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LPGA SBS Open - Hawaii dreaming

Thursday February 15, 2007 | 17:56:21 356 words, 2831 views  

Ah, to be in Hawaii with the tradewinds blowing, the smell of the ocean and the ability to play in a professional golf tournament! This week, while the LPGA makes its official debut at the Turtle Bay Resort, I will be dreaming of a vacation in Oahu as I try to stop my teeth from chattering in sub-temperate New York.

With only three days of play, the ladies begin to wonder if their games are up to snuff, what they need to work on in the coming weeks to improve their chances and if they can be this season’s Player of the Year.

Here are some questions that I have been pondering:

Will Lorena Ochoa be in the same fine form as in 2006?

Will Julieta Granada show she’s a better “sophomore” than rookie? In her rookie season, Granada won $1 million in one match-play event…hard to beat on the LPGA Tour.

Can people stop looking at Natalie Gulbis solely as a calendar girl this season? Perhaps if she finally wins a tournament.

Will Paula Creamer return for her junior season fiery of heart or will her putter let her down? I really think Creamer has greatness within her and is a good short game player.

Can Karrie Webb win every tournament she enters this year? Hmmm…possibly!

Which rookie will stand-out from among the crowd of Q-School debutantes? I’m rooting for Meaghan Francella, a Westchester native (of course).

And finally, the burning question: When Annika Sorenstam finally debuts in a few weeks, will she be as competitive as in previous years?

The Golf Channel is televising the LPGA 2007 SBS Open and its only true opposition, for me, is “Ugly Betty” but it can be tivo’d. I’m planning to flip between the two shows but I’m sure glad that the LPGA wasn’t opposite “Beauty and the Geek” or “Heroes” because my decision would be much more difficult being in the dark ages with only a VCR as my recording device.

Check out the Golf Channel’s coverage (if you can), February 15-17, 6:30 pm to 9 pm EST (or check your local listings) and get in tune with your feminine side.

Permalink 7 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Anne [Visitor]
I'm wondering if ANYONE is watching the LPGA this week but if they are, Paula Creamer was bogey-free in the first round. I'm hoping that she's making a statement that she's back.

Natalie Gulbis is only one off the lead. She sometimes folds by the final round.

Morgan Pressel is even in the mix.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-16 @ 11:20
Comment from: patricia [Visitor] · http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com
We in the frozen North are watching. That's for sure.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-16 @ 16:40
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
I watched about an hour of the SBS of Friday evening.

It would be unkind to say that it was boring. Lackluster would probably be more politically correct.

The galleries on the course were practically non-existent.

Even when a good shot was made, which wasn't very often, only a brief smattering of applause was heard.

The announcers had a segment on the attempt of the LPGA to speed up the pace of play, which is now on a par with the speed of the Mendenhall glacier.

They had succeeded somewhat. While last year the average time for a round was five hours and two minutes, this year so far it was four hours and fifty minutes.

Patricia, according to the television ratings, the viewership in the frozen North is about the same as in balmy Hawaii, that is, dismal.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-17 @ 10:28
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
Paula Creamer is on the comeback trail! Wire-to-wire!

I agree with Anne that Natalie Gulbis has problems with the final round. That's something that Lorena Ochoa had to work out. Pressel also seems to choke a bit.

Cristie Kerr m/c'd?
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-18 @ 16:11
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Morgan Pressel is very dodgy down the stretch, showing that her learning to win in the amateur ranks didn't really help.

Paula Creamer did very well to get in contention and then build a lead. She completely blew her lead, and then got a very lucky putt on hole 17. It was just a hit and hope putt with so many breaks that it couldn't possibly be read.

She got very lucky and then paring hole 18 was a pretty easy task.
Although Creamer was very lucky in that putt, she should still be given credit, because when a player puts themselves in that position, it is possible that they can get that bit of luck, so fair play to her for getting herself in position.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-19 @ 14:47
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
Sometimes only one stroke separates the winner from the loser. That's why I try never to look at these contenders as such. They are all hard workers and it's sometimes more about the luck than the commitment or the effort.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-19 @ 18:57
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Well said Stacy.
In Julieta Granada's case, she played very well and it could well have proved to be a winning effort if luck had been on her side.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-02-21 @ 11:50

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