LPGA head south to Singapore
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2010 HSBC Women's Champions | Preview | 24 Feb 2010
With their opening event of the 2010 season now behind them, the LPGA Tour continues its road show in South East Asia this week when the HSBC Champions event is played over the Garden Course at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
This will be the third staging of the event. In 2008 Lorena Ochoa led from her opening round of 66 and defeated Annika Sorenstam by three and in 2009 Ji Yai Shin overcame a six shot third round deficit with a final round of 66 to defeat the Australian by two.
With last week’s Honda event in Thailand to shake the rust off after a three month break for most, this week will see 63 of the world’s best playing for a total purse of US$1.3 million.
Only Paula Creamer amongst the world top ten is missing from the field in the rather loosely named HSBC Champions. Creamer is back in the US addressing an issue with her thumb.
Not all in this field have won events but if the over 50 brigade in the US can call their tour a champions tour then I suppose this event can get away with being called a Champions event.
Lorena Ochoa was not at her best last week but look for a marked improvement in Singapore. Recently married, perhaps Ochoa is taking a little time to adjust to what must be a foreign lifestyle for one who has been so singularly focused in her career to date.
Last week’s champion, Ai Miyazato, has gone from strength to strength since her victory at the Evian Masters last July, her final round of 63 to catch and pass Suzann Pettersen clear evidence of that.
Pettersen will be keen to gain revenge for the tournament she lost last week. The Norwegian led nearly all the way except for where it counted and can be expected to bounce back.
Yani Tseng, Karrie Webb and Cristie Kerr were others to have played well last week and with good form at Tanah Merah previously they could show up.
Lindsey Wright and Katherine Hull are the only other Australians to make this field.
