2021 Lotte Championship (Apr 14 - 17)

[Argonne69]

1 minute ago, stingerfade said:

I love Lydia. She has “it” where when she was a chubby am with glasses I for some reason was mesmerized by her game. I watched all of her rounds because I loved her tempo and rhythm. She went down a rabbit hole and seems to have found herself as her swing to me looks like it did then. I’m sure with video and slo motion you can find the differences but to me it looks THE SAME. I feel her super happy attitude is a little forced but that’s how she needs to be to play her best and I think now it’s become her real attitude not needing to be forced and that’s why she’s back. From where she was before. 
 

and I hate that Sean Foley gets any credit for this. He’s just there at the right time. 

 

Her swing looks more like her original swing when she was playing a fade. When she went chasing distance and adopted that horrendous looping A-swing she lost distance and accuracy. 

 

She fell to 107th in driving accuracy in 2018. Dark times. 

 

[stingerfade]

1 minute ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Her swing looks more like her original swing when she was playing a fade. When she went chasing distance and adopted that horrendous looping A-swing she lost distance and accuracy. 

 

She fell to 107th in driving accuracy in 2018. Dark times. 

 

That’s what I mean she almost had to go down the dark path to realize she had it all along. The mental stuff and yoga etc is now partnered with the physical talents and finally coalesced. 

[Golf Dino]

Well unless there is a collapse of unequalled proportion (as in Jean Vande Velde x 3) Lydia has broken her winless drought!  And having done so in style!   

 

I am so happy for Lydia!  All of the criticism and whatnot that she took over the past few years whether it be from coaches like Leadbetter ( the favourite coach of @Argonne69 *)   or others, she kept her determination up and her focus and she has brought herself into a more "modern" age for Lydia.   She has answered her naysayers and critics.  

 

Here is an interesting editorial:  https://bit.ly/2EEqV2h 

 

 

 

 

*This for the quip about Nelly's putting inspiration! 

[Argonne69]

1 minute ago, stingerfade said:

That’s what I mean she almost had to go down the dark path to realize she had it all along. The mental stuff and yoga etc is now partnered with the physical talents and finally coalesced. 

 

Kind of like Gandalf fighting the Balrog. Maybe she's come back as a white wizard. Lol. 

 

[stingerfade]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Lydia has so many funny facial expressions. She's so animated out there. 

 

I think she’s faking half of them. But I think she needs to that to get in the zone. I do that as well but didn’t realize it until seeing this round 

[Argonne69]

Just now, stingerfade said:

I think she’s faking half of them. But I think she needs to that to get in the zone. I do that as well but didn’t realize it until seeing this round 

 

I've followed her on the course a few times when the cameras weren't around, and she's genuinely happy go lucky. At the opening hole at the KPMG she was skipping across the tee box to greet So Yeon. 

 

[stingerfade]

1 hour ago, PZero said:

Sei Young put on some LB's? I remember her being skinny before.

I didn’t notice that but Brooke definitely has. 

[ThinkingPlus]

Leona channels her inner Leprechaun...

[ChronicSlicer]

9 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Kind of like Gandalf fighting the Balrog. Maybe she's come back as a white wizard. Lol. 

 

Just like Spieth, too much talent to not figure it out again.

[stingerfade]

11 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I've followed her on the course a few times when the cameras weren't around, and she's genuinely happy go lucky. At the opening hole at the KPMG she was skipping across the tee box to greet So Yeon. 

 

I think she’s like that now. She wasn’t like that in her dominant teens. It took work to get there 

[iBanesto]

20 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Her swing looks more like her original swing when she was playing a fade. When she went chasing distance and adopted that horrendous looping A-swing she lost distance and accuracy. 

 

She fell to 107th in driving accuracy in 2018. Dark times. 

 

 

Seems like she has less wrist c0ck now when compared to her original swing.

 

But definitely looks much better than that monstrosity A swing.

[ChronicSlicer]

Well, Congrats Lyds you deserve it. 👍

[preiter20]

-28 is amazing.  I'm happy Lydia is back from the depths of Leadbetter.

[The4TH]

finally close the deal!

[stingerfade]

1 bogey in 100 holes. 
 

38 under in 90 holes. 
 

seriously WTF 

[3whacker]

the best swing on the LPGA Tour right now, ....wonder how many shots per side she has to give her BF Mav now

[Stooch]

Great win by Lydia she curb stomped the field.  She's playing really well right now she could go on a little run.  I really appreciate what Lydia has done she went pretty deep into the wilderness and came back out, so good on her.

 

That's gonna be a gut punch for Nelly, might not have mattered with Lydia play but that was bad final round and let Lydia get comfortable and it was over.

 

Yuka just gotta get comfortable in contention on the weekend and she'll figure it out. 

 

As for take away for this event, I have none, a whole lot of players who usually aren't on the right end of the scoreboard Thursday's and Friday's finished very high here this week and I have no clue what that means lol

[grm24]

That was a complete master class today on closing in the final round by Lydia. Hopefully that erases any bad memory of what happened last summer at the Marathon. What a beatdown on the field. Well deserved win for Lydia and her instructor Sean Foley. 

