2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown, May 4-7

[18majors]

 

Team members:

 

USA

 

 

 

Korea:

 

Jin Young Ko

Hyo Joo Kim

In Gee Chun

Min Ji Park

 

Japan:

 

Nasa Hataoka

Ayaka Furue

Miyu Yamashita

Yuka Saso

 

Sweden

 

Linn Grant

Maja Stark

Madelene Sagstrom

Anna Nordqvist

 

England:

 

Georgia Hall

Charley Hull

Bronte Law

Jody Ewart Shadoff

 

Thailand:

 

Atthaya Thitikul

Patty Tavatanakit

Moriya Jutuanugarn

Ariya Jutuanugarn

 

Australia:

 

Minjee Lee

Hannah Green

Steph Kyriacou

Sarah Kemp

 

China:

 

Xiyu Lin

Ruoning Yin

Haruta Morika

Yuting Shi

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by 18majors

[Lobby]

You know, I think this trophy is up for grabs.   The best of the best are all there.

[subrew]

We'll be attending Thursday, first LPGA event in person.

[8602081]

Surprised that Lexi is ranked 6th on Rolex ranking..

 

Did not expect that..

 

 

Not sure who Min Ji Park is.. but probably would rather have Hye Jin Choi..

 

 

[woahnelly]

3 minutes ago, 8602081 said:

Surprised that Lexi is ranked 6th on Rolex ranking..

 

Did not expect that..

 

 

Not sure who Min Ji Park is.. but probably would rather have Hye Jin Choi..

 

 

 

Min Ji has been the winningest player on the KLPGA the past 2 seasons .. 12 or 13 wins by now, hard to keep track!  You could realistically select any 4 Korean players from the Rolex 100 to field a competitive team.  

[18majors]

 

14 minutes ago, woahnelly said:

You could realistically select any 4 Korean players from the Rolex 100 to field a competitive team.  

 

 

 

No question that Korea has been a powerhouse since 2008 when Inbee won the US Women's Open; but it's hard to bet against the USA this year.

 

US has the hot hands; Lilia is #1, Nelly #5 and Danielle #10 among players who've earned the most Rolex points in 2023.

[grm24]

3 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

Team members:

 

USA

 

 

 

Korea:

 

Jin Young Ko

Hyo Joo Kim

In Gee Chun

Min Ji Park

 

Japan:

 

Nasa Hataoka

Ayaka Furue

Miyu Yamashita

Yuka Saso

 

Sweden

 

Linn Grant

Maja Stark

Madelene Sagstrom

Anna Nordqvist

 

England:

 

Georgia Hall

Charley Hull

Bronte Law

Jody Ewart Shadoff

 

Thailand:

 

Atthaya Thitikul

Patty Tavatanakit

Moriya Jutuanugarn

Ariya Jutuanugarn

 

Australia:

 

Minjee Lee

Hannah Green

Steph Kyriacou

Sarah Kemp

 

China:

 

Xiyu Lin

Ruoning Yin

Haruta Morika

Yuting Shi

 

Will Linn Grant be able to participate in the event?

[18majors]

1 hour ago, grm24 said:

 

Will Linn Grant be able to participate in the event?

 

 

I'm afraid she can't; unless she bends her principle and takes COVID vaccine shots.

Edited April 3, 2023 by 18majors

[Argonne69]

It's been "only" 5 years since the last time it was played, but so many big changes in the team makeups. Out of 28 players, only In Gee, Lexi, Nasa, Minjee, Ariya, Moriya, and Anna are returning from the non-England teams. 

 

More surprising is that the entire English team returns intact. No young English phenom in the pipeline? 

 

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, subrew said:

We'll be attending Thursday, first LPGA event in person.

 

The 2016 International Crown was my first LPGA event. The day was cut short due to heavy storms in the afternoon, but it was a blast. 'Been to eight more since then, and I've been itching to get back. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, Lobby said:

You know, I think this trophy is up for grabs.   The best of the best are all there.

 

I'd still like to see a format that gets Lydia, Brooke, and a few of the other international players who are not eligible for the Solheim Cup into the field. 

 

[18majors]

2 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I'd still like to see a format that gets Lydia, Brooke, and a few of the other international players who are not eligible for the Solheim Cup into the field. 

 

 

 

 

The tournament should consist of seven countries and one "at large team".  The "at large team" is made up by top Rolex ranked players whose countries didn't qualify; this year it'd be Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire.

 

I'm sure @AKL Kiwi, @Stooch and @Rapidcatwould agree!

[AKL Kiwi]

7 minutes ago, 18majors said:

The tournament should consist of seven countries and one "at large team".  The "at large team" is made up by top Rolex ranked players whose countries didn't qualify; this year it'd be Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire.

I'm sure @AKL Kiwi, @Stooch and @Rapidcatwould agree!

It's sad that as soon as Lydia retires in all probability NZ will have no players on the LPGA tour ☹️. For this reason I hope we all get behind her to achieve the HOF status before this happens. I'm happy to see this remain just a country competition. I think this incentivises countries to promote more players to reach the rankings to qualify something our government sadly has not supported strongly enough despite having one of the best players on the LPGA for the past decade.  

[AKL Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

I'd still like to see a format that gets Lydia, Brooke, and a few of the other international players who are not eligible for the Solheim Cup into the field. 

I personally don't think the Solheim Cup has the same status as the men's equivalent Ryder Cup but the International Crown is probably better than the men's Presidents Cup. I think all players love to play a team tournament representing their country just don't know in what form this could come about to include the four best players in the RR. My idea is they could have a playoff or automatic 8th team in this competition based on having a player in the RR top 10? and the players country has not qualified. That would mean this year a team from NZ, Canada and France would play a qualifier before the tournament started much like a normal Monday qualifier but team format.

