Kia Classic 2012 Rd One

[bobawiefan]

Hello Wie Nation:

That was difficult to watch on TV
This is difficult to post


Kia Classic 2012 Round One Scores and Results
Par 77...+5...T107

Fairways……6 of 14.….Ave is 8.3...down 2.3 fairways hit
Greens……..10 of 18.…Ave is 12.55...down 2. 55 greens hit
Chip saves…4 of 9
Total putts per Gir…22.…….
Putts per gir…2.2.….Ave is 1.84...up 0.36 putts per gir
Total putts…33.….Ave is 30.75.…up 2.25 putts per round
Sand saves…2 of 3
Dist…

Par 3’s:
2 pars…1 birdies…1 bogeys
Gir…………3 of 4
Chip saves…0 of 1
Putts/gir……5
Total putts…7

Par 4’s:
6 pars…0 birdies…4 bogeys
Fairways hit…4 of 10
Gir…………4 of 10
Chip saves…3 of 7
Putts/gir……9
Total putts…16

Par 5’s:
3 pars…0 birdies…1 bogeys
Fairways hit…2 of 4
Gir………….3 of 4
Chip saves…1 of 1
Putts/gir…...8
Total putts…9

Looks like +2 is shaping up to be the cut
Par 4 fairways and putting is beating up on Michelle
She's got to battle back tomorrow
But still

You got to love wie golf

bobawiefan

[davidy48]

Judging from what Yani said, this is not Michelle's type of course at all - narrow fairways and thick rough, small greens. She needs the wide open spaces to help her find a few more fairways.

I can't think of anything more to say about her putting. Maybe a putting coach would be a good idea....she doesn't seem to be getting it done on her own does she ?

Only positive about the day was CK's terrible score - she's going to lose her card this year for sure...

[boolaboss]

Hey Davidy didn't you watch Michelle's interview on GC?..........they asked her about her putting problems........and all she said was that it was a "Work In Progress,"........Dave Stockton is on the course working with another player..........Michelle should have grabbed him after her round.......and had her dad BJ go to an ATM machine and draw out a bunch of money to pay Stockton..........it's not like she can't afford him, is it?...........she missed a bunch of putts in the 5-foot or less range.........for birdies and pars.........I am a lousy golfer...........but even I could have made some of the ones she missed!...........it looks like she is just hitting it.........and then HOPING it goes in............she has NO confidence at all...........so unless her WIP kicks in very quickly tomorrow.........I am afraid her chance of playing on the weekend...........looks VERY slim indeed!............

........boolaboss

[wowwie1]

Mr. Boola,
The Stocktons were working with Tseng. After she had issues with the 5 footers last week (yet still won), she had them there to help.

It is highly unlikely that the Stocktons would consider working with Michelle at this point. There was some issue a few years ago where the Stocktons were kept waiting and waiting on a schedule from her parents. Finally, the said forget it, built their calendar around other PGA/LPGA players.

I am afraid you are right, Mr. Boola. She looks lost out there, zero confidence. I had posted before that I was very worried about this. She has a chance today to play the weekend, she needs to get darn mad and use her talent!!!

Here's hoping to a better day. At least she didn't have the scorecard poor Jennie Lee did! 88! OUCH!

[wiesyfan]

I'm sure the Stockton would jump at the chance to work w/ Michelle if she came calling. They got alot of publicity when they first worked w/ her a few years ago before the Solhiem Cup. It was after that that I believe Mickleson called them and then many others. If they worked w/ her and she improved, many more people will seek them out.

I was really disappointed when I saw that she went back to the long putter. Last year, I seem to noticed she missed so many short putts w/ the long putter. I guess after being unsuccessful w/ the short putter in Asia she went back to the long putter. Anyways she's playing in the morning so hopefully the green won't be as bumpy as the afternoon. The only positive w/ this round is that her ball striking looked good.

Also, the TV broadcast was great for us Michelle fans, we got to see a lot of her shots. Too bad her putting was so bad.

