LET: 2016 ISPS HANDA New Zealand Women’s Open

Tix prices are kinda expensive for this minor league event.

I didn't know MHL won this in 2014.

Cho & Ko reunited:


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Article with video of Ko playing in pro-am:
www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/76789905/former-all-black-israel-dagg-enjoys-schooling-from-world-no-1-lydia-ko

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Here's a tip sheet from aspiring casino pit boss Laura Davies:

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11588236

Punters and NZ Golf gambling on Lydia Ko

By Michael Donaldson at Clearwater Resort
5:47 PM Thursday Feb 11, 2016

Not even when Tiger Woods was at his absolute peak in the early years of the 20th century has golf seen such a prohibitive favourite as Lydia Ko ahead of Friday's New Zealand Women's Open at Clearwater Resort in Christchurch.

Ko is paying $1.57 on the New Zealand TAB and according to England's Laura Davies, perhaps the most experienced observer of women's golf, those odds are unparalleled.

"In English prices she's 8/13 (invest $13 to return $21) which is unprecedented for a field of this size. It's extraordinary but having said that a lot of top punters I know will think this is a great bet - put 13 grand on to make eight grand [profit] - it's a great bet, I wish I had 13 grand," Davies said.

"Tiger is the only one who's started this short - I saw him once at 10/11 ($1.90) when he was at his absolute best but this is the shortest price ever [for a golf tournament].

"It's a shame in some ways as it makes it look like the rest of us can't play.

It's just that she's exceptional and the odds reflect that. If Lydia plays well she will win. She's the No 1 player in the world - I'm not sure who the second highest ranked player is but I'm sure she's not that high." And she's right: the second highest ranked player is Nicole Larsen of Denmark - at 73.

"But having said that Lydia still has to go and play the golf ... but the chances are Lydia is going to win."

New Zealand Golf might not be splurging $13,000 on Ko - there's a lot more than that already staked on the hope she can claim a third Open title in four years. If she successfully defends her title it will almost certainly ensure she returns next year ... and for many years to come.

Ko is a massive drawcard for fans and a magnetic force driving global media coverage the New Zealand Open would not otherwise receive given the relatively paltry prizemoney on offer.

It's a blessing for New Zealand Golf and one they shouldn't take for granted Davies suggested.

"It's a great credit to Lydia that she comes back to New Zealand. Obviously the money is not an issue for her but it's lovely that she still wants to come back here and play because there's a lot of girls who don't go back to Sweden or Spain when they are those countries' best players. Yet Lydia is in a position, as No 1 in the world, where she still wants to come back and play.

Davies said the wider world of golf wouldn't bat an eyelid if Ko failed to front for her national open. "No-one would criticise her but everyone should be praising her because she's such a lovely girl as well.

"Some of the other No 1s haven't been so receptive about embracing the No 1 status - I'm not saying they weren't nice people, I'm just saying they didn't want to go that extra mile. It seems Lydia is really happy to take everything on board and go with it - which is why I don't think I've heard anyone say a bad word about which is pretty extraordinary at a high level of sport.

"That says it all really."

That said Davies still backs herself to play a role over the 54-hole tournament which ends on Sunday.

"A chance? I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could win it but having said that I have to play as good as I can play and putt really well because I don't think Lydia is going to shoot any less than 15-under."

She said if someone else could shoot better than 15-under it would start to put pressure on Ko. "It's a massive ask but there are players here who can do it: Gwladys Nocera, Rebecca Artis is playing really well. You want to be the player who plays with her on Sunday and tries to put the pressure on her - I'm not saying anyone is playing for second."

Early finishers of Round One:

Pos PLAYER Hole Score
1 Nicole Broch Larsen F* -6
2 Justine Dreher F -5
3 Gwladys Nocera F* -4
4 Lydia Ko F* -3
4 Cathryn Bristow F* -3
6 Lauren Taylor F* -2
6 Tonje Daffinrud F -2
6 Nanna Koerstz Madsen F -2
6 Marianne Skarpnord F* -2
6 Liv Cheng F* -2



www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/76827341/lydia-ko-saves-best-for-last-in-mixed-start-to-title-defence-in-christchurch

Lydia Ko saves best for last in mixed start to title defence in Christchurch

PETER THORNTON
Last updated 13:53, February 12 2016

World No 1 Lydia Ko has finished her first round with a flourish, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on her final hole to stay in contention at the New Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch.

