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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 11:21:19 GMT
Just pulled into the public parking, flashed my LPGA Guest badge and didn't have to pay the 20 bucks, woo-hoo!🥳 Yuri and Ronni at 9:15 am looks like a good warm-up act before the Main Event at 1:05 pm.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 13:05:09 GMT
Heading back to the barn after following Steph K. and LWW for 4 holes. LWW has a low, roundhouse takeaway with the driver and hits a high draw that falls out of the sky ... SK with a more vanilla takeaway hits a mid-height penetrating ball ... has 20-yard advantage. SK knocked it on at #2 from about 217, LWW laid up ... both made birdies. Look for a show at the 4th green ... flag on far left, SK landed wedge on backboard beyond and it spun back to 7 feet, made putt for birdie ... LWW hit it to 3 feet and made birdie. SK has tour loop with KB Star cap ... LWWW hired a local who has assisted with green reading.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 13:24:24 GMT
The American Gangsta Yin and Henseleit were close to being out of position ... after three holes!!! The rules lady in a cart was whispering into her walkie-talkie behind the green ... Yin is not too quick on her feet these days.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 13:52:51 GMT
About a dozen people, plus a photographer, following Yuri and Ronni ... I'm the odd man out, if you know what I mean.🤣
Yuri rattled the stick with a chip for a near eagle at #2 ... settled for birdie ... Ronni hit back of green (about 200 to the middle) and 3-putted for par. Ronni's loop is Irish and gives a lot of advice ... Yuri hasn't said much to her loop ... don't know how much English she knows.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 15:08:36 GMT
A proficient display ... both are -2 thru 7 holes. Yuri stuck it to about 2.5 feet at #5 for birdie. Looks like #8 was moved up to under 170 ... Ronni's iron had more loft than Yuri's ... birdie for Ronni to go -3. Just passed Manbun at #9 who is probably scouting the course.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 15:28:06 GMT
No. 9 is one of the drive-measuring holes. The guy with the clipboard says the ball isn't going anywhere this year. The longest they've had since Thursday was 283 ... last year, he counted more than 20 that went 300+ (I saw two by De Roey and Dr. Noh). The fairways are soft from the rain, it's chilly and a slight breeze is into your face at #9. Ronni hit into the left rough at only 250 ... Yuri at 232 in the fairway. If that Ronni # is accurate, no one is reaching that green in two. I would say she is 10 yards longer than Yuri with the driver ... but from a tiny sample size as Ronni is teeing off with lofted metals at the short par-fours. OK, it's time to use my meal pass.🤸♀️
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 16:46:25 GMT
The late starters and early finishers are going in and out of the dining room. Excluding MHL, who I thanked for her generosity, the coolest table has been Yan Liu and Mary Liu ... although Beth and Meg are on the opposite side of the room now and Stanford just joined them. Minami Katsu bombed out yesterday, but she was in here piling up a plate ... makes sense, why not hang around, you're only going to Jersey City next week. Launch time in 20 minutes, gotta go.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 17:47:54 GMT
The par-5 2nd is a pushover today ... the tee blocks are moved up 33 paces from the 490 marker. The flag is in the front-center. MHL had 202 to green-center, but knocked it into the back fringe ... chipped on and two-putted for par. The Old Ko drove it into whispy stuff in the right woods, pitched it out and made birdie. A video guy with tripod and a sound man are following this pair.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 19:19:41 GMT
It's getting ugly now ... Ko and MHL's tee balls got knocked down by the wind at the par-3 8th, leading to bogeys. At #9, with the wind at their backs, the botched their drives and second shots. Btw, Ko teed up her driver ball really low ... can't see why with wind behind her ... has she always done this?
Spectators are now blocked off from walking to the 10th tee ... will have to find the back door to this hole.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 19:59:06 GMT
MHL trying to drop her ball somewhere after hitting a pull bullet into a collection of portojohns above and left of 12th green .... aigoo.
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Post by philknj on May 11, 2024 21:29:44 GMT
In golf, Saturday is "Moving Day" ... sometimes in the wrong direction ... MHL and Ko might be paired again tomorrow. Btw, what golf course is Sags and The Zhangster playing? Really good players like Minjee, NASA and Greeny walked past me at -3 or -4 and have no prayer. It reminds me of that time when Ochoa and Sarah Lee buried everyone at UMCC around 2007 or 2008.
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