LPGA NWA Championship report
Posted on Sunday, July 6, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/230565/
Pinnacle good fit for golfer
ROGERS — Kristy McPherson is no stranger to the course at Pinnacle Country Club.
McPherson, 26, played on the course while a golfer at South Carolina, where she won two SEC individual titles. She turned pro in 2003 and made the LPGA Tour in 2007.
“I just love coming here,” said McPherson, of Conway, S. C. “Feels like I’m coming home. Unbelievable housing, which makes the whole week so much easier. Just everybody makes you feel welcome, everybody is cheering for you.
“ I feel like I’m playing in South Carolina.”
McPherson, 58 th on the money list this year with $ 128, 441 in earnings, is trying to earn her tour card for next year with a top-90 finish. McPherson finished 97 th last year with $ 79, 724.
This is her first appearance on the LPGA leaderboard and her 11-under total should have her in contention today.
“Not nervous at all,” McPherson said. “I would not be surprised if I’m not at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the day or the end of the round, whatever that may be. Some of the girls could come up there and be a few shots ahead of me, and I’m OK with that, too.” Sharp dressed man
There probably wasn’t anyone hotter at Pinnacle Country Club on Saturday than caddie Thomas Frank. Frank, who is known on the LPGA Tour by the nickname “Motion”, caddied for Na On Min wearing long pants, a longsleeved shirt and a tie for 27 holes. Frank, the only caddie even wearing long pants this week, said he has been doing it for “tradition” for the past five years. He was inspired by the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played. And as for the heat ? “I’m from Texas,” he said. “It’s not that bad.” Min shot a 1-over-par 73 on Saturday and is 2 over for the tournament.
Final Webcast CBS won’t catch the end of the tournament today, but you can still watch it. For the first time in tour history, the LPGA will live stream the broadcast the remainder of the day on LPGA. com, allowing viewers to watch the end of the tournament. CBS’s broadcast window runs from noon to 2 p. m. today, when the tournament was originally scheduled to wrap up. But after a five-hour delay Friday and a 1: 38 delay Saturday, the tournament was far enough behind schedule that it could not be made up in time for television. Northwest Arkansas Championship officials explored other options to have the rest of the tournament televised, including The Golf Channel, but it couldn’t be worked out.
Play it down If wet weather stays away today, Northwest Arkansas Championship players will play the ball down for the third round. In the first two rounds, players were permitted to lift, clean and replace their balls in the fairways and green collars because of wet conditions. The course had substantially dried out by the time play stopped Saturday night. “Our plans right now are to play it down except on the collars, and we’ll play it up there,” LPGA Tour vice president of rules and officials Doug Brecht said.
Preying vultures As Lady Razorback Lucy Nunn — playing in the final firstround pairing Saturday morning — finished each hole, course maintenance and LPGA officials were moving the hole for second round play. One observer said they were almost like vultures waiting on their prey. The pins are moved after each round. The same will be done again this morning as the final groups finish.
Learning Korean Media covering the Northwest Arkansas Championship this week now know the Korean words for piano and putting. They are “piano” and “putting.” The LPGA has tried to encourage its South Korean players to speak English during their news conferences, but tournament leader Meena Lee didn’t quite feel comfortable when she was brought in. Sean Pyun, who works for the LPGA, served as the translator. Lee was able to speak in English for parts of her interview, but turned to Pyun when she wasn’t sure.
A nice run LPGA Tour legend Jan Stephenson nearly recaptured past glory on the course Saturday. Stephenson, who has played only three LPGA events this year, was 2 under par through 16 holes of her second round. But after missing the par-3 17 th green short, she left her chip shot short of the hole. From there, she three-putted for a double-bogey 5. Stephenson, 56, missed the cut with a score of 3-over-par 147, but she beat fellow Australian and model Anna Rawson, playing in her group, by two strokes. By the numbers -1 Projected cutline 3 Withdrawals on Saturday (Becky Iverson, Christa Johnson, Candie Kung ) 11 Birdies in the second round by Angela Park, who shot a course-record 10-under-par 62. 60 Rounds played by Ji Young Oh, most on the LPGA Tour this year. Oh, who missed the cut, will drop into a tie today with Inbee Park, who will play her 60 th round of the year if she makes the cut. Overheard “I’m glad it’s over. I was really tired out there, especially because it’s starting to get really hot.” — Angela Park, after playing 23 holes Saturday. It wasn’t all bad for Park, who shot a course-record 10-under-par 62 in the
second round.