Michelob Ultra – Epilogue

Annika Sorenstam now has 72 career victories. She is 16 wins away from tying Kathy Whitworth’s record of 88. As she was putting at 18 yesterday ESPN put up a graphic informing us that Sorenstam was putting “For Par and Win” (you can see it in the final clip I posted), even though she could have used EIGHT putts from there and still won.

How did Louise Friberg manage to win that MasterCard event anyway? Of the 11 tournaments played so far, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer have won 10 of them. I’m waiting for the first “Big Three” article to come out.

The scoring this week was by far the best at Kingsmill I’ve recorded (back to 2004). The mark of 71.545 was almost three-quarters of a shot better than last year’s 72.28. Even Sunday’s less-than-ideal conditions (15mph wind with temps in the low-60s and occasional rain) did little to slow down the low numbers.

Two great candidates for Big Surprise. I’ll go with Allison Fouch, who fired a 64 Sunday and finished tied for second for the first Top 20 of her career. She was T21 at the MasterCard in March. A big honorable mention for Katherine Hull, who recorded only the 29th double-eagle in LPGA history and finished sixth. Hull finished second at the 2005 Canadian Open but this was only the seventh Top 10 of her five-year career. Seon Hwa Lee gets the Big Disappointment by missing the cut when I had her pegged for a Top 10 finish.

After hanging around even par all week, Shi Hyun Ahn finally broke out of her 2008 doldrums with a 63 on Sunday. A bogey at her last hole cost her the outright course record – she had to settle for a tie with Mhairi McKay (who did it Thursday) and three others. That round is hopefully a sign of things to come from Shi Hyun. Also on the comeback trail is Candie Kung – her T7 was her second Top 10 in four weeks.

Jeong Jang’s bogey at the final hole (she missed her par putt from about two feet) cost her over $70,000. She’s been playing with her right wrist taped for several weeks now – cysts are irritating the tendons in that wrist. JJ and her doctors have elected not to have surgery but I’m not sure how long she’s going to be able to tolerate the pain. Jang is playing so well, I understand the reluctance to try surgery and spend the rest of the year rehabbing. However, not being able to practice her long game very much may end her good play sooner rather than later.

Continuing with the health report – Mi Hyun Kim withdrew during the second round (even though she was -2) because her knee stiffened up during the Friday morning rain delay. Thanks to IceCat at Seoulsisters for passing that info along.