2013 CN Canadian Women's Open (Non-Michelle Thread)

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: Lydia Ko Ready To Defend Title At 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open

Lydia Ko


In 2012, Lydia Ko became the youngest player to ever win a professional golf tournament when she triumphed at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. She won that title playing as an amateur, so she couldn’t collect the $300,000 winner’s share. That share went to second place finisher, Inbee Park. The record of being the youngest ever winner of a professional event has since been broken, but Lydia remains the youngest ever winner of an LPGA event. Last year, she won the CN Canadian Women’s Open at the Vancouver Country Club in Coquitlam, British Columbia. This year, she will try to conquer Edmonton, Alberta’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club.

[bangkokbobby]

Na Yeon Choi shares her worst travel experience, which happened when she was trying to get to Canada early in her career.

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: Charley Hull Rides Solheim Cup Success (and exemption into LPGA Q-school this fall) Into 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open

Charley Hull


The last time we saw Charley Hull, she soundly defeated LPGA Major winner Paula Creamer 5 & 4 at the 2013 Solheim Cup. To be fair, the Pink Panther didn’t really play so badly. Charley Hull was just on that day. The precocious 17-year old was the youngest player in Solheim history. Boy, did she ever live up to advance billing. In her first match, paired with Catriona Matthew in Friday’s fourball, she lost a tough match to Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie, 2 & 1. However, Hull bounced back in Saturday afternoon fourball, teaming with fellow English player Jodi Ewart Shadoff to take out Paula Creamer and Lexi Thompson, 2 up. That was the match with the controversial conceded putt shout out from a caddie while Paula was over her ball. Charley ended her 2-1-0 rookie Solheim Cup with the completely unexpected singles victory over Creamer. In match play, anything can happen. Paula is still…well, Paula. But lower ranked players can beat a higher ranked player in match play. Happens all the time whenever the pros have a match play event. It’s the 5 & 4 that was so shocking.





We’ll see how Charley performs in her first event after that Solheim success. If big things were expected from her before Team Europe’s win, the bar now raises to an even greater height. I will say, let’s all take a step back. Let her develop without the weight of too much expectation. She caught lightning in a bottle against Creamer. That doesn’t make her better than Creamer. Like I said before, anything can happen in match play. A lot of Team USA’s players had a Solheim to forget. They will all bounce back and show why they are among the best players in the world.

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: The Kids Are Alright: Lydia Ko, Charley Hull and Jennifer Kirby Shine In First Round Of 2013 CN Canadian Open

Lydia Ko


Youth was served in the first round of the 2013 CN Canadian Open. 16 year old defending champion Lydia Ko joined 17 year old Charley Hull and 22 year old Jennifer Kirby in a pairing that highlighted the possible future of the LPGA Tour. Hull, coming off a great Solheim Cup, went 1-under, which could have been even better were it not for two uncharacteristic bogeys on the final two holes. Kirby, a native Canadian, played like she was right at home with a stellar 3-under. Ko was the best of them all this day, firing a 6 birdie, 1 bogey 5-under 65 (par is 70 here) to finish tied for the lead with Cristel Boeljon and Angela Stanford. Speaking of Angela Stanford, she was eager to get back on course after an 0-4 Solheim week.

Try to take positives from it. I don’t know, it’s hard because I’m the only one that has to live with it. I’m the one that it’s probably haunting the most. So it’s been really hard. I’ve thought about going home a few times, and I just don’t think that would be the best thing was for me to get back on the horse. I had to get out and play and I guess just try to put it behind me. – Angela Stanford



Charley Hull


Jennifer Kirby

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: Inbee Park, Cristie Kerr Tied For Lead After Second Round Of 2013 CN Canadian Open; Lydia Ko Still Lurking

Inbee Park


The Year of Inbee continued in the second round of the 2013 CN Canadian Open. The winner of the first 3 Majors this year rode a 5-under 65 to sit tied with Cristie Kerr at 8-under overall at the midway point in Edmonton. Inbee started her day with a sensational hole out from a bunker for birdie, the first of seven birdies on the day. She did also have two bogeys, including one on her final hole. Players never want to end rounds with a bogey, but Inbee in still in good shape and is mentally solid enough to shake that blemish off.



Lydia Ko


Lydia Ko stayed in contention with a 1-under 69, leaving her at 6-under overall, 2 shots back. Despite that, it was a shaky round, one that was opened with a birdie on 10 (she started on the back 9). Oddly enough, Lydia claims to not really like starting rounds with birdies. I can’t imagine too many golfers who wouldn’t want a birdie on the their first hole…or any hole for that matter. But maybe she sees it as a false sense of ease if she comes out and it’s too easy right off the bat.