Edited April 3, 2023 by AKL Kiwi

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, AKL Kiwi said:

It's sad that as soon as Lydia retires in all probability NZ will have no players on the LPGA tour ☹️. For this reason I hope we all get behind her to achieve the HOF status before this happens. I'm happy to see this remain just a country competition. I think this incentivises countries to promote more players to reach the rankings to qualify something our government sadly has not supported strongly enough despite having one of the best players on the LPGA for the past decade.  

 

A big part of the issue is simple demographics. New Zealand has a small population at 5M. Sweden has double that. Thailand 15 times that. Ireland has the same issue. 

 

Canada is hurt by a short golf season, but so does Sweden. No reason why Canada shouldn't be able to field a team when Sweden can with nearly a quarter as many people. 

 

[Stooch]

44 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

A big part of the issue is simple demographics. New Zealand has a small population at 5M. Sweden has double that. Thailand 15 times that. Ireland has the same issue. 

 

Canada is hurt by a short golf season, but so does Sweden. No reason why Canada shouldn't be able to field a team when Sweden can with nearly a quarter as many people. 

 

 

Hockey.  All our best athletes play hockey.  Sweden plays women's hockey also but good for them it only took 10 years to stop losing every game to the US and Canada by 10 goals. lol

[Stooch]

2 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

 

 

The tournament should consist of seven countries and one "at large team".  The "at large team" is made up by top Rolex ranked players whose countries didn't qualify; this year it'd be Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire.

 

I'm sure @AKL Kiwi, @Stooch and @Rapidcatwould agree!

 

The tough thing with an "at-large" teams they'd be too stacked, if you can't take a player belonging to another country then the "at-large" team would have 3 top 10 players and Leona at 15th.  Actually, with Ingee and Hyo Joo, the Korean team would be right on par but the bottom teams would severely be out matched.

[postfold]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

The 2016 International Crown was my first LPGA event. The day was cut short due to heavy storms in the afternoon, but it was a blast. 'Been to eight more since then, and I've been itching to get back. 

 

Was that the event that got you in the binder?

[woahnelly]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

More surprising is that the entire English team returns intact. No young English phenom in the pipeline? 

 

 

I like Anita Uwadia but she's been bounced in stage 3 of Q school the last 2 seasons. We can enjoy her one start at the Dow this summer! Now 24, young English phenom is probably not the right vernacular to describe her though 😞

[ChronicSlicer]

6 hours ago, 8602081 said:

Surprised that Lexi is ranked 6th on Rolex ranking..

 

Did not expect that..

 

 

 

 

 

Since the end of 2013 she's never been ranked higher than 13th. She's only spent 25 weeks outside the top 10 in a decade. Like her or hate her that's pretty damn impressive.

[JungleJimbo]

33 minutes ago, postfold said:

 

Was that the event that got you in the binder?

 

Will we have to work on some disguises for @Argonne69, so he can go 'incognito' at this event?

 

Credit for this "Security Binder" illustration = from @Argonne69 himself!
(good sense of humor)

[ChronicSlicer]

6 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

 

I'm afraid she can't; unless she bends her principle and takes COVID vaccine shots.

There's not a snowballs chance in hell she's gonna bend. She should finally be allowed to enter the US after May 11th..go figure a week too late.

[Stooch]

2 hours ago, ChronicSlicer said:

There's not a snowballs chance in hell she's gonna bend. She should finally be allowed to enter the US after May 11th..go figure a week too late.

Yeah it will end, they are catching lots of heat for Novac Jokovich and the US Open in Sept.

[JungleJimbo]

2 hours ago, ChronicSlicer said:

There's not a snowballs chance in hell she's gonna bend. She should finally be allowed to enter the US after May 11th..go figure a week too late.

 

@ChronicSlicer your ability to correctly remember these dates/figures reminds me of .... @KBong (who i previously referred to as "Rain Man").

 

i had to google this Linn Grant factoid w.r.t. timeframe to re-enter US!

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2023/01/31/linn-grant-lpga-chevron-championship-unvaccinated-covid/51241121/#:~:text=emergency declarations on-,May,-11. 

 

[8602081]

10 hours ago, ChronicSlicer said:

Since the end of 2013 she's never been ranked higher than 13th. She's only spent 25 weeks outside the top 10 in a decade. Like her or hate her that's pretty damn impressive.

 

Lexi is one of my favorite American Player. 

Just surprised me because I didn't think she was playing well lately.. I do know that her putting has gotten better.

 

 

[18majors]

@Whoa Nelly

 

A disappointing news for you:

Park Min-ji will not play in the LPGA national competition

[Argonne69]

Just now, 8602081 said:

 

Lexi is one of my favorite American Player. 

Just surprised me because I didn't think she was playing well lately.. I do know that her putting has gotten better.

 

 

That I can see. She's only played one event so far this year, and she missed the cut. 'Definitely been off the radar. She only played in 18 events last year with 8 top 10s. That includes three 2nd place finishes.

 

[18majors]

9 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

18 events last year with 8 top 10s. That includes three 2nd place finishes.

 

 

Did you include this win over Nelly Korda:

Lexi Thompson breaks three-year victory drought at Aramco Team Series event in New York

[Argonne69]

Just now, 18majors said:

 

 

Did you include this win over Nelly Korda:

Lexi Thompson breaks three-year victory drought at Aramco Team Series event in New York

 

Nope.

 

[woahnelly]

47 minutes ago, 18majors said:

@Whoa Nelly

 

A disappointing news for you:

Park Min-ji will not play in the LPGA national competition

 

Not that surprising really , the only time I remember her playing outside Korea was at the Evian. 😞

 

But Hye Jin is a fine replacement!

Edited April 4, 2023 by woahnelly