1. Friberg travels to Mexico to defend title at MasterCard Classic
2. LPGA names Ladies Links Fore Golf the official online amateur golf community of the LPGA
3. This week: MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Nextel, BosqueReal Country Club, Huixquilucan, Mexico, $1,300,000, March 20-22, 2009; GSCAA Course Information
4. Next week: J Golf Phoenix LPGA International Presented by Mirassou Winery, Papago Golf Course, Phoenix, Ariz., $1,500,000, March 26-29, 2009; TV Times; GCSAA Course Information
5. LPGA news and notes
6. Race for the Cup
1. Friberg travels to Mexico to defend title at MasterCard Classic
HUIXQUILUCAN, Mexico- After a week off, the LPGA Tour resumes play as it crosses the border into Mexico for the fifth-staging of the MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Nextel. Second-year LPGA Tour player Louise Friberg will defend her 2008 title on the same course, BosqueReal Country Club, in Huixquilucan, Mexico, and once again go for the $195,000 winner's check, beginning March 20-22.
A year ago at the three-day event, Friberg began the final round 10-strokes back from second-round leader Ji Young Oh, after shooting 72 and 73 in the first and second rounds, respectively. In the final round, the Swede fired a tournament record and career-low 7-under-par 65, to claim the top-spot for the event. Friberg's 10-stroke comeback was the largest come-from-behind victory of 2008.
The field at the 2009 MasterCard Classic includes eight of the top-10 players in the world, and 13 of the top 20. Joining defending champion Friberg is Rolex Rankings top-ranked player Lorena Ochoa, number two Yani Tseng, third-ranked Paula Creamer, number four Jiyai Shin, fifth-ranked Suzann Pettersen, number seven Helen Alfredsson, eighth-ranked Cristie Kerr and Seon Hwa Lee, 10th in the world, rounds out the top-10.
Going into the fourth official event of the 2009 season, Ochoa and Shin have already captured victories as Ochoa earned her 25th LPGA Tour win at the Honda LPGA Thailand, while rookie Shin recorded her first official win as a member at the HSBC Women's Champions event in Singapore.
Along with the veterans in the field this week, nine talented rookies will be in action as well. Chella Choi, M.J. Hur, Vicky Hurst, Mindy Kim, Jeehae Lee, Stacy Lewis, Mika Miyazato and Shiho Oyama will be looking to record their first LPGA victory. In addition to last year's champion, Friberg, 2007 winner Meaghan Francella will have her eyes set on her second LPGA career victory as well.
2. LPGA names Ladies Links Fore Golf the official online amateur golf community of the LPGA
Ladies Links Fore Golf offers golf tips, videos, tournaments, and discounts with LPGA T&CP at LL4G.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., March 16, 2009 -- The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today designated Ladies Links Fore Golf the official online amateur golf community of the LPGA.
As part of the agreement, Ladies Links Fore Golf will post teaching videos to the LPGA's official Web site (LPGA.com) monthly, and will explore additional cross-promotional opportunities on its own Web site at LL4G.com.
"A number of the LPGA's top teaching professionals established Ladies Links Fore Golf in 2005 to further empower women golfers by linking them to new learning and playing opportunities. Partnering with these women is a natural fit for our organization, as their vision is manifested in the vision of our extended LPGA family - To inspire, empower, educate and entertain," said Libba Galloway, deputy commissioner of the LPGA. "We now can work more closely to attract more women to the game of golf, and to highlight the important role of our Teaching & Club Professionals (T&CP) in communities across the country."
In 2008, Ladies Links Fore Golf launched LL4G.com, the nation's fastest growing women's amateur online golf community, designed to offer women golfers instruction, support, and mental and physical strategies to improve their golf games. In early 2009, the Web site was updated with new interactive features, including a member "Locker Room," where members can post their profiles and search for other members in their area, as well as a "Find a Teaching Pro" section that enables visitors to search for LPGA T&CP.
"We are thrilled to partner with the LPGA," said Lynn Stellman, CEO of Ladies Links Fore Golf. "Our affiliation will allow us to more rapidly grow our programs so that we can bring new learning and playing opportunities to a broad range of golfers around the world - from beginners to advanced amateurs."
In addition to its Web site upgrades this year, Ladies Links Fore Golf will sponsor six "Fun Days," two tournaments and two golf schools in the first part of 2009. Other events may be added as the year progresses.
Membership in Ladies Links Fore Golf is available to all amateur players. For more information about the website, events or membership, visit LL4G.com.
