LPGA in Korea for Hana Bank Open
BY Bruce Young | Ladies Korean PGA Tour | 2008 KOLON-Hana Bank Championship | Preview | 29 Oct 2008
The LPGA Tour combines with the Korean LPGA Tour this week for the Hana Bank Kolon Championship which starts on Friday at the Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean course in Incheon in South Korea.
The field is limited to 69 players, 12 of whom are from the KLPGA, and seven of whom are invites.
In the absence of Lorena Ochoa, the newly crowned world number two Yani Tseng and Annika Sorenstam, it will be Sweden’s Suzann Pettersen, who leads the field into this event.
Pettersen did well to finish 8th last week in China and the defending champion this week is the logical favourite although the strength of Korean women’s domestic golf will put her and the rest of the field to the test.
As has been the case in earlier years, the event provides the opportunity for Korean players to leapfrog their way directly onto the LPGA Tour without having to go through qualifying. Shi Hyun Ahn, Jee Young Lee and Jin Joo Hong are three who have taken full advantage of the co-sanctioning arrangement of this event.
Paula Creamer gets the opportunity to continue her great season as she looks for her fifth win of the year. The second placed golfer on the ADT money list is in great form and despite just an average week at the recent Longs Drugs Challenge, she should be a factor.
Recent Kapalua winner Morgan Pressel is also in the field.
Korea’s golfing darling and trailblazer, Se Ri Pak, will attract a lot of attention given the respect she commands in her home country. Pak won this event earlier in her career and while not at her peak she could still do well.
Australia is represented by three players including Katherine Hull, Lindsey Wright and Anna Rawson who has surprisingly earned an invite into the event.
The tournament carries prizemoney of US$1.6 million.