[smiller]

Spent the day at the Kia tournament round 1, observations and comments are summarized below:
Venue and Course
Venue is easy to get to, on the premises parking , no bus to take, tournament course is different from two years ago, new holes are more resort like, wide n enough fairways, water significant only of a few holes, rough is 3 inches uniformly, greens are very small , heavily bunkered and without any flat areas. The old #10, where Michelle argued against a penalty for grounding her club in a hazard is not used this year, in my opinion this course design is easier than two years ago.
Practice Driving Range
Michelle has an interesting practice routine, starts with wedges, then irons then hybrids and the driver and then she alternate short medium and long clubs, she also will hit chips and sand shots. The result are amazing every shot is just about perfect, the only issue that I could see is that she is pushing her longer clubs slightly all her misses are on the right. About 100 peoples watched her practice, including mom and dad.
Practice Putting Green
Very small practice green near #1 and #10 tees, too many players practicing, she used a belly putter and seem to make most putts. Not a very effective practice and too many distractions.
Round
Good part
Driving was excellent she ended in the right rough a few times but consistently managed good iron shots. Irons, very good distance control, almost no spin on any shots, misses were slightly to the right. Sand play chipping and pitching was also very good.
Not so good
Michelle misses 8 putts from less than 4 ft and made only one putt from 10 ft. With simply adequate putting, she would have shot 65/66.
Playing Partners
Good chemistry all three talked all day must be Solheim team sisterhood. Lincicome played well’ she is the longer driver by 10 – 15 yards; her draw helps, Michelle is either straight of has a slight fade. She putted really well. Lewis was all over the place but her short game and putting salvaged her round.
Most frustrating for Michelle was #12, she reached the par 5 in two, 20 ft from the pin, Lewis laid up and Lincicome was bunkered, both made birdies, and Michelle three putted, the last putt less than 2 ft.
Fans
As a fan on Michelle, it is very difficult to watch her in person, to witness such spectacular ball striking ability and see such struggles on the greens, feels at time like root canal, without Novacaine. About 200 fans followed Michelle for the entire 18 holes, and you could see on their expressions, how painful it is to watch her on the greens, shaking their head, or even looking away as she putts. Although I will not be able to return for other rounds, I expect more fans to watch her again tomorrow, they truly want her to succeed.

[davidy48]

Stockton is already an acknowledged as a putting guru so hardly think he's needs any extra publicity - although if he could indeed turn Michelle round from this level that would indeed be something to be proud of. I am worried for the longer term that someone so young should have putting problems - at this age you normally pot everything with the eye of a hawk ! In my experience players do not improve their putting with age, rather the other way round. But then I do somehow suspect that Michelle won't still be playing fulltime at 30....

[bobawiefan]

Hello Wie Nation:

Hello smiller:
Excellent report smiller, excellent... 8-)it's worth reposting...Are you going to the Kraft???

got to love wie golf

bobawiefan

Mar 23, 2012 11:25:57 GMT -5 smiller said:

Spent the day at the Kia tournament round 1, observations and comments are summarized below:
Venue and Course
Venue is easy to get to, on the premises parking , no bus to take, tournament course is different from two years ago, new holes are more resort like, wide n enough fairways, water significant only of a few holes, rough is 3 inches uniformly, greens are very small , heavily bunkered and without any flat areas. The old #10, where Michelle argued against a penalty for grounding her club in a hazard is not used this year, in my opinion this course design is easier than two years ago.
Practice Driving Range
Michelle has an interesting practice routine, starts with wedges, then irons then hybrids and the driver and then she alternate short medium and long clubs, she also will hit chips and sand shots. The result are amazing every shot is just about perfect, the only issue that I could see is that she is pushing her longer clubs slightly all her misses are on the right. About 100 peoples watched her practice, including mom and dad.
Practice Putting Green
Very small practice green near #1 and #10 tees, too many players practicing, she used a belly putter and seem to make most putts. Not a very effective practice and too many distractions.
Round
Good part
Driving was excellent she ended in the right rough a few times but consistently managed good iron shots. Irons, very good distance control, almost no spin on any shots, misses were slightly to the right. Sand play chipping and pitching was also very good.
Not so good
Michelle misses 8 putts from less than 4 ft and made only one putt from 10 ft. With simply adequate putting, she would have shot 65/66.
Playing Partners
Good chemistry all three talked all day must be Solheim team sisterhood. Lincicome played well’ she is the longer driver by 10 – 15 yards; her draw helps, Michelle is either straight of has a slight fade. She putted really well. Lewis was all over the place but her short game and putting salvaged her round.
Most frustrating for Michelle was #12, she reached the par 5 in two, 20 ft from the pin, Lewis laid up and Lincicome was bunkered, both made birdies, and Michelle three putted, the last putt less than 2 ft.
Fans
As a fan on Michelle, it is very difficult to watch her in person, to witness such spectacular ball striking ability and see such struggles on the greens, feels at time like root canal, without Novacaine. About 200 fans followed Michelle for the entire 18 holes, and you could see on their expressions, how painful it is to watch her on the greens, shaking their head, or even looking away as she putts. Although I will not be able to return for other rounds, I expect more fans to watch her again tomorrow, they truly want her to succeed.