The 18-year-old signed for a three-under par 69 at the Clearwater Golf Club in front of a crowd of about 10,000 golf fans in the hot conditions. The large gallery around her final hole, the par 3 ninth, gave a huge roar when the home favourite sunk a long-awaited birdie putt from distance.

The two-time champion is three shots back from Denmark's Nicole Larsen who carded a six-under par 66 and holds a one-shot clubhouse lead. The second highest ranked player in the field, as world No 73, is impressing in her second appearance at the Open.

Another Kiwi, North Harbour professional Cathryn Bristow also carded a three-under par 69 on day one to also be in a share of sixth place.

Ko got off to a ideal start to her title defence when she birdied her opening hole, the par five 10th when she holed a six-foot putt for birdie.

But in the middle part of her opening nine she lost her way. She took three wood from the 12th tee (her third hole) and found the fairway bunker. She ended up making an untidy bogey when she missed a par putt from 10 feet.

The following hole she missed the green again and produced a brilliant up and down from the greenside bunker to remain at even par.

Ko added her second birdie of the day on the par 5 14th when she took on the green in two and came up just short. She chipped to within an inch of the hole and tapped in for her four to get back to one-under par.

The course record-holder was fortunate to stay at one under on 15 when her approach from around 100m landed pin-high and ran through the green to sit on the down-slope short of the hazard.

Once again, she delivered a perfect flop shop and made the breaking putt from three feet to keep pace with the hot scoring from the leaders.

But the up and down nature of her first round would continue on her back nine. Ko hit a superb shot into the first hole to within four feet for a birdie chance but the putt went sliding by.

She got to two-under par, and at that stage within two of Larsen, with a birdie on the second only to three-putt the short par-four third and slip back to one-under par.

Ko rallied to make birdie from 15 feet on the par-five fifth to get back to two-under par and on seven and eight she had good looks at birdie but on both occasions her putts came up short.

She saved for best for last with a grandstand finish on her final hole of the day.

Lydia should be embarrassed again....3 strokes behind the #73rd player.
Jason must feel the collar tightening as The Dragon Lady has him on such a short leash.

Phil
I know you know this without doing a Google....name another left handed LPGA pro.

It's one of two Hab washouts, Angela Buzminski or Nancy Harvey.  Had to use gettyimages to confirm which one...it's Angela.  I videoed a Cannuck southpaw, Christina Foster (Concord, Ont.), at the 2015 USWO driving range, which was her first pro event.  She flunked Stage 2 of LPGA Q-School last October.

Lydia is a late starter in Round Two...has three birdies in her first seven holes, just one shot back of Larsen.  I don't know what the cut line is, but 59 players are currently above it at +1.

A cheeky headline for the latest article on the LET website:

ladieseuropeantour.com/normal-service-resumed-as-ko-takes-isps-handa-nz-open-lead/



Thru Round Two:

Pos PLAYER Hole Score
1 Lydia Ko F -8
2 Justine Dreher F* -7
3 Pamela Pretswell F -6
3 Emily Kristine Pedersen F -6
3 Nanna Koerstz Madsen F* -6
6 Maria Hernandez F -5
6 Hye Jin Choi (a) F* -5
6 Noemi Jimenez Martin F* -5
6 Nicole Broch Larsen F -5
6 Liv Cheng F -5

Sixty-one players made the cut at +2.

Others:

C. Cho -5
Miriam Nagl -4
Doris Chen -2 (LET scoreboard has a Korean flag next to her name )
Sarah Kemp E
Angel Yin E
L. Davies E
Katie Burnett +1
Amy Boulden +2
SJ Smith +2

Louise Stahle +4
Kyle Roig +5
Stephanie Na +10

Jessica MacPhee (born in Surrey, BC) +29 DFL 



Article with video of Ko's birdie at #16:
www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/76860511/world-no-1-lydia-ko-vaults-into-lead-with-birdie-blitz-at-nz-womens-open

Closer than expected, but...
 

Pos PLAYER Hole Score
1 Lydia Ko F -10
2 Felicity Johnson F -8
2 Hye Jin Choi (a) F -8
2 Nanna Koerstz Madsen F -8
5 Justine Dreher F -7
6 Amelia Lewis F -6
6 Emily Kristine Pedersen F -6
8 Liv Cheng F -5
8 Noemi Jimenez Martin F -5
10 Valentine Derrey F -4

Others:

Sarah Kemp -4
NB Larsen -3
M. Hernandez -3
G. Nocera -2
L. Davies -1
C. Cho -1
B. Brewerton +1
SJ Smith +3
C. Hedwall +4