Stacy Lewis Feels Refreshed, Sits Just One Shot Back
Although Stacy Lewis has notched seven top-10 finishes this season, she’s still looking for that first victory. And despite the fact that it’s been a solid, if unspectacular (as compared to her meteoric rise to the top of the Rolex Rankings just a few years ago), a lot has changed for the 31-year-old, who got married in August.
“Things definitely are changing. I’ve changed my schedule. Changed the way I do things. You just have different priorities and kind of realize there are other things to life other than just playing golf all the time,” she said after firing an opening-round 5-under-par 67 at the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC. “The schedule is going to change because of it but that doesn’t change how you play on the golf course. You can still win. You just have a little bit more enjoyment off the course.”
Lewis has stayed fresh this late in the season by really managing her time well. She took five weeks off earlier, and didn’t play a lot of golf this fall.
“I just needed a break,” she admitted. “It was like starting the year again. It was really nice coming back, and I felt like I could do something good things these last three weeks (of the season).”
Lewis is also inspired by being back in Japan, which she says is one of the her favorite countries that the LPGA Tour visits, stating she feels as though she arrived in Japan with some ‘good vibes.’
Moving through the next two rounds, Lewis, who has 11 LPGA Tour victories to her name, has some confidence in her game.
“I did some good things last week but just had some big numbers. I felt like I was playing OK and the golf swing just felt really good today. Probably as good as it’s felt all year,” said Lewis.
Lydia Ko Switches Caddies Again, Struggles in Opening Round
As Race to the CME Globe leader Ariya Jutanugarn raced out to the first-round lead in Japan, Lydia Ko, her closest challenger for the Race to the CME Globe title, struggled to a 2-over-par 74.
“I didn’t strike the ball very well today. The driver and irons, nothing was really clicking and when it’s like that overall it’s really hard to give yourself a lot of birdie opportunities. I struck the ball a little better on the back nine but still it wasn’t great,” she admitted. “It was a little bit of a surprise because I’d hit the ball well the past few days in the practice rounds and pro-am so hopefully it’s just a one day thing and by tomorrow I’ll be all sorted.”
Ko, who leads the LPGA Tour’s 2016 money list by a small margin over Jutanugarn (less than $4,000), finished tied for 12th last week at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. She got off to a slow start last week as well before turning it around for the middle two rounds.
The 19-year-old also has another new caddie on her bag this week.
“We had a few days to work with each other and I think it’s been going pretty good. I think when I’m out there I need to trust him and he trusts me. It’s been fine,” Ko explained. “I need to do my role better. Hit the ball better and all that, but it’s been good and he’s got a lot of experience and he brings that to the game when we’re on the course.”
Ko’s goal for tomorrow is just to make more birdies and minimize her mistakes. And although she didn’t have an ideal start Friday in Japan, the crowd came out in droves to see her.
“The fans were great today, especially on the first hole,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever come to a tournament when there’s been that many people at the first round.”
Sandra Gal Finishes Strong, Looks to Keep the Momentum Going
Anytime you finish a stretch of golf going eagle-birdie, it’s likely you can’t wait to make the turn, or for your next round to begin.
That’s what happened Friday at the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC for Germany’s Sandra Gal, who, playing the back nine first, made eagle on the par-5 17th, and then holed a bunker shot for a birdie on the par-4 18th.
She was even par on the front nine, and her 4-under-par total sees her tied for 7th.
“I think it got me fired up a little bit,” she said of her start. “I hit my three-wood to six feet, made the putt (on 17) and then the next hole, I hit it in the bunker but holed the shot, which was great.”
Although Gal has only one LPGA Tour victory (in 2011) she has a steady career, having not taken many risks with her game.
However, being risk-adverse on the course wasn’t the case off-the-course this week, as she’s had a tremendous time sampling local Japanese cuisine, without much knowledge of what’s on the menu.
“I have (had some good food) but I still am not sure what the name of it is,” she said with a laugh. “You order it and you take a risk and hope that what you’ve ordered is what you see. But actually there’s lots of good food here and some great sushi as well.”
Jenny Shin’s Work With a New Coach is Starting to Pay Off
South Korea’s Jenny Shin notched a win earlier this year at the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout, her first LPGA Tour victory, and has three other top-10 finishes.
And after an opening-round 5-under-par 67 in Japan, she’s just one shot back of the lead and is prime position to make a strong move over the next two days.
“(My game) is turning around really nicely. I struggled in the first four events (of the Asia Swing) but it’s nice to shoot five-under in my opening round both last week and this week (Shin finished tied for 12th in Malaysia),” she said. “I’ve been working a lot on my swing with my new coach.”
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