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Post by HappyFan on Oct 1, 2019 9:25:51 GMT
For the first time in history. Pretty amazing!
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 14:44:20 GMT
Nice to see some appreciation here for the golfers of Korea for a change. As a group they are quite good, one could argue.
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 14:51:50 GMT
Success of Korean women golfers seems to have become old hat. Outside of me and Happyfan nobody is really taking notice of the big picture anymore. Not even the "Korean Golf News" instagram account.
I just counted, Korea has now won exactly half of the 26 individual LPGA stroke events in 2019. I don't know if any of these ladies can swing a softball bat or throw a rugby ball or whatever but that is some pretty good golfing IMO.
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Post by philknj on Oct 1, 2019 15:27:11 GMT
I'm surprised it took this long for three Koreans to be 1-2-3 in the Rolex Rankings.
Japan is quite close to having two players in the top-10...a high finish by Shibuno at the JWO should get her there. My research shows that they had two players in the top-10 during the first half of 2006 (Ai Miyazato & Yuri Fudoh) and two in the second half (Ai & Shiho Oyama). I don't think all three have been in the top-10 at the same time. Sakura Yokomine's highest year-end ranking was #13. I can't think of any other obvious time where Japan had two in the top-10, but I can't be sure as the Rolex Rankings website is one of the most user-unfriendly platforms I have ever navigated.
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Post by HappyFan on Oct 1, 2019 15:34:19 GMT
Interesting that Randall Mell chose to write about the Americans and Europeans this week. My question in response to this article would be: why do we care how many Europeans win? OK, I can see why he worries about the Americans, most of our events are here, but there are fewer events in Europe than Asia on this tour. And it's "for the sake of the game", says his title. Uh... really? Good golly, that's an unfortunate choice of title. It's kind of a squirmy article in general, but tell me what you think. Also, he conveniently ignores Australia and Canada, which have won five times this year. For the Sake of the Game, Americans and Euros must win more(I think this article is a sad example of what happens when you see the world through a Solheim lens. We live in a post-Solheim world, but no one has told Mell yet).
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Post by HappyFan on Oct 1, 2019 15:38:15 GMT
I'm surprised it took this long for three Koreans to be 1-2-3 in the Rolex Rankings. Japan is quite close to having two players in the top-10...a high finish by Shibuno at the JWO should get her there. My research shows that they had two players in the top during the first of 2006 (Ai Miyazato & Yuri Fudoh) and two in the second half (Ai & Shiho Oyama). I don't think all three have been in the top-10 at the same time. Sakura Yokomine's highest year-end ranking was #13. I can't think of any other obvious time where Japan had two in the top-10, but I can't be sure as the Rolex Rankings website is one of the most user-unfriendly platforms I have ever navigated.
For most of the past decade, there's always been at least one non-Korean superstar, be it Jutanugarn, Miyazato, Tseng, or an American, to prevent the 1-2-3 situation from happening. All those ladies seem to be swooning a bit lately, so the time came at last I guess.
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 15:52:47 GMT
(I think this article is a sad example of what happens when you see the world through a Solheim lens. We live in a post-Solheim world, but no one has told Mell yet). Speak for yourself. Elsewhere on this site I noticed a couple people authentically arguing over the merits of an Amy Olson vs a Morgan Pressel captain's pick, and if I recall correctly, this argument sprang up a week or more AFTER the solheim cup. facepalm.gif
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 16:00:39 GMT
I'm surprised it took this long for three Koreans to be 1-2-3 in the Rolex Rankings.
Japan is quite close to having two players in the top-10...a high finish by Shibuno at the JWO should get her there. My research shows that they had two players in the top during the first of 2006 (Ai Miyazato & Yuri Fudoh) and two in the second half (Ai & Shiho Oyama). I don't think all three have been in the top-10 at the same time. Sakura Yokomine's highest year-end ranking was #13. I can't think of any other obvious time where Japan had two in the top-10, but I can't be sure as the Rolex Rankings website is one of the most user-unfriendly platforms I have ever navigated.
I'm in a shit mood this week so I'm just gonna come out and say it. If I get shunned I get shunned. I think the world ranking points awarded to JLPGA events is not in proportion to the JLPGA's level of competition. In particular I am thinking about the number of players to crossover from JLPGA to LPGA success, vis a vis the number of KLPGA-to-LPGA successes. Not just the number but the magnitude. KLPGA players come over here and win US Opens, multiple tournaments, year-end awards, etc. JLPGA players are vulturing points in my opinion. Not blaming them obviously. The system ain't right IMO.
