OT: scoreboard link for the LPGA first major of the year

[Blakeon18]

http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard

The LPGA is starting the first major of the year in California today...the olde Dinah Shore
tournament. It is often called the women's version of the Masters...first major of the year...same course every year.

IMO: state of the tour [which I love to follow]

The Good: Deepest tour ever....more with a legit chance to win each week in history....thanks primarily
to the Asian Invasion...started by Seri Pak when she won The Open in 1998. Hordes from the Far East followed her...hopefully hordes of Texas elite players will follow Bon Bon!

The Not So Good: many of the Asian players have difficulty with the language [understandable]....tends to be less sizzle when so many wins are by players who don't speak English. Outlier: 18 year old Lydia Ko...South Korean who was raised in New Zealand and speaks the King's English better than the King himself.
#1 in the world with 10 wins including one major...capable of drawing fans and ratings bigtime.

Best scenario: Ko wins a major....top American Lexi Thompson [20] wins a major...The Big Wiesy wins a major...and a real rivalry fires up. Michelle has been around forever it seems....still just 26...still the best swing on the tour....and still the weirdest putting stance ever...90 degree bend at the waist...can't be good for longterm back health.

Hope for a great year starting at Mission Hills later this morning.

 

[boontonbomber]

I am also a great fan of the LPGA, and especially the Korean players. At the moment 8 of the top 15 players in the world rankings are Korean, not counting the wunderkind Lydia. The Korean players are dominating for the same reason that UConn women are; they work harder than everybody else. Not long ago, Christie Kerr said she wondered what was up with the Korean players; everytime she looked they were practicing. They must work especially hard on their short games, and on the greens. Seems to me that the Koreans are the best putters on that tour, and that's where tournaments, whether men's or women's , are won. Americans like Lexi and Wie, are among the worst putters. I think Stacie Lewis is the best American player, and I love watching the intensity that she plays with. But she just misses too many 5-6 footers that need to be made to win, especially on Sunday. Ko and Inbee Park don't miss those.
Don't agree that Wie has the best swing, especially since Leadbetter has worked with her. She's still pretty good tee to green, but with her putting I'd be surprised if she wins any tournament anytime soon.

 

[Orangutan]

Lexi Thompson shot -4 today after -3 yesterday. She leads at -7. Michelle Wie already 2-under through 3 today and up to -4. Saw a video from post-round yesterday. Michelle has started putting shorter putts crouched over like Nicklaus with her legs narrow. She's still going tabletop on the long putts. Seems to be working well enough - they showed highlights of her making a few long ones.

She was also wearing animal-pattern high tops.

I'll be rooting for a good round from Lydia today. Would like to see her in contention on the weekend.