LPGA: Who to Watch at the Women’s Champions, Singapore
Stacy Lewis ready to defend her HUBC Women’s Champions title. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
The HSBC Women’s Champions tees off Thursday, February 27 at the Sentonsa Country Club in Singapore. America’s top-ranked Stacy Lewis is the defending champion, and she looks good coming in. With 8 career Tour wins and 59 top-10 finishes, Lewis has started the season strong. In three starts, she’s finished twice inside the top-5 and tied for a 6th place finish. She’s going to need every bit of power she can muster to hold off challenges from an exceptionally strong field at the 72-hole, no-cut tourney.
Billed as the Asia Major, the Women’s Champions is played on the Serapong Course at the Sentonsa Country Club and it will demand the best game each player can pull from her bag.
Inbee Park.
"The Serapong Course requires you to be extremely precise with bunkers and water at every turn but if you want to be the best, you have to embrace a challenge like this not shirk from it. As ever, this is a world class field and I’ll be going all out to win the trophy.Rolex Ranked No. 1 Inbee Park"
Park vs Pettersen vs Lewis
The fight for the top of the Rolex Rankings could be the subtheme for the entire 2014 season. With her runner-up finish last week at the Honda LPGA Thailand, her first event of the season, South Korea’s Inbee Park made it clear that she’s not ready to give up the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Rankings without a fight. The South Korean shot 67-66 on the weekend in Thailand and battled eventual champion Anna Nordqvist down the stretch with three birdies on the back nine.
Suzann Pettersen. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
No. 2, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, and No. 3 Stacy Lewis remain determined challengers. Both had strong finishes in Thailand as well and didn’t let Park get too much of a jump on them in the rankings. Pettersen finished 10th at 8-under par and Lewis used a final-round 66 to jump from T19 into a tie for fifth.
They’re within 2 points of each other in the rankings. Expect them to carry the fight onto the Serapong Course.
LPGA International Crown
With only three events remaining until the cut off for determining International Crown teams, it’s crunch time for a number of players.
There were major rankings changes among the Thai players last week. Thidapa Suwannapura moved from 111th to cracking the top-100 this week at 97th. She helped move Thailand back into the fourth country rank, pushing Spain back down to No. 5. Keep an eye on the Spaniards. Beatriz Recari, Azahara Muñoz, Carlota Ciganda and Belen Mozo are certain to fight back this week.
With her win last week, Anna Nordqvist became the top-ranked Swede in the world and overtook Caroline Hedwall in the top spot, moving to from No. 27 to No. 14 in the Rolex Rankings. They’d both like to lead Sweden’s team at the Crown.
Among the American players, with a strong finish in Singapore either Angela Stanford or Lizette Salas could push Christie Kerr our of the fourth spot on the US team.
The Rookies
The three rookies in the field also merit watching. Although she faded a bit in Thailand last week Lydia Ko‘s making a superb start on her rookie year and could challenge the top of the board. Jaye Marie Green and Janet Lin haven’t made a cut yet. I’d like to see them pull out the games that got them their Tour cards and put them to work in Singapore.
TV Coverage
The Golf Channel will provide live coverage of the HSBC Women’s Champions although US viewers, particularly those who live on the East Coast, will need to make some sleep adjustments. Thursday round coverage will begin tonight, Wednesday, February 26, at 10:30 ET and continue until 2:30am Thursday morning. Take a nap today!