Wegmans important in US Open leadup
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2009 Wegmans LPGA | Preview | 25 Jun 2009
The stop start nature of the 2009 LPGA Tour continues this week when it returns from yet another break for the Wegmans LPGA at the Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, near Rochester, New York.
The Locust Hill Country Club has played host to this event in every year since 1977 and now with just two weeks until the US Women’s Open at Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, many of the LPGA stars are in the field as they seek tournament play in preparation for the third major of the year.
The golf course was originally built in 1928 when designed by Seymour Dunn but later redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr.
One player who will not be playing is the two time winner Lorena Ochoa who will reserve her final US Women’s Open workout for next week at the Jamie Farr event in Ohio. Ochoa has undergone a few changes of late including hiring a new caddie. As from next week Ochoa will have Greg Johnston on the bag after Johnston had filled in for her long time caddie David Brooker at the McDonald’s LPGA.
Eun-Hee Ji defends the title she won when defeating Suzann Pettersen by two shots last year, turning around a three shot deficit heading into the final round to win her first LPGA Tour event in her first season. If anything Ji is playing better this season than she was leading into the event last year and so deserves respect as a potential winner.
“I feel like this community has embraced me since I won the tournament last year and even when I was completing and playing the final round last year, all of the volunteers and fans cheered for me, said Ji earlier this week. “So I have nothing but good memories about this community of Rochester, and I look forward to defending my championship this year.”
In Kyung Kim finished runner up in her first attempt in this tournament in 2007 and with a victory and several other good finishes in 2009 her chances appear very good to go one better than when losing a playoff to Ochoa two years ago.
Cristie Kerr won earlier this season in addition to several other good finishes in 2009 and although not a winner at this venue she has recorded several good finishes in the event.
Karrie Webb is a two time winner of this event. Despite a win earlier in the season Webb has not played well in recent weeks and will be keen to get things headed in the right direction on a golf course she plays well in order to have her game ready for the Saucon Valley Country Club in two weeks time.
Ji Yai Shin and Yani Tseng are sure to be thereabouts and four years ago Paula Creamer finished runner up to Lorena Ochoa and in her last few tournaments this season gives every indication she could contend again.
Other Australians in the field are the in-form Lindsey Wright, Katherine Hull, Wendy Doolan, Michelle Ellis, Rachel Hetherington, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith and Anna Rawson.
