With only six events remaining on the official 2005 LPGA tour schedule, the Safeway Classic presented by Pepsi promises to be one of the highlights.
The par-72, 6327 yard Columbia-Edgewater Country Club sets the stage for the 54-hole tournament which includes thirteen of the top money winners this year. This will also be a good scouting opportunity for Nancy Lopez. All fifteen players who are competing for a place on the U.S. Solheim Cup team will be in attendance. Although most of the team has been selected, the two captain’s choice positions will most certainly be filled after this week’s event.
Will defending champion Hee-Won Han finally step back into the winner’s circle? That’s certainly a question with a doubtful answer for Han. With five top-ten finishes but no victories to date Han has her work cut out for her.
At last year’s Safeway Classic Han was down by three strokes but wound up shooting a 67 and forcing a playoff with Lorie Kane. She shut-out Kane on the first hole and walked off with her third LPGA title. It’s been a dry season since that tournament. The closest Han came to victory this season was at the Owens-Corning Classic where Han led through 54 holes only to falter on the back nine and lose a playoff opportunity. It seems, for Han anyway, that the final round can make or break her tenacity.
Four out of five golfers this week are at the top of the official money list. This could also prove challenging for Han as these golfers have already tasted victory and feel confident about their games.
For example, there’s no stopping 19-year old Paula Creamer. Recently climbing to second position on the money list the 19-year old has won several tournaments her first year on the tour. Just last week Creamer made mincemeat out of Japan favorite Ai Miyazato as she won the NEC Karuizawa Championship. Earlier in the season Paula claimed her first professional trophy in New York at the Sybase Classic. Rookie Creamer then went international as she boasted a win at the Evian Masters in France. She’s steamrolling over her competition. I wouldn’t be surprised if she went back-to-back with a win this week.
Third place on the money list is currently occupied by Lorena Ochoa. Although Ochoa has been seen in the top-ten nine times this season, she claimed her single victory at the Wegman’s where she beat Paula Creamer solidly with birdies over one-third of the course.
Cristie Kerr has slid down the money list to fourth place although with that position she is the final member of the “over $1 million” club. Kerr has been plagued with injuries but has been playing with true grit.
Climbing to fifth place on the money list is Natalie Gulbis who has been proving to the viewers as well as her compadres that she can handle the pressure of weekly tournaments by turning out seven top-five finishes. Although she has no wins this season, Gulbis fought hard against Sorenstam recently in the LET’s Scandinavian TPC Tournament rallying to a second place finish. Tournament host Annika Sorenstam stole the show in the end by rolling in a single putt at eighteen to seal the deal. I think its about time Natalie broke out from the field and became a winner. She’s so close but seems to be missing the psychology behind the victory. This might be her tournament to shine. I wonder if her autographed Titleist Pro V1 golf ball will increase in value once she wins a tournament? To date the golf ball sells for $99.95 at the It’s Already Signed 4 U website. Ai Miyazato, the JLPGA superstar who was defeated by Paula Creamer last week gets $124.95 for her signature. Annika’s nom de plume on a red Callaway rates only $5 more than Miyazato.
And where in the world is Annika Sorenstam? Noticably absent from this week’s tournament, the 2002 and 2003 winner of the Safeway had personal and tour scheduling problems which prevented her from attending. This is the first time in many a year that Annika will not be on the list of competitors.
“Obviously we are disappointed that Annika will not be here in Portland this year but we respect her situation,” said Tom Maletis, President of Tournament Golf Foundation, Inc., the tournament owners and organizers, “and in talking with Annika, I know she is disappointed not to be here as well.”
Oh well. Too bad we won’t see Annika on the leaderboard this week but that might take the pressure off some of the golfers who tremble when they hear Sorenstam’s footsteps.
You might also want to see one of the final performances of the great Rosie Jones who will retire at the end of the 2005 season. Juli Inkster will be among the golfers struggling to win one this season as well as Christina Kim who keeps making her way to the top of the early rounds but who flounders down the stretch.
Watch the sparks fly as 144 players chase down the trophy and try to grab their share of the $1.4 million prize. The three-day tournament begins on Friday September 19th and will air on The Golf Channel all three days from 4:00 to 6:00 pm (ET).