Post by verdantgarden on Aug 31, 2018 2:48:35 GMT
Wascana was probably the least impressive course I have seen in my 15 years of spectating at LPGA tournaments. Since it's in prairie country, it's the flattest course I've been on. Most of the northern portion of the course was bordered by marsh and ponds so it was treat to look at the variety of waterfowl.
But the marshes were probably the reason they played clean-and-replace all four rounds. Like most of the western part of the continent, Saskatchewan has had little rain. So to keep the course green, they turned on the sprinkler system overnight. That left quite a lot of puddles and mud to watch your step for as the water did not drain well at all.
By contrast, the crowds were the most impressive in my 15 years. They were the largest by far for the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. Canada is crazy about golf. When I visited my nephew and his wife at their home about two hours drive East/Northeast of Regina, they pointed out to me a golf course nearby located in the Qu'appelle Valley. I'm talking in the middle of nowhere.
Of course, they were even crazier for Brooke Henderson. They feted her every where she went. It was impossible to get near the 18th green at the finish with the crowds and the green being surrounded by tents that required an extra $20 at the least to enter.
Didn't Brooke work some magic? She managed to meet a country's expectations. You know how hard that is?
The weather started out hot - above normal averages - and breezy for the first two rounds. Thursday was somewhat smoky from the fires in B.C. while Friday was horribly smoky making it seem like it overcast. The evening, the temperatures dropped 20 degrees Celsius real quick. Before I left home, I checked the forecast and at the time they were predicting hot and clear the whole week so I brought only short-sleeved shirts and no umbrella. Fortunately, at the last moment I brought my windbreaker. I needed it Saturday Morning as it was a cold wind blowing through. But it improved quite nicely as the day wore on and it turned out to be the nicest weather of my stay that evening. I bought an umbrella there to handle the light rain that fell throughout the afternoon on Sunday.
My plan for who to follow during the tournament wasn't much of a plan. To avoid roaming charges, I stayed off the internet the whole time I was there so I wasn't aware of who was paired with whom until I arrived on the course. On Thursday, I saw Yealimi Noh and was impressed. She is young but talented. I mostly followed the group of Ariya, Jessica and In Gee. Korda is a social butterfly constantly chattering. In Gee is the total opposite - completely silent. I saw an interview of hers before the Cambia and she is struggling with the English language still. Ariya's putting was suspect throughout the tournament and that cost her.
Friday I mainly followed the group that ended 34 under par after the end of the day: Amy Yang, Angel Yin and Austin Ernst. Amy played wonderfully to end up with the 2nd round lead. But I'm so cynical about her capability to maintain the lead and I was proved right the next day. Angel is improving and I see her being a force in the coming years. Austin is up and coming, too. I expect her to do well in Portland and I see she did fine today with a -3. I was near the scoring tent and Amy's caddie asked Angel's caddie will they see each other tomorrow.
"it's karma. Yin and Yang."
Saturday, I watched various groupings. I saw Lydia Ko start out hitting way right on her first hole and then way left on her second. So I was quite surprised to see her recover nicely and finish the round at -10. I think it was today or Friday I saw Suwannapura hole out on 18 for eagle. I decided to follow No.1-ranked Sung Hyun Park for a while. She was paired with Ariya and rookie Maria Torres who had the tournament of her life.
Sunday was pretty much the same strategy as Saturday. Catch Su Oh for a few holes, check out Minjee Lee and then Jin Young Ko etc and they tried to contend for the lead. But Ms. Henderson put the hammer down on her back nine to the delight of the home crowd.
But the marshes were probably the reason they played clean-and-replace all four rounds. Like most of the western part of the continent, Saskatchewan has had little rain. So to keep the course green, they turned on the sprinkler system overnight. That left quite a lot of puddles and mud to watch your step for as the water did not drain well at all.
By contrast, the crowds were the most impressive in my 15 years. They were the largest by far for the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. Canada is crazy about golf. When I visited my nephew and his wife at their home about two hours drive East/Northeast of Regina, they pointed out to me a golf course nearby located in the Qu'appelle Valley. I'm talking in the middle of nowhere.
Of course, they were even crazier for Brooke Henderson. They feted her every where she went. It was impossible to get near the 18th green at the finish with the crowds and the green being surrounded by tents that required an extra $20 at the least to enter.
Didn't Brooke work some magic? She managed to meet a country's expectations. You know how hard that is?
The weather started out hot - above normal averages - and breezy for the first two rounds. Thursday was somewhat smoky from the fires in B.C. while Friday was horribly smoky making it seem like it overcast. The evening, the temperatures dropped 20 degrees Celsius real quick. Before I left home, I checked the forecast and at the time they were predicting hot and clear the whole week so I brought only short-sleeved shirts and no umbrella. Fortunately, at the last moment I brought my windbreaker. I needed it Saturday Morning as it was a cold wind blowing through. But it improved quite nicely as the day wore on and it turned out to be the nicest weather of my stay that evening. I bought an umbrella there to handle the light rain that fell throughout the afternoon on Sunday.
My plan for who to follow during the tournament wasn't much of a plan. To avoid roaming charges, I stayed off the internet the whole time I was there so I wasn't aware of who was paired with whom until I arrived on the course. On Thursday, I saw Yealimi Noh and was impressed. She is young but talented. I mostly followed the group of Ariya, Jessica and In Gee. Korda is a social butterfly constantly chattering. In Gee is the total opposite - completely silent. I saw an interview of hers before the Cambia and she is struggling with the English language still. Ariya's putting was suspect throughout the tournament and that cost her.
Friday I mainly followed the group that ended 34 under par after the end of the day: Amy Yang, Angel Yin and Austin Ernst. Amy played wonderfully to end up with the 2nd round lead. But I'm so cynical about her capability to maintain the lead and I was proved right the next day. Angel is improving and I see her being a force in the coming years. Austin is up and coming, too. I expect her to do well in Portland and I see she did fine today with a -3. I was near the scoring tent and Amy's caddie asked Angel's caddie will they see each other tomorrow.
"it's karma. Yin and Yang."
Saturday, I watched various groupings. I saw Lydia Ko start out hitting way right on her first hole and then way left on her second. So I was quite surprised to see her recover nicely and finish the round at -10. I think it was today or Friday I saw Suwannapura hole out on 18 for eagle. I decided to follow No.1-ranked Sung Hyun Park for a while. She was paired with Ariya and rookie Maria Torres who had the tournament of her life.
Sunday was pretty much the same strategy as Saturday. Catch Su Oh for a few holes, check out Minjee Lee and then Jin Young Ko etc and they tried to contend for the lead. But Ms. Henderson put the hammer down on her back nine to the delight of the home crowd.