No bogeys.
Some players can say that after finishing an 18-hole round, but after 72 holes? Not likely.
But Inbee Park did just that at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore last year, out-dueling world No. 1 Lydia Ko and world No. 3 Stacy Lewis on Sunday to earn her 13th career win. Park finished at 15-under-par at the par-72, 6,600-yard Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, two better than Ko and four clear of Lewis, and she did it in style.
“I don’t think I can even believe myself that I didn’t make any bogeys for 72 holes,” Park said after the big win. “I mean, if I was afraid of the bogeys, I’d probably make bogeys. But I thought, ‘Whatever happens, it’s just meant to be.’
“This week was just incredible.”
Not only was it a bogey-free affair, but Park led wire to wire.
“That’s a big accomplishment for me, and I think I’ve done that probably once before only, and to have pressure every day since Thursday, I think it’s something that I should be really proud of. I mean, I think it’s a lot harder to do wire to wire than coming from behind.”
Park has proven through the years she can win in any way, and she’ll be one to watch this week as the LPGA Tour returns to the hospitable country for a $1.5 million event that has added $100,000 to the purse from a year ago. Park tied for 30th in Thailand on Sunday in her first event back from a back injury, and being at the welcoming confines