Sorenstam returns to LPGA at State Farm
IN: News | LPGA | State Farm Classic (2006) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 31 Aug 2006
The State Farm Classic at the Rail Golf Club in Springfield Illinois is this week's event on the LPGA Tour and the event promises an intriguing event with several tournaments within a tournament.
Annika Sorenstam is back playing in the US for the first time since her 8th place finish at the Jamie Farr Owens Classic in mid-July and with both Lorena Ochoa and Karrie Webb now ahead of her on the money list she will be keen to recommence the race to number one on the ADT money list.
This is one of the few events on the LPGA Tour schedule that Sorenstam has not won previously, yet another issue she will be keen to put right this week.
Interestingly Sorenstam won her last start in tournament golf when she defeated Ochoa in Sweden at the Scandinavian TPC but has not played since that event which was held three weeks ago.
As would be expected from the leading money winner, Ochoa has been in scintillating form of late, her win in last week's Wendy's Championship her third of the season and her fourth consecutive top five in addition to her runner up in Stockholm. She surprisingly missed the cut last year in this event but was fifth in 2004.
Cristie Kerr won this event in 2004 producing an amazing 24 under when doing so and finished runner up to the defending champion Pat Hurst last year. Two weeks ago Kerr won the Canadian Open and so is in the right form to continue her impressive record at this course.
Pat Hurst is the defending champion and has been third and runner up in her last two events. Given her three shot win over Christie Kerr at a time when she was not in as perhaps the same good form as she is at present then she is well placed to do well again.
The tournament brings to an end the State Farm Series of events with the winner to secure a US$ 250,000 bonus. Ochoa has an all but unassailable lead in the series having won three of the events although this event carries triple points so the opportunity does exist for Cristie Kerr to gazump the in form Ochoa.
Karrie Webb and Rachel Hetherington are not in this week's field but Australia is well represented by Lindsey Wright, Wendy Doolan, the improving Michelle Ellis, Nadina Light, Shani Waugh, Katherine Hull and Sarah Jane Kenyon, who is playing here on invite.
The tournament carries US$1.3 million in prizemoney in addition to the State Farm bonus.
Photo - WireImage
