5 Thoughts on the new International Crown

[Tailgater]

1. It is a very interesting dynamic that there are no captains. I could see some Stacey Lewis v. Cristie Kerr fireworks. I bet Lexi and Paula Creamer just hang back. I bet Stacey and Lexi play together while Kerr and Creamer play together.

2. The format for this tourney is really confusing. It is part NCAA Tourney + World Cup + NFL playoffs = Ryder/Solheim Cup.

3. Spain is the team to watch. Everyone knows about USA and N. Korea.

4. I think match play makes for more intriguing television than stroke play. And this is amped up even more during team play.

5. You have to give the LPGA credit. They think outside of the box.

[RandallT]

1. It is a very interesting dynamic that there are no captains. I could see some Stacey Lewis v. Cristie Kerr fireworks. I bet Lexi and Paula Creamer just hang back. I bet Stacey and Lexi play together while Kerr and Creamer play together.  2. The format for this tourney is really confusing. It is part NCAA Tourney + World Cup + NFL playoffs = Ryder/Solheim Cup. 3. Spain is the team to watch. Everyone knows about USA and N. Korea.  4. I think match play makes for more intriguing television than stroke play. And this is amped up even more during team play.  5. You have to give the LPGA credit. They think outside of the box.

#1. Correct on the pairings. Both US pairs lost. #2. Seems like group play now, but then some advancement criteria with a wildcard?! I didn't quite get what they meant when I watched yesterday, but I wasn't fully paying attention. Not sure I care that much. #3. Spain doing well, as is Chinese Taipei, who crushed the US. #4/5. Yah it's interesting, but it's lacking something. Needs Michelle Wie :). They had their qualifications before Michelle's win in Hawaii! Geez. I watched a bit yesterday, mainly the end of the Lewis/Thompson match against Yani and her partner. Yani is finding her game again this week, and we looked flat. There didn't seem to be much chemistry on our team. Christie, Paula, Stacy, and Lexi seemed subdued, but that expected when things aren't going your way, I suppose. I just didn't see any fire in them.

[joekelly]

8 teams comprised of 7 countries and one city.  Pretty weird.  And not one of the four players on that team would ever say that they come from 'Chinese Taipei'. There ain't no such place except in the chinese communist hegemony of Asia.

The commies threaten that missiles will rain over Asia if The Republic of China (Taiwan) is recognized by anyone.  And Taiwan is simply the common name for the island, aka Formosa.  So in order to bend very low to the  commie dollar the organizers of this event, and all commentators, have been told to never utter the name Taiwan.

Sad for Yani Tseng, Teresa Lu and their teammates.

Go GIRLS FROM TAIWAN .

[David in FL]

1. It is a very interesting dynamic that there are no captains. I could see some Stacey Lewis v. Cristie Kerr fireworks. I bet Lexi and Paula Creamer just hang back. I bet Stacey and Lexi play together while Kerr and Creamer play together.

2. The format for this tourney is really confusing. It is part NCAA Tourney + World Cup + NFL playoffs = Ryder/Solheim Cup.

3. Spain is the team to watch. Everyone knows about USA and N. Korea.

4. I think match play makes for more intriguing television than stroke play. And this is amped up even more during team play.

5. You have to give the LPGA credit. They think outside of the box.

Starting to remind me of the old PGA "Silly Season" back in the day.  Desperate to do anything to drive some additional viewership.  I hope it works for them, but I wouldn't hold my breath.....

[Gunther]

I enjoyed it, watched Fri and Sat. Cancelled the DVR setting for tomorrow since the US is out. Disappointing result but I liked the format.

[RandallT]

I enjoyed it, watched Fri and Sat. Cancelled the DVR setting for tomorrow since the US is out. Disappointing result but I liked the format.

I did enjoy the last hour or so yesterday. Very entertaining to watch the scenarios change in the final minutes- very reminiscent of Wirld Cup group play scenarios with goal differentials. Some random thoughts: 1. Interesting that for sudden death elimination with Korea, we went with Kerr/Thompson. Could the world #1 Lewis have been out there? Could they have split the teams that day, cuz Lewis played with Creamer and they lost their match with Thailand(Kerr/Thompson won theirs with Thailand). 2. Inbee Park said her tricky downhill putt that beat the US was the MOST nervous of her life. The woman won 3 straight majors last year and this was her most nerve-wracking. 3. On the sudden death, US was in control after their drives on the reachable par 5. Inbee laid up short, and Ryu missed just short. It all boiled down to Lexi hitting her 5-iron a hair short and rolling back down the hill in a divot to near Ryu's ball. Lexi misplayed a putt up the hill and Ryu stuck it close with a bump and run. Inbee got up and down from 70yds, and Kerr two-putted for birdie. Lexi's par knocked us out, but she had been playing so well. She was probably right choice for sudden death so Lewis would've needed eagle over Kerr's birdie to have made a difference, I suppose. Anyway, it was a dramatic finish. I liked that there were no captains. The team needed to decide who played in that sudden death and they chose to sit the world #1- fascinating.

