Primary Sidebar
About the Author
Want to learn more about Jamie R. Belyea the Writer/Editor of Snaphook Herald?
Follow his tweet tweet tweeting on Twitter!
@snaphookjamie
Jamie R. Belyea began writing about the LPGA in 2009. He previously ran his own LPGA blog Jamie in the Rough.
In addition to writing about the golf he his the Writer/Editor at natural gut is love. , and a contributor to fellow SB Nation blog The Daily Forehand.
Jamie is also a college student finishing his last year of school in Massachusetts. He grew up playing tennis competitively, and is just learning to actually swing a golf club. His favorite things include Lacoste V-Neck sweaters & bow ties.
For even more on the author feel free to check out his personal blog, Jamie Broke My Racket.
Miyazato Makes it Back to Back
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 28, 2010 1:34 PM EST
0 comments
Ai Miyazato took home the title for the second time in consecutive weeks with a two shot victory over surging Cristie Kerr. Miyazato becomes the first player to win the two opening season events back-to-back since Marilynn Smith did it in 1966. This could very well be the start of a record breaking season for Miyazato who has shown she is comfortable winning, and winning often on the JLPGA, and is beginning to show the same finally here on the LPGA.
A birdie on the 16th hole helped Miyazato coast down the stretch after finding herself behind the American Kerr by a stroke after Ai bogeyed the 14th. Kerr was unable to keep the pressure on Miyazato as she bogeyed the final two holes to finish two strokes behind.
The HSBC Women's Champions is considered by some as the Asian Major, and the Asian players did themselves well in the event. Finishing T-3 were defending champion Jiyai Shin, Yani Tseng, and Song-Hee Kim (along with Suzann Pettersen who has got to be proud of her two finishes to start the year). In-Kyung Kim continues to play well in Singapore, as she notched her second top 10 in the event at T-7. Jee Young Lee, Sakura Yokomine, Na Yeon Choi, and Hee Young Park were the other Asians who found themselves in the top 10 after the event.
Juli Inkster's bid to become the oldest tour winner was derailed by a 2-over 74 on Sunday, but she still snagged a top 10 finish. Expect Inkster to be in the mix a few times this year as she guns for that record.
World #1 Lorena Ochoa struggled this week, finishing at +4, T38.
0 comments | 0 recs
Can Suzann Hold On?
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 20, 2010 12:26 PM EST
2 comments
Despite holding a spot in the tour's top 10 for the past three years there have been questions about Suzann Pettersen's ability to close. It took her a year and a half to secure her 6tth win on tour at the 2009 CN Canadian Women's Open after breaking through with 5-wins in 2007. Through those years Suzann had some curious losses, to competitors she was heavily favored against. In 2008 she gave up her three shot lead, and eventually lost by two strokes to Eun-Hee Ji at the Wegmans LPGA, allowing the South Korean to win her first event on tour. Last year she dropped two strokes over her last 6 to drop down to a playoff at the Safeway Classic, where she would lose to rookie M.J. Hur.
A week later though Suzann would not allow anyone back in, and kept her 5-shot lead to win in Canada. After three rounds at the Honda PTTA LPGA Thailand Suzann is in the same position, a 5-stroke leader. The question is will she be able to hang on?
I think the question will rely on Suzann's start. If she can start early, and get a sub-par within the first four holes she should be golden to runaway with this thing. If she stalls, and pars or even bogeys one of the first holes, and one of the players in the chase pack can close in within 2-3 shots, she might feel the pressure, and find herself on the cusp of a choke.
Hopefully breaking through in Canada has gotten rid of those demons though, because every event she won in 2007 was a close affair. She won events in playoffs twice, and won her other three events by just one stroke. So, Suzann hasn't always had trouble closing, it was an affliction she picked up.
I would be surprised if Suzann did not hold off everyone else and took home her second title in Thailand, and would be even more surprised if after breaking through here, she doesn't win two more titles in 2010, at least. After this great start Suzann looks poised to be added to the mix with Lorena Ochoa, Jiyai Shin, and Cristie Kerr.
2 comments | 0 recs |
Ariya Jutanugarn Opens Well in Thailand
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 18, 2010 10:26 PM EST
0 comments
In 2007, Ariya Jutanugarn made her LPGA debut at the Honda LPGA Thailand, finishing T51, 30 strokes behind eventual winner Suzann Pettersen. Two years later, and two years wiser, the 14 year old, sits in the middle of the pack after an even par opening effort. Ariya along with her older sister 15 year-old Moriya (who finished T28 at the 2009 event), are two of the brightest spots for Thai golf.
In the early 2000s Thai golf was buoyed by the success of junior twin sisters Aree & Naree Song Wonglukiet. It was almost ten years ago that Aree Wonglukiet lit up the Kraft Nabisco Championship as a 13 year-old wunderkid, finishing 10th place. Both sisters decided to represent South Korea in their professional careers and have been derailed by injuries and have failed to reach the level expected from them as child prodigies.
Quietly Ariya & Moriya have been doing well in international junior competitions, and Ariya looks to match her sister's solid performance from the year before.
Thailand looks poised to become a relevant nation in ladies golf, with these youngsters hopefully joining 2003 US Women's Amateur Champion Virada Nirapathpongporn, Russy Gulyanamitta, Pornanong Phatlum, and Nontanya Sriswang as LPGA members in the future.
