2018 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open

Jane Crafter said Marina Alex was from New York.     NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Nice start to her LPGA career for Hannah Green...while the fields of the first two events were not the best, she still delivered the groceries.  She can really gun her driver through the hitting zone...hit a couple way past The New Ko.  Her swing reminds me some of Maria Jo Uribe, who I thought would have played better on the LPGA by now.

Nice ace and a nice week for Stephanie Na, who I can't recall doing too much in the Major Leagues before...and she's in nice shape, too.


The Hulk tells us about her bag:


Yuri Yoshida (E, T-34) was low amateur.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfWAR1PjKU1

Congratulations to Jin Young Ko for her first win as an LPGA member.
It was an impressive round of golf.
With other golfers closing in, on her lead.
Especially the birdie on seventeen, to all but close the deal.

Great tournament by Hyejin for second place finish.
 Rookie Hannah Green had a great tournament as well.

So Yeon hasn't played her best the first two tournaments.
But tied for eleventh and top ten is not bad at all.
Both tournaments she fought to the end.

Jin Young KO-ala does it down under!!!!

Great job by Jin Young Ko to claim a win in her first try as a tour member. Nothing like doing something historic in your very first week!!!



I've always thought it odd that Jin Young seemed to be so slow in coming to this tour. After her near miss at the British in 2015, I thought for sure she'd be at Q-School at the end of the year. Instead, she returned to Korea, got Dean Herden on her bag, and won the KLPGA Player of the Year (yes, she beat Sung Hyun Park and her 7 wins for the POY that year!). OK, so at that point, with Herden and all, she HAD to be coming over, right? Nope, she still stayed in Korea in 2017. Finally the Hana Bank win forced the issue. This week showed she belongs here.



Hyejin Choi made another epic run at the title. Not quite enough to get past the indomitable Ko, but great stuff nonetheless. She is so totally going to win on the LPGA this year.

So Yeon had a decent week, and Jiyai and Minjee did OK as well. Nice to see Tiffany Joh and Sun Young Yoo with good finishes for a change. Especially Yoo really needed it.

PS - I watched it online. My favorite bit of the awards ceremony was when Jin Young thanks all her many, many sponsors... then, after listing all of them, thanked her mom and dad. Hey, at least they made the list!

Below: two straight weeks, two wins for Dean:

So did you fanboy Bubba the Tool or FIGJAM?

I say the rat face weasel is on SYR's bag in Thailand.

So who was that really cute Korean with the Under Armour hat on the 18th green with REAL Ko......REAL Ko better hide her from Jenn Song...just sayin.

A couple of interesting notes.

Back in 2012, another Korean rookie had a chance to win this event in her very first LPGA start. How close did So Yeon Ryu get? Very close. Coming into the final hole, she was playing in the final group, tied for the lead with Hee Kyung Seo, who was also in her group. After Seo missed her par save, Ryu had a four footer for par to grab the win. But she missed (argh!), and the tournament was settled in a six player playoff, with neither Seo nor Ryu claiming the trophy.

Last year, Jin Young Ko got off to a fairly slow start. While Ji Hyun Kim and Jeong Eun Lee 6 grabbed multiple KLPGA wins, Ko was still trying to get her first. She eventually didn't win until the summer. This year, she got off to the fastest start possible. Funny what a difference a year can make!