for a limited schedule. Maybe she simply likes playing, and the paycheck that comes with it?

 

Definitely possible; I'm not in a position to "know."  

Edited August 11, 2021 by agolf1
.

[18majors]

I'm not the only one who've noticed:

 

South Korea in danger of being shut out of LPGA major championships for first time since 2011

 

“It's been a tough year this year for the South Koreans,” Inbee Park told the Associated Press. “I just think the level of competitors is getting stronger and stronger, especially a lot of players from Asia — not just Korean, but powerful players in Thailand and the Philippines. It's getting tough at the top.” 

 

[Argonne69]

3 hours ago, 18majors said:

I'm not the only one who've noticed:

 

South Korea in danger of being shut out of LPGA major championships for first time since 2011

 

“It's been a tough year this year for the South Koreans,” Inbee Park told the Associated Press. “I just think the level of competitors is getting stronger and stronger, especially a lot of players from Asia — not just Korean, but powerful players in Thailand and the Philippines. It's getting tough at the top.” 

 

 

The Korean players have  a combined ten Top 10 finishes in the four majors this year, but other than 6ix at the Evian they weren't really in contention on Sunday.

 

[Lobby]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/08/11/lpga-stacy-lewis-scottish-open-slow-play-on-tour/

 

Nice article by Beth Ann on Stacy Lewis' comments on slow play.

I too agree that slow play is bad for the pro leagues, but slow play isn't driving my viewing habits.

I haven't watched a men's PGA tournament since before the US Open.   It's not bc of slow play.

It's because the role models are being drowned out by the a*******.  Bryson's tone deaf comments on vaccines, Koepka's high school hazing, Phil's $1/2 mil bets with organized crime gamblers....  

I swear the men's tour is turning into pro wrestling.

The women following that route is the biggest worry I have for the sport.  

[Lobby]

I forgot Patrick Reed's cheating.

[Lobby]

PS.  

I should take a new username:  ThreadKiller

Nobody kills more threads than I do.   Nobody.    I'm like the PXG of killing threads.

:wave

[KBong]

On 8/11/2021 at 5:26 AM, 18majors said:

Nothing will prevent Rose from winning it for another four consecutive years:

 

 

I'm not convinced Rose will stay at Stanford for 4 years...heck...she could even bail out on her verbal commit at Stanford.

[KBong]

20 hours ago, Lobby said:

I forgot Patrick Reed's cheating.

Don't forget about Cheatin Chella and Cheatin Lexi

#BALLMARKGATE

🤣

[KBong]

20 hours ago, Lobby said:

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/08/11/lpga-stacy-lewis-scottish-open-slow-play-on-tour/

 

Nice article by Beth Ann on Stacy Lewis' comments on slow play.

I too agree that slow play is bad for the pro leagues, but slow play isn't driving my viewing habits.

I haven't watched a men's PGA tournament since before the US Open.   It's not bc of slow play.

It's because the role models are being drowned out by the a*******.  Bryson's tone deaf comments on vaccines, Koepka's high school hazing, Phil's $1/2 mil bets with organized crime gamblers....  

I swear the men's tour is turning into pro wrestling.

The women following that route is the biggest worry I have for the sport.  

Surprise surprise....Stacy complaining again.

But she's on mark this time with complaints about slow play.

 

I wonder who she was grouped with when she called them out on slow play...wish I was there to witness the drama.

It was great seeing SNaP rip into Mi Hyang Lee at the CME....but I don't think it was about slow play....I think MHL and D. Kang were goofing off during the rd and Stacy didn't like it ....no surprise Stacy didn't confront D. Kang because Danielle would have given it back to Stacy, maybe flip her the "bird" or even slapped her.🤣

 

I'm not a dew sweeper and play in the afternoon and/or twilight.

Courses are busy here....it's rare to play under 4 hours....many golfers here don't care about PoP.

Many of the competitive juniors I have played golf with or I have watched at tournaments are also really slow.

 

In May, when tee sheets were sold out and everyone was out playing golf (Covid related)....I played 3 consecutive rds that were 5:00, 5:15 and 4:45 hours...ugh...WTH.