Park arrived in the Pacific Northwest as the three-time reigning champion of the event, representing three of her seven career major victories.
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Park has taken a pair of month-long breaks from her tour schedule this year to heal up from her thumb injury and a back injury at season’s start. “That’s what I try and do every time I play”, Park said.
“This week I’m going to try to play four days”, Ko sai. The Hall of Fame was what motivated me and inspired me to keep going.
Inbee Park says qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame will force her to re-evaluate her goals, but she’s intent on continuing to compete.
The emphasis will be on hitting fairways, with most tee shots requiring a fade or a draw while also attempting to get some roll out to avoid long iron approach shots. Jutanugarn said she will go without a driver this week, instead relying on a 3-wood she can hit 270 yards. My caddie [Les Luark] helps me a lot.
WHEN it comes to compelling story lines, this week’s Women’s PGA Championship might be the most exciting of all the majors in 2016. It’s going to be a great week. “It’s going to be tough”.
Australia’s most successful LPGA player, Karrie Webb, has an enviable record in the tournament having won in 2001 and posted nine other top 10’s, including a T7 past year.
If Park wins, she would join Scotland’s Tom Morris Jr – victor of the British Open from 1868 to 1872 with the event not held in 1871 – and American Walter Hagen – victor of the PGA Championship from 1924 to 1927 – on the men’s side as the only golfers to accomplish that feat. We’re all out there trying to play the best we can and make as many birdies as we can. “But a great golf course, in great shape, and the greens are so good. Pretty hard for me because I have to shape my shot a lot”.
Firstly, Lydia Ko, the world’s highest-ranked player, is taking aim at a third consecutive major after capturing last year’s Evian Championship and this year’s ANA Inspiration.
As one of the longest hitters in women’s golf Jutanugarn won her most recent tournament without carrying a driver and that will be her strategy again this week though it is her new found confience, not her bag set-up, which has been key to her success.
“You need to be creative here”, Ko said. On the LPGA, home of a lot of short hitters who nearly never miss a fairway, Thompson still finds the short grass 70.31 percent of the time.
Park’s last outing at the Volvik Championship ended in withdrawal after shooting a 12-over 84, but the South Korean superstar is not giving up. The injury throws the rest of this season, including the Olympics, into doubt, and Park insists she hasn’t made any definitive decisions.
“I just wouldn’t be able to tell unless I played other tournaments”. There is no surprise answer right now.
“I know I’m injured”. I am happy right now that I am here, so I am playing.
Park, who won in extra time in both 2013 and 2014 before cruising to a five-stroke victory a year ago, comes into the week under an injury cloud but even if she doesn’t win she still has the chance to achieve a childhood dream.
Whether she ever plays another round of golf on the LPGA Tour after Thursday, the one absolute is that Park’s name will be forever etched in history as a Hall of Famer.
“I really wanted to be prepared for the KPMG and defending my title three times in a row”, Park said.
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“Pretty unbelievable. I can’t believe it”, Ko admitted when the changing face of the women’s game was brought to her attention in her media interview ahead of the latest major. I feel like I’m fine, but some movements are restricted.