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Post by philknj on Oct 1, 2019 16:30:05 GMT
And it's "for the sake of the game", says his title. Uh... really? Good golly, that's an unfortunate choice of title. It's kind of a squirmy article in general, but tell me what you think. Also, he conveniently ignores Australia and Canada, which have won five times this year.
The LPGA just finished a $2 million tournament that died after three years ... and now they're in Texas with a weak field for a piddling $1.3 million ... and then the tour "disappears" (in 'Ol Randall's mind) for about six weeks (will he attend any of these events?) ... I don't know, maybe he thinks there's no one worth reporting on in women's golf right now (in contrast, BA Nicholls just did an article on the Symetra tour's only mom, Rachel Rohanna).
Good point about Australia & Canada ... yes, the total "Anglosphere" is holding up its end of the bargain. The ECP is crazy popular over here and maybe Greeny will be one day, too.
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Post by don on Oct 1, 2019 16:50:46 GMT
(I think this article is a sad example of what happens when you see the world through a Solheim lens. We live in a post-Solheim world, but no one has told Mell yet). Speak for yourself. Elsewhere on this site I noticed a couple people authentically arguing over the merits of an Amy Olson vs a Morgan Pressel captain's pick, and if I recall correctly, this argument sprang up a week or more AFTER the solheim cup. facepalm.gif Well Olympic Curling was 2 years ago. Plus they lost iirc.
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 16:57:51 GMT
Speak for yourself. Elsewhere on this site I noticed a couple people authentically arguing over the merits of an Amy Olson vs a Morgan Pressel captain's pick, and if I recall correctly, this argument sprang up a week or more AFTER the solheim cup. facepalm.gif Well Olympic Curling was 2 years ago. Plus they lost iirc. Touche. It is long since time to move on from Pyeongchang. I'll work on it.
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Post by don on Oct 1, 2019 17:04:25 GMT
Well Olympic Curling was 2 years ago. Plus they lost iirc. Touche. It is long since time to move on from Pyeongchang. I'll work on it. Funny. I'm just joking of course. There does need to be more women's match play. There is so little drama in a typical 72 hole stroke play event. They should divide themselves into teams for one event. Of like 8-12 or something. Anything but more 72 hole stroke play.
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 17:05:30 GMT
I just read the Randall Rant or whatever. As a hardcore Seoulsisters fan I saw not much to object to. I did like the flirting with irony and nearly coming out and saying that "Americans are killing the tour". In this case I really feel he is just doing his job and filling up inches. There is no heat whatsoever to Mell's rant because he knows What's Going On: the Anglosphere (I like that word, Philk) audience for women's golf is disappearing.
I was a bit surprised when the GIC didn't even bother to MENTION the Se Ri legends match despite Lexi's involvement. Not even so much as a tiny blurb on golfchannel.com. To me that spoke volumes about the present relationship between Americans/Anglos and their professional women golfers.
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 1, 2019 17:08:23 GMT
"American and European women would love to have their hats, shirts and bags as decorated with corporate logos as Asian players do."
Ouch! This sounds like a case for... big government! Don't give me that look. You know that if there was a comments section to the Randall Mell piece, it would be full of "Something needs to be done" type talk.
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Post by philknj on Oct 1, 2019 17:23:33 GMT
I think the world ranking points awarded to JLPGA events is not in proportion to the JLPGA's level of competition.
Even without knowledge of the points available per tour, I really don't see that. Here are the JLPGA top players in the top-50 (I'm ignoring NASA and Shibuno because they have JLPGA & LPGA tour wins this year):
22 - JY Shin 27 - Ai Suzuki 33 - SW Bae 37 - SJ Ahn 43 - MY Lee
Is 10% outlandish? I don't think so. Only four KLPGA regulars (8%) are in the top-50. One can make a case that the KLPGA is a tougher tour than JLPGA ... but how did the KLPGers get beat by old JLPGAer Mi Jeong Jeon at the start of the year? The KLPGA has trouble maintaining the same talent pool because everyone keeps defecting to the bigger money tours.
Shibuno's high rating is still mostly due to winning the AIG WBO ... some may think that was a fluke, but she plays a helluva lot better than Hilary Lunke.
*****
When the Rolex Rankings started in 2006, they were definitely more skewed to the JLPGA back then ... but the formula has not remained static. I dug up my Official Souvenir Program from the 2006 Match Play. The worlds top-30 as of June 27 were eligible to play, which would have included Yuri Fudoh, Shiho Oyama, Ji Hee Lee, Sakura Yokomine, Akiko Fukushima and Hyun Ju Shin ... yes, 20% in the top-30 (only Fudoh came over to play it).
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