Edited April 18, 2021 by grm24

[tbowles411]

Well, THAT was impressive.  She beat down the field like they stole something.  It was good to see her finally win after being lost for a few years.  I hope there is more to come!

[Argonne69]

Well, it wasn't quite the final round I was expecting, but it was still very entertaining. 100 holes with one bogie. 38 under for five rounds. Second lowest winning score in LPGA history if I'm not mistaken. Short game clinic. All that with a different caddie. Lol. Slow start, but it was pretty much a mistake free round. It's great to see Lydia back in the winner's circle.

 

This is a day Nelly will like to forget. Certainly not the first time her putter has gone cold, but after yesterday's charge it's gotta sting. She's not going anywhere, though. She's just too good a ballstriker to not grab a few wins a year. As poor as she played she still managed a share of 2nd. Chin up.

 

Very nice week for Leona. The 2nd year rookies are starting to step up it seems.

 

Great week for Yuka, although that double was costly. I'm sure we'll see her with an LPGA card soon.

 

Inbee once again showing that she's a name to consider every week she tees it up.

 

Overall it was enjoyable, but I do prefer Ko Olina. I like a good birdie fest now and again, but this was a bit too much of a pitch and putt. There was practically no danger off the tee, and with the winds staying moderate to light it was a birdie special. Throw in a handful of overly short par "5s", and it's no surprise the scores were so low. I expect to see a tougher test next week at Wilshire CC.

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by Argonne69

[ThinkingPlus]

29 minutes ago, 3whacker said:

the best swing on the LPGA Tour right now, ....wonder how many shots per side she has to give her BF Mav now

Danielle Kang dates Mav.

[Titleist_PT23]

Great to see Lydia win again.  I was not a big fan of hers when she first came out on tour, but it is hard not to cheer for her after seeing her rough patch and how she still carries herself/treats others.

 

Obviously the last 5 rounds are off the charts.  It will be interesting to see if she can average < 70 for the season (and the next few years).  This would likely be "back" to a much higher level than I ever imagined (even when it was clear she had fixed things).  I've previously said 20 wins / 3 majors would be a decent total for her to get to over the next handful of years.  If she keeps playing like this (last 12 months), she's going to have a lot of chances.

 

I do agree with some comments about the course and that it played to her strengths or at least was not too penal on her weakest area (a win is a win, the rest of her game is great, and she's been playing well in general so this is not to diminish anything).  She's had a lot of luck in Northern California, but even one of the best wedge players/putters is going to have problems playing Olympic from the trees.  If she can tighten up the accuracy off the tee, she could be lethal again.

[Raving Shanker]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I've followed her on the course a few times when the cameras weren't around, and she's genuinely happy go lucky. At the opening hole at the KPMG she was skipping across the tee box to greet So Yeon. 

 

The first time I went to an LPGA event I got there at 7 am to watch a superstar group of Lydia, Minjee and Ha Na Jang. Minjee strode around like a boss, Ha Na revved up the gallery, trying to persuade them that she was the real star of the grouping, and Lydia...well Lydia gazed upward watching clouds float by.

[stingerfade]

1 hour ago, 3whacker said:

the best swing on the LPGA Tour right now, ....wonder how many shots per side she has to give her BF Mav now

Cringe. Not funny 

[iBanesto]

When are we going to see Ko v Ko next?

 

(Ko Jin Young 😀)

[Raving Shanker]

Great win by Lydia. Has agolf1 pointed out, her driving accuracy wasn't great, but no issue on that course. It could be argued she just let it fly because it was that course. I don't know.

 

Nelly was... I understand the mantra of quick play, but some of those putts looked careless. Notice she missed nearly all of them left. Beautiful driving I'll say, just to keep it upbeat.

 

Late last year I was of the view that Sei Young was the best player in the world, but she has gone off the boil a little, despite the high finish. The little head up move in her putting is a bit disturbing. And it was there even in the smooth tempo putts she holed. She was missing right down the stretch.

[3whacker]

1 hour ago, ThinkingPlus said:

Danielle Kang dates Mav.

my bad got her mixed up with LK

[tacklingdummy]

Dominant win by Lydia. Haven't watch LPGA much in last year or two. Swing looks excellent, all facets of game look excellent, and she looks really fit and strong. Likely going to climb up the world rankings and competing for #1. 

[pmcuk]

Awesome from Lydia! The LEGEND is back........

 

Head to head with Nelly she annihilated her. And let's not forget she's only a year older than Nelly. And she left SYK and inbee in the dust along the way. 

 

Lydia at her best is something else entirely. Plus she can hula...... and smile.... and laugh...

 

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by pmcuk

[aenemated]

I think what I enjoyed most was how much fun she seemed to be having out there. Almost looked like just a casual round; when her and Nelly were just chatting around the tee.