Click here for the complete field at the 2017 Bank of Hope Founders Cup.
World's Best Arrive in the States
The Tour makes its first domestic start of the year this week in Phoenix at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup with 20 of the top-25 ranked players in the Rolex Rankings. World No. 1 Lydia Ko headlines the field along with No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and No. 4 In Gee Chun. Ko made a Sunday charge last season to try and catch Sei Young Kim, but her final round 65 wasn’t enough and she was left settling for her second runner-up finish in Phoenix. Ko has shown progress in recent weeks as she continues to adjust to her new caddie, new coach and equipment she’s employed in recent months. After a season opening T-46 in Australia, Ko posted back-to-back top-10s. Jutanugarn has continued the strong play that earned her five victories in 2016 into this new season with three top-10s in her last three starts, including a runner-up finish in Singapore. Chun is making just her second start in Phoenix where she finished T-37 in 2015.
One For The Record Books
15-years to the week after Annika Sorenstam shot a 59 at Moon Valley Golf Club and set a new 72-hole scoring record, Sei Young Kim matched her total at 27-under par to win the Bank of Hope Founders Cup – on a course just 30 minutes from where Sorenstam accomplished the feat. In the zone on Sunday, Kim cruised unaware to a 10-under par, 62 to win by five-strokes ahead of Lydia Ko. The victory marked the fourth of her career and first of two wins in 2016. Kim has had an up and down start to the 2017 season - opening with a T-42 in the Bahamas followed by a third place finish in Thailand and a T-37 finish in Singapore.
Welcome Back
All former winners of the Bank of Hope Founders Cup are in the field this week in Phoenix. 2015 winner Hyo Joo Kim won her second event on Tour in Phoenix but has struggled to follow up her victory. She put in some extra work this off-season and it has shown – she finished T-9 at the season opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. If there’s one Tournament where 2013 winner Stacy Lewis could return to the winner’s circle, Phoenix could be it. In addition to her win, Lewis hasn’t finished outside the top-4 since – including two-runner up finishes. She’s off to a strong start in 2017 with a third place finish at the season opener in the Bahamas. Yani Tseng has struggled in recent years to return to the form that made her the world’s top-ranked player and hasn’t had much success in Phoenix since her win in 2012. She's missed the cut in this event the last three years. Tseng bounced back with a T-14 finish in Thailand after missing the first two cuts of 2017. Two-time champion Karrie Webb looks to find a spark to her season this week in Phoenix. She missed the cut in her debut event at home in Australia and has yet to break the top-40 this season.
Thanks for the Invite
Natalie Gulbis and amateur Hannah O’Sullivan received sponsor invites to compete this week in Phoenix. Gulbis returns to the Bank of Hope Founders cup for the first time since 2015 and is making her second start of the season. Gulbis also received an invite to compete at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic where she failed to play the weekend. O’Sullivan is making her second consecutive start in Phoenix where she finished T-33 last season after a second round 64. The former U.S. Women’s Amateur champion will play for Duke University this fall. She made history in 2015 when she became the youngest winner in the history of the Epson Tour at 16-years of age.
)
)
)
)
