The LPGA is heading into the final stretch, nearing the last hurrah of the season playing golf in Alabama this weekend. Who better to defend at this tournament than LPGA Tour President Heather Daly-Donofrio?
Forty-five previous LPGA tour champions will take part in this limited field event in an attempt to win one of the final trophies of the year and a piece of the $850,000 purse.
Kathy Ireland Worldwide has signed on as the presenting sponsor but no, the ladies won’t be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine!
It’s been sixteen years since Kathy Ireland first graced the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She actually appeared three times since the original cover turned her into every man’s dream but it was only a stepping stone towards a multi-billion dollar empire with Kathy at the helm. Now that Ireland has the ability to pick and choose her interests her love and support of women’s golf has her both opening the season in Myrtle Beach and closing at one of the final events of the year.
The ladies who will be in the field this weekend represent past winners on the LPGA tour from as far back as 2003 up to the present, Hall of Fame exemption Pat Bradley and winner of the CJ Nine Bridges Classic, KLPGA tour player Jee Young Lee.
Winners will meet at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove Golf Club on the “Crossings” course. The 6,253 yard, par-72 magnificent layout was billed as “one of the top fifty trips in the world” by Golf Digest Magazine. The hilly terrain doubles across railroad tracks and is a shotmaker’s paradise with some elevated greens that can be tackled only with the sharpest irons.
Past winners of this event include Donofrio (2004), Se Ri Pak (2002. 2001), Karrie Webb (2000) and Annika Sorenstam (1997). Donofrio placed a career best 64 on her scorecard during third round action last year defeating Laura Diaz by four strokes.
Donofrio and Webb will be in attendance but Pak and Sorenstam have opted out. Annika will be taking a much needed rest after a fifth consecutive victory last week at the Mizuno Classic put her in the record books.
Jennifer Rosales who finished second to Sorenstam at the Mizuno has had enough practice already! I think viewers expected to see Rosales in the winner’s circle again after her season opening victory at the SBS Open but we have been disappointed.
Karrie Webb has also had a disappointing season since her early Australian win but actually came in with a ninth place finish last week so it isn’t impossible that we could see Webb make a comeback before the end of the year.
Several first-time winners will be in the spotlight, the “Pink Panther” being one of them. Paula Creamer’s phenomenal rookie season has propelled her to second position on the Official ADT Money list.
Rosie Jones and Juli Inkster who helped lead the Solheim Cup team to victory will be in this elite field as well. This is probably Jones’ last season so she will be trying her hardest to go out with a resounding blast. Juli Inkster’s veteran status and ability to focus on the pins will help her zone in on those difficult-to-hit greens.
If Donald Trump’s friend Cristie Kerr is playing well she probably will receive ample television coverage. Unfortunately for Cristie her game fluctuates and she suffers from injuries so if she makes it to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday she’ll provide the fans with good viewing opportunities.
The Asian contingency will be out in force. Jeong Jang, Jimin Kang, Birdie Kim, Mi Hyun Kim and Meena Lee are just a few of the names readers have come to associate with exciting golf on the tour. In addition, each lady has earned her exemption into this tournament with a win this year!
Lorena Ochoa, one of early choices of golfer to break out this season has been in a bit of a slump finishing somewhere in the middle of the pack at the later season events. I hope Lorena comes back with an improved mental game since that is what I think she is currently lacking on the golf course.
Thank goodness that the LPGA is finally getting television coverage. There is plenty of good golf remaining and I don’t want to miss a minute of it!
Watch the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions exclusively on the Golf Channel November 10th through November 13th from 2:00pm to 4:30pm (ET).