[Gunther]

Yes, agree Lewis should have played in sudden death, she played well during the day. Guess they didn't want to mess up the chemistry and Kerr did make her birdie. Frankly, I was struck that Kerr was even there, should have been Wie, but I guess teams were selected a few months back. Pretty good format for a sudden death, both balls count. Lexi shouldn't have putted that or if she opted for that route, should have used a hybrid. Oh well, it was pretty exciting, hope it catches on...

[RandallT]

The ladies from Spain earned their victory, didn't they? Swept all four singles matches on Sunday. All week, they seemed like a true team- close friends, supportive of each other, and so genuinely invigorated by playing for their friends and country. What a performance and although I only watched an hour or so each day, the ladies from Spain were clearly the standouts by the way they gelled as a team. No surprise to me they put it all together on Sunday. Congrats.

[Gunther]

The ladies from Spain earned their victory, didn't they? Swept all four singles matches on Sunday. All week, they seemed like a true team- close friends, supportive of each other, and so genuinely invigorated by playing for their friends and country. What a performance and although I only watched an hour or so each day, the ladies from Spain were clearly the standouts by the way they gelled as a team. No surprise to me they put it all together on Sunday. Congrats.

Spain won? Wow, yes, they're fun to watch but the US swept them in Fri, grrr

[RandallT]

Spain won? Wow, yes, they're fun to watch but the US swept them in Fri, grrr

Omg I forgot we swept them Friday!!! For some reason much of the coverage I randomly caught was of their better moments. Lol. Amazing that we handily beat the champs on Friday, but fared so poorly against Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea. Arrrrgggghhh. They were definitely fun to watch. It's great to see team spirit in golf, and Spain had it. Hope the Olympics have the atmosphere that this cup had. I was surprised at how compelling the matches were that I saw.

[mchepp]

I think this format had some wild action and was pretty entertaining. Particularly the playoff, even if it had been Taiwan and Korea I would have found it interesting. The LPGA was trying and I give them an A for effort.

[Gunther]

Omg I forgot we swept them Friday!!! For some reason much of the coverage I randomly caught was of their better moments. Lol. Amazing that we handily beat the champs on Friday, but fared so poorly against Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea. Arrrrgggghhh. They were definitely fun to watch. It's great to see team spirit in golf, and Spain had it. Hope the Olympics have the atmosphere that this cup had. I was surprised at how compelling the matches were that I saw.

Didn't hurt that 75% of that team are cute as hell. Belen Mozo (I hate they pronounce Z as th BTW), was featured in a nude layout in SI last year. She is smokin.

[Gunther]

I think this format had some wild action and was pretty entertaining. Particularly the playoff, even if it had been Taiwan and Korea I would have found it interesting. The LPGA was trying and I give them an A for effort.

Completely agree.

[davechen]

8 teams comprised of 7 countries and one city.  Pretty weird.  And not one of the four players on that team would ever say that they come from 'Chinese Taipei'. There ain't no such place except in the chinese communist hegemony of Asia.

The commies threaten that missiles will rain over Asia if The Republic of China (Taiwan) is recognized by anyone.  And Taiwan is simply the common name for the island, aka Formosa.  So in order to bend very low to the  commie dollar the organizers of this event, and all commentators, have been told to never utter the name Taiwan.

Sad for Yani Tseng, Teresa Lu and their teammates.

Go GIRLS FROM TAIWAN .

They did so well the first day, but then it all went to pot.  Too bad.

Yeah the stupid "Chinese Taipei" thing always bugs me.  My folks are from Taiwan, so I always root for them in international sporting events.  Too bad everyone is always kowtowing to the Chinese.  Just let them be called Taiwan.  Who cares what the Chinese want?

[inthehole]

Sorry, just terrible coverage the final day ... they didn't even show the three hottest players who were on the course at the same time  (Ai, Azahara & Beatrice) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      They were so fixated on the wrong Miyazato, I almost threw my shoe at the TV.    Fail was strong on sunday  ...

[rkim291968]

Format was confusing at best.

US didn't make the playoff and I can see the future format changing to figure out how to keep US team playing on Sunday.

Lexi & Kerr for playoff?  Really?   Stacey is the hottest (and most competitive) player on planet and she is left out of the playoff.

Korea didn't select their best players in their 3rd & 4th spot.   Both IK & Choi have been in declining mode for some time.

Spain winning easily was impressive.

Women's golf just is not a global sports.  Fielding 8 competitive teams is going to be a challenge for years to come.

[liquor box]

I like the format, but thought the coverage was really poor. There seemed to be a bigger focus on the "big name" players even if they were 3 holes up and likely to win when another pairing might be all square.

I think that maybe 4 players for all of the countries might be a bit of a stretch. Could this concept work with 2 players, or maybe 3 players per team to ensure all payers are closer in talent?

I would like to see a Great Britain team try to compete rather than the individual countries. Catroina Mathew, Charlie Hull and Jodi Shadoff could then compete.

I wonder if in the future this event will be played around the world?