LPGA elite missing from Corning Classic
IN: News | LPGA | LPGA Corning Classic (2007) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 23 May 2007
The LPGA Tour heads west to the glass capital of America, Corning, New York, for this week’s LPGA Corning Classic where a field missing the absolute elite of the game will face the starter on Thursday morning.
Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorentsam and Karrie Webb will not be in the field although the good news from the LPGA Tour’s viewpoint is that Sorenstam has announced this week she will return to tournament golf at next week’s Ginn Tribute in South Carolina.
In the meantime and in their absence, Paula Creamer takes star billing in her first visit to the event but there are plenty of high class players who will test her. Creamer is in very good form and is expected to do well despite her lack of experience over this layout.
The LPGA Corning Classic is played over the Corning Country Club where it has been played since it was first played and won in 1979 by Penny Pulz. The course measures just 6150 yards and a winning score between 12 and 20 under par can be expected subject to weather conditions.
Hee Won Han would have been the defending champion but she is pregnant and has played very little this season. The golfer with the best recent form at this event therefore is another Korean in Meena Lee who has been runner up on both occasions she has played the event but in 2007 she has struggled on the golf course and others might offer better prospects of success.
Ai Miyazato arrived on the LPGA Tour in 2006 with the greatest accolades but to a large extent she has yet to live up to her reputation. She has however begun to contend on a more regular basis in recent weeks. This is her first time to Corning and there is no previous form to go on but she is on the verge of a very good week.
Mi Hyun Kim is having a good season and finished 13th last year in this event in her only appearance.
Natalie Gulbis is a much better player than he recent results suggest she is and has some reasonable results at this venue. This might be a good week to get things back on track.
The Australians in the field are Rachel Hetherington, Lindsey Wright, Wendy Doolan, Katherine Hull and Michelle Ellis.
The tournament is worth US$1.3 million.
