Can Ochoa win her first US Open?
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2009 US Women's Open | Preview | 07 Jul 2009
Women’s golf’s third major of the year takes place this week in Bethlehem in Pennsylvania around 120 kilometres west of New York City. The US Women’s Open will be played at the Saucon Valley Golf Club’s Old Course, halfway between and a little south of the cities of Allentown and Bethlehem.
The tournament offers the richest full field purse in women’s golf with US$3.25 million on offer and the winner to receive US$585,000.
The venue is being used for the first occasion for this championship although it has played host to several USGA events including a US Amateur Championship and two US Senior Opens. Originally designed by Herbert Strong, the course has undergone upgrades over the years but in 2005 Tom Fazio’s organisation was engaged to upgrade the layout. Most of the work was performed by Tom Marzolf and the new look facility was introduced in 2008.
The course will measure 6740 yards making it one of the longest in the history of Women’s tournament golf. Last year’s championship venue at Interlachen Country Club was the longest, although only 50 yards longer.
The tournament favourite and world number one Lorena Ochoa has yet to win a US Women’s Open, perhaps her comparative lack of accuracy from the tee costing her on layouts where the typical USGA setups demand such. Ochoa has not been at her sharpest in recent starts although she did finish last week’s event in Toledo off well and is expected to do well this week.
Ji Yai Shin leads the money list in 2009 in what has been a stunning rookie season. Shin is not a long hitter but her amazing accuracy from the tee and great short game will be worth their weight in gold this week.
Suzann Pettersen has not won in season 2009 but she has played beautifully nonetheless. She has a poor record at this event but her class and current form will go a long way to adding a possible second major championship.
Yani Tseng is the longest hitter – statistically at least – on the LPGA in 2009, but her concern this week will be to improve her relative inaccuracy from the tee. She is a solid putter but the way this golf course will be set up might work against her is she can’t find the fairways.
Cristie Kerr won this event in 2007 and with eight top tens this season – including a win – she has her game in the right place to win again.
Paula Creamer’s hand injury appears to be too much of a concern for her to be considered a serious threat this week. She has withdrawn from each of the past two events due to the injury and clearly it is an issue.
Angela Stanford is perhaps the next best of the American chances after Creamer although her record in this event is poor. Stanford is having a great season however being in contention in nearly every event she has played to date in 2009.
Karrie Webb is a proven big event player with seven major championships to her name but, although she did win earlier in the season, her game in recent weeks is not at its peak. Since her last win in this event in 2001, Webb has finished no better than 16th at the US Women’s Open and it is therefore difficult to imagine a victory for her.
Of the Australians therefore the rapidly improving Lindsey Wright could do best. Wright has yet to win on the LPGA Tour but a runner up finish at the McDonald’s LPGA and a 4th place at the Kraft Nabisco indicate a game and a mindset capable of contending this week. Wright is not long from the tee and that may put pressure on her game but she is driving it so well in 2009, her short game is in such good shape and her mental toughness so good that she could have a very big week.
Katherine Hull’s season has been a little disappointing in the last few months after what had been a good start. She will need to find some improvement if she is to contend.
The one other Australian in the field is Rachel Hetherington although Amy Yang and Haeji Kang, who made Australia their home for several years, also get their chance.
