Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic Preview and TV Schedule (Video)
Aug 17, 2013; Parker, CO, USA; Jessica Korda of team U.S. tees off from the tenth hole during the second round of the 2013 Solheim Cup at the Colorado Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jessica Korda was just getting warmed up with her Coates Golf Championship tied runner-up finish. Now she’s getting ready to tee it up as the defending champion at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, February 5-8, and I’m looking for a strong defense of that title. As I see it, Korda, who tends to start her season strong, stands a good chance of making it two-in-a-row at the Paradise Island Ocean Club Golf Course.
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The Venue
The Tom Weiskopf-designed Troon Golf par-73 track runs a bit long, 6644 yards along the Paradise Island peninsula, and is subject to some fierce cross-winds. Michelle Wie’s stinger should play well this week, but Mo Martin’s driving accuracy, which was running at an exceptional 96% last week on the Golden Ocala track, is likely to to be even more important. With winds anticipated to be strong and gusting up to 30 mph on Friday, I’m expecting everybody to be keeping the ball low on cut day.
Here’s Jessica Korda’s quick take on the Ocean Club track:
The Field
Lydia Ko, Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis will lead the Pure Silk-Bahamas field, and while Jessica Korda’s going to be focused on defending her championship, look for Park and Lewis to be challenging the new top-ranked golfer in the world. Lewis, who finished runner-up to Korda last year, has additional incentive to claim the victory this week. This could be the beginning of a season-long battle between the top three players!
The new Coates champion, Na Yeon Choi, is in the field as is Chella Choi who uncharacteristically missed the cut last week. They’re both good bets for finishing on the front page of the board, as are Michelle Wie and Azahara Munoz. There’s every reason to look for both of them inside the top-10, even though Wie didn’t deliver her best performance last week.
I’m also watching a four rookies in the Pure Silk-Bahamas field: Ariya Jutanugarn, Sadena Parks, Ha Na Jang, and Brooke Henderson. Jutanugarn played very well last week at the Coates (although Jang finished in an even better position), finishing alongside Stacy Lewis in a 10th place tie. With a stronger game in her bag than her sister, Moriya, I’m looking for 100th ranked Ariya to steadily move up in the rankings this year.
Parks has a much better game in her bag than she showed us at the Coates. I’m hoping she’ll pull it out and put it to work this week.
This could be the Year of the Rookie on the Tour. Henderson fired off a four-under 69 today on the Ocean Club track to earn the qualifier slot. If she can deliver the same game later in the week we’ll be watching her repeat Ha Na Jang’s performance, climbing up the leaderboard over the weekend!
Media Coverage
Golf Channel will provide daily coverage of the Pure Silk-Bahamas rounds: Thursday, February 5 and Friday February 6, 11:30am-2:30PM; Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8, 3-5PM. All times are ET.
My colleagues and I at ProGolfNow will also provide ongoing coverage of the Pure Silk-Bahamas. Follow me on Twitter @bethbethel and I’ll notify you when I post commentary and updates.