0 comments | 0 recs |
Two Tied in Thailand
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 18, 2010 11:19 AM EST
1 comment
The opening round of the LPGA's first event of 2010 has been completed and if the results from Thursday are any indication, we are in for a good weekend of golf. 2009 winners Suzann Pettersen & M.J. Hur share the lead at -6. Incidentally Hur got the better of Pettersen in her only tour title last year in Portland at the Safeway Classic. Hur managed to prevail in a playoff over Pettersen and tour veteran Michele Redman. Hur had her chance to end round 1 as the solo leader after her third shot into the par 5 hit the flag stick and stopped 15 feet away, but she was unable to sink her birdie putt to shoot a career low 65. Pettersen did not have the same bad luck on 18 utilizing her power to get on the green and two, and sinking her eagle putt to jump up to the lead.
Two players seeking their first wins on tour, Song-Hee Kim & Hee-Young Park, along with a player who finally broke through for her first win last season, Ai Miyazato are just a stroke behind at -5. Major champions Cristie Kerr, Brittany Linicome & Yani Tseng round out the top 10 at -4, along with talented Americans Stacy Lewis & Angela Stanford.
World #1 Lorena Ochoa has a solid opening round, a 3-under 69 putting her T11. Thai sponsor exemption, and 2009 Rookie Nontanya Sriswang did herself proud joining Lorena at 3-under. After only making 4 starts in 2009, and losing her status, Sriswang will need to win in front of the home crowd if she wants to play on the LPGA in 2010.
The field is obviously wide open with 32 players under-par and within 5 shots of Hur and Pettersen. Good players who will not be happy with their first round of 2010 include Christina Kim (T56, +4), Jee Young Lee & Vicky Hurst (T59, +6).
1 comment | 0 recs |
Belated Top 30 Predictions, Again!
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 18, 2010 12:42 AM EST
0 comments
For the second year in a row, I am posting my predictions for the LPGA Top 30 midway through the opening round of the opening event of the season! I had to move suddenly across the great state of Massachusetts, and it put me all out of whack. Now, with the first 2010 LPGA event underway in Thailand, I am back in action, and will be blogging regularly again! Finally, the LPGA has started! I am so excited!
With that said, here are my predictions for the top 30:
1. Na Yeon Choi
2. Jiyai Shin
3. Cristie Kerr
4. Lorena Ochoa
5. In-Kyung Kim
6. Suzann Pettersen
7. Ai Miyazato
8. Paula Creamer
9. Yani Tseng
10. Song-Hee Kim
11. Seon Hwa Lee
12. Angela Stanford
13. Sun Young Yoo
14. Michelle Wie
15. Hee-Won Han
16. Jee Young Lee
17. Sophie Gustafson
18. Brittany Lang
19. Jeong Jang
20. Hee Young Park
21. Karrie Webb
22. Eun-Hee Ji
23. Teresa Lu
24. Catriona Matthew
25. Katherine Hull
26. Amanda Blumenhurst
27. Jane Park
28. Kristy McPhereson
29. Morgan Pressel
30. Mina Harigae
I'll analyze my picks tomorrow, I just wanted to get them out there before the completion of round 1.
0 comments | 0 recs
2010 LPGA Predictions: #26-30, AMER, I CAN!
by Jamie R. Belyea on Feb 1, 2010 10:33 PM EST
3 comments
, I'll move forward with my LPGA Top 30 predictions today with numbers 26-30. You can see the five talented ladies whom I don't think will make it here. The next group of ladies have one common bond, they are American! They will lead the charge against those pesky Korean speaking Koreans who are ruining our Red, White, & Blue Tour. I kid, I kid, but if any of these ladies get hot they just might be able to join Paula Creamer as potential saviors for the LPGA!
#30 - Mina Harigae
via lpga.com
The 2010 Rookie and 2009 Duramed Futures Tour Player of the Year was a teenage phenom in her amatuer days. Winning the 2007 Women's Amateur Public Links and being a 3-time Rolex AJGA All-American First Team Selection. Despite only being 20 years old Mina seems to understand her body and mind, and chose not to utilize her battlefield promotion for winning 3 times on the DFT last year. This type of maturity may mean she makes fewer starts then some of the others, but I think will insure that they will be mostly of quality.
3 comments | 0 recs |
2010 LPGA Predictions, Who Didn't Make the Cut
by Jamie R. Belyea on Jan 30, 2010 5:25 AM EST
1 comment
While we all patiently await for the 2010 LPGA to kickoff next month, many of us bloggers have opted to give our 2010 LPGA Predictions. In 2009 I found myself in dead last, and with some even more audacious choices this year I wouldn't be shocked to find myself in the basement again. Over the next few days I'll be unveiling my choices for the top 30 for 2010, with a brief little blurb on the players. Feel free to check out Hound Dog, The Constructivist, and rjay's picks for 2010 also!
First up are 5 very talented ladies who just missed my top 30 list.
Se Ri Pak
via lpga.com
The Hall of Famer had a better 2009 then she had in 2008, just finishing inside the top 30 on the 2009 LPGA Official Money list. I am rooting for Se Ri to show up all these ladies who she inspired by getting another win on tour, but she hasn't been able to get anywhere close to her dominating ways. With that said she has had two runner-up finishes in the past two years, and could easily notch a win in the upcoming season.
1 comment | 0 recs |
LPGA Adds Sybase Match Play Championship to 2010 Schedule
So, it looks like the first wish on my 2010 wishlist is coming to fruition. The LPGA has just added a tournament to the 2010 schedule in the Sybase Match Play Championship.
This is great news on so many levels. For one, I am a huge fan of match play tournaments, and was terribly upset with the HSBC changing formats and moving to Singapore a few years ago.
Secondly it's great to get Sybase back in sponsoring an event, and not only that sponsoring an event that has the third highest first place prize on the LPGA! That's fantastic!
Add that all together with the simple fact that it's another 2010 event, and it's in the states means good work by the LPGA team and new commissioner Michael Whan!
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
