By Kate Hughes
The First LPGA Major is in the Books and has Crowned a Runaway Champion
Kraft Nabisco Championship
Mission Hills Country Club
Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Golf News Quick Review of the top 3 finishers:
Inbee Park -15
So Yeon Ryu -11
Suzzan Pettersen -9
Going into the final round of the LPGA 2013 Kraft Nabisco Championship, it sure looked like Inbee Park would walk away with it unless she missed her tee time! From start to finish she was solid all day and poised no matter what was being thrown at her. Sometimes a shot got away from her (rarely) and then there was Ryu who was charging with the hot round of the day and climbing the leaderboard faster that a road runner!
Inbee Park took a solid 3 shot lead into the final round on Sunday at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and truly never looked back as she continued to putt lights out and carded a very smooth -3 69 to win by 4 shots over Ryu. This win for Inbee Park marks the 3rd straight South Korean to win an LPGA major championship.
Park came to the course with a focused demeanor and started on fire with back-to-back birdies on No. 1 and No 2 while Lizette Salas, who was in 2nd and and only 3 back after the 3rd round, had an unfortunate start with a double on hole No. 1. Unfortunately, Salas was never able to really get those shots back, but played with amazing composure and a cool confidence I hadn’t seen in a long, long time with someone struggling.
When Park was asked if the birdies on holes 1 and 2 set her up well mentally, she replied, “Well, that made my day much easier, that’s for sure. I holed a long one on the first hole, and a birdie start is always a good thing, and I never really shot over par starting with the birdie, so that gave me a lot of confidence.”
Park continued to stay in her game plan and no player came within true striking distance of the amazing play by Park. However, you could here the roars of the crowd as So Yeon Ryu was on cruise control through the day knocking in birdie after birdie and carded the low round of the week 7 under 65 to post an -11 under in the clubhouse and waited to see if Inbee would struggle coming in.
That was not to happen and in the end, Ryu took runner-up honors but what a day for her coming from a T11 and -4 to start the day and finishing -11…now that is some serious golf!!
Rolex Rankings
By the time the waves from the traditional winners jump (and her extended family) into Poppies Pond subsided, there was lots of shuffling with the Rolex Rankings. This victory now moves Inbee Park into the #2 position and on the heals of USA’s Stacy Lewis. Lewis finished a respectable T23 and still maintains the #1 Rolex Ranking spot.
Park was told about the shuffling of the Rankings and putting her in the #2 spot and she responded, “That’s the place that I’ve always wanted and I only have one more spot to go. That brings a lot of momentum, keeps momentum going for me, especially after this week. I felt a lot of confidence with my swing and with my putting. Everything has been going the right way this season. It feels good.”
Inbee Park now has 2 wins in 5 starts and may be on her way to a record breaking year if she continues to play like this and maintain her internal confidence.
The SPLASH:
As traditions continues, Inbee Park and her extended family took the plunge into Poppies Pond! She looked a bit concerned to start the run, but in the end, she was soaked and soaked up the atmosphere of cheering and a standing ovation. I was fun to watch as the group launched into the ‘Pond’…but I must give her caddie the ’10’ as he made the biggest splash with a cannon ball!!!!
Park came out of the Pond with the help of just about everyone and was given the equivalent of the Green Masters Jacket…a soft cuddly white Kraft Nabisco Robe!!! Awesome…and well deserved!! Congrats Inbee for taking old man par out and beating the snot out of him!!
Final Thoughts:
I had the greatest seat in the house…enjoying the tournament from an entirely different perspective. I was officially media and could sit in on interviews (some you have read) and take pictures from just inside the ropes. It was surreal for me with the circle of life–a few years back I was playing inside those ropes and now I was enjoying the worlds best from a different set of eyes–my camera and my viewpoint as a spectator. Loved every minute of it. However, I was running into old playing friends who either worked for the LPGA, were still playing (but missed cut) and old timers like Sandra Palmer…so I found it excited fun and very busy trying to juggle it all.
But when all was said and done, I had a wonderful experience seeing the LPGA from a different light. The Media personnel was phenomenal with they way they treated each media outlet and person. Kraig Kann, Chief Communications Officer and I spoke in length about where the tour was years ago to what it is today and the continued growth needed coming out of the difficult times of our economy.
All in all the LPGA is on its way back to one of the greatest sports organizations in the World and we at Bunkers Paradise are honored to be a part of the ‘inside the ropes’ chosen crew to share with you each event and our thoughts.
It was a great week and the tour is now on its way to its next stop after a quick week off for all to regroup, relax and for Cristy Kerr to find a new putter after breaking it in half in the players parking lot after the final round!!!!
‘keep smiling and always believe’