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: Caroline Hedwall Leads 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open After 3rd Round; Defending Champion Lydia Ko 1 Shot Back

Caroline Hedwall


There were a lot of stars for Team Europe in their 18-10 thrashing of Team USA at the 2013 Solheim Cup. Among all of their great play, one star shined the brightest, Caroline Hedwall. The rising Swedish star might not yet have a win on the LPGA tour, but riding her perfect 5-0-0 record from last week’s Solheim Cup, Caroline is 18 holes away from filling that gap in her resume. Hedwall was sensational on Saturday, firing a 6-under par 64 (par is 70 here), highlighted by 7 birdies against a lone bogey. She sits atop the leaderboard at 10-under overall. Like a true champion, she says she doesn’t remember which holes she birdied, only the hole she bogeyed. To me, that shows an attitude that birdies are to be expected, no big deal. But that bogey sticks with her in some respects because that is unacceptable. That kind of belief that she is out there to make birdies and not think of that as anything special tells me that she will hold a lot of LPGA tournament trophies during her career.



Lydia Ko


16-year old defending champion Lydia Ko is hot on Caroline’s heels at 9-under, 1 shot back. More than her 3rd round 3-under 67, I also like Lydia’s attitude heading into the final round. She’s totally positive about where she is on the leaderboard.

“I was three shots back from the leader yesterday, and I’m one shot back at the moment, so I’m getting much closer to the leader. I played pretty well out there. I made five birdies and two bogeys. I was overall really happy, and I was 8 under coming into the final round last year, so one shot better, which leaves me in a good place.” – Lydia Ko

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and video on my blog: History Repeats Herself: Lydia Ko Successfully Defends 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open

Lydia Ko


When Lydia Ko was 14 years old, she became the youngest winner of a professional golf tournament at the 2012 Bing Lee/Samsung Women’s New South Wales Open. Maybe some might have dismissed that victory as an historic achievement on a small tour. Later in 2012 Ko, having turned 15, would become the youngest winner of an LPGA event when she captured the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open. At 15 years and 4 months old, she grabbed the attention of the golfing world. This was a player of truly historic relevance. However, I’ve been in enough golf forums to know there are always a few that think, ok you won an LPGA event…but maybe it was a fluke. Those naysayers believe you need a second win to validate the first, especially in Lydia’s case. Well, check that box off of the now 16-year old South Korean-born Kiwi’s resumé. Lydia sprinted away from the field on Sunday to win the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open, successfully defending her title. Along the way, she becomes the youngest winner of 2 LPGA tour events and the youngest to successfully defend a title.



Lydia finishes with a birdie on 18


Lydia trailed Caroline Hedwall by 1 shot after the third round. Ko would make sure she left nothing out on the course, firing a final round 6-under 64 (par is 70). Next best on the day was 3-under by second place finisher Karine Icher. Third round contenders Hedwall and Suzann Pettersen stumbled with 1-over and 2-over rounds respectively. Lydia’s 15-under overall was 5 shots ahead of Icher. By the time she bent in her final birdie on 18, it was a coronation, not a competition.

Back to back champion


The constant question has been, is and will continue to be when will Lydia and/or the people handling her decide to turn pro. For the second straight year, her amateur status means the $300,000 winner’s purse will go to the second place finisher. Last year it was Inbee Park. This year it was Icher. Ko was quite clear in her press conference that she doesn’t care about the lost $300,000. Here’s my take. There’s nothing left for her to prove as an amateur. Yes, turning pro would mean golf becomes truly a job, and every shot would count. There is an extra pressure in that. However, I would suggest she turn pro. The con argument is that she has plenty of time to turn pro later. She doesn’t need the burden of being a professional. She should stay focused on going to college, as she has stated she would like to do. My position is that you never know about the future. Earlier this year Ariya Jutanugarn looked like she was on the verge of an LPGA victory until she had a freak accident while engaging in horseplay with her sister Moriya. It led to a shoulder injury. Ariya is rehabbing now but who knows how she will be when she returns. Maybe she’ll be just fine. That’s not really my point. Horseplay aside, all athletes can get injured. Over her career of playing professional events as an amateur, Lydia has left over a million dollars on the table. Heaven forbid she turns pro and gets injured…or simply burns out or has other interests. That’s a million dollars she won’t be able to get back. Maybe she’ll turn pro later, everything will be fine and she’ll have a long and prosperous career. But nobody can see the future. I say turn pro now. She can still stay in school and pick select events in which to compete. Turning pro doesn’t mean joining a tour, it just means making herself eligible for prizemoney.

[wiesyfan]

Congrats to Lydia!! Very impressive. It will be interesting if/when she turns pro. She can without needing to become a LPGA member, like Michelle, until she turns 18. She could just play on sponsor's exemption and the majors.