3. This week: MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Nextel, BosqueReal Country Club, Huixquilucan, Mexico, $1,300,000, March 20-22, 2009; GSCAA Course Information
Par: 36-36, 72
Yardage: 6,892
Format: 54-hole stroke play
Winner: $195,000
Runner-up: $109,114
Field: 132 pros
Defending champion: Louise Friberg
Victory margin: Defeated Yani Tseng by one stroke
Media center: 011-52-55-5284-9440
LPGA media contact: Dana Gross-Rhode
● GCSAA Course Information
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
BosqueReal Country Club
Huixquilucan, Mexico
Golf Course Superintendent, contact: Alejandro Campoy, 011-52-55-1084-9500
Course architect, date: Von Haggen, 1994
Course grasses
Tees - Bentgrass
Fairways - Perennial ryegrass
Greens - Bentgrass
Rough - Perennial ryegrass
For more information, access GCSAA Fact Sheets at GCSAA.org
4. Next week: J Golf Phoenix LPGA International Presented by Mirassou Winery, Papago Golf Course, Phoenix, Ariz., $1,500,000, March 26-29, 2009; TV Times; GCSAA Course Information
Par: 36-36, 72
Yardage: 6,711
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Winner: $225,000
Runner-up: $137,861
Field: 144 players
Defending champion: Lorena Ochoa
Victory margin: Defeated Jee Young Lee by seven strokes
Tournament information: 503-626-2711
● TV Times
Golf Channel
March 26-27 6:30-8:30 p.m.
March 28 6:30-9:30 p.m. (tape delay)
March 29 7:00-9:30 p.m. (tape delay)
All times Eastern
● GCSAA Course Information
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Papago Golf Course
Phoenix, Ariz.
GCSAA Golf Course Superintendent, contact: Thomas M. Wolff, 602-663-8836
Course architect, date: Billy Bell, 1962
Most recent redesign/renovation: Billy Fuller, 2008
Course grasses
Tees - Overseeded bermudagrass
Fairways - Overseeded bermudagrass
Greens - Bermudagrass
Rough - Bermudagrass
For more information, access GCSAA Fact Sheets at GCSAA.org
5. LPGA news and notes
Two weeks until Kraft Nabisco Championship. With the season's first major just two weeks away, players not already qualified for the Kraft Nabisco Championship can use the next two tournaments to get into the top 30 on the 2009 LPGA Official Money List to gain entry. All members who finish in, or are tied for, the top-30 positions on the 2009 LPGA Official Money List at the conclusion of the 2009 J Golf LPGA Phoenix International Presented by Mirassou Winery are eligible to play the Kraft Nabisco Championship, April 2-5, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Combined with the first three tournaments of the season, this week's $1.3 million MasterCard Classic Honoring Aleja Peralta Presented by Nextel and next week's $1.5 million J Golf Phoenix LPGA International Presented by Mirassou Winery all count toward the 2009 LPGA Official Money List.
2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour season kicks off in Florida. The 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour season tees off this week at the inaugural Florida's Natural Growers Charity Classic in Winter Haven, Fla. This year, the Tour travels to 17 tournaments in 14 states with a total purse of nearly $1.8 million. Once again this season, the top-10 players on the 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour money list will earn status on the 2010 LPGA Tour. Log-on to www.duramedfuturestour.com to follow the action.
This day in LPGA history. On March 16, 2001, Annika Sorenstam carded an LPGA Tour record 13-under-par 59 during the second round of the Standard Register PING at Moon Valley Country Club. After the record-breaking 59 during the second round, Sorenstam fought hard to outlast Se Ri Pak and clinch her second of four consecutive LPGA Tour victories. Finishing the tournament at 261 (-27), Sorenstam set or tied six LPGA records in the process: most birdies in a round (13); lowest nine-hole score (-8); lowest 18-hole score (-13); lowest 36-hole total (-20); lowest 54-hole total (-23); and lowest 72-hole total (-27).
6. Race for the Cup
The MasterCard Classic Honoring Aleja Peralta Presented by Nextel is the fourth opportunity this season for U.S.-born players to earn one and a half times the points toward a spot on the 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup team. U.S. captain Beth Daniel and her squad will face off with the European team led by 1997 U.S. Women's Open champion Alison Nicholas at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., Aug 21-23, 2009.
The Solheim Cup is a biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best U.S.-born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the best European members from the Ladies European Tour (LET). The U.S. Team leads the competition, 7-3, and has never lost The Solheim Cup on home soil.
2009 Solheim Cup countdown:
17 days until the season's first major - the Kraft Nabisco Championship - where double points will be awarded to U.S.-born LPGA players.
139 days until U.S. and European teams are announced following the RICOH Women's British Open.
158 days until matches begin at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
Topics: News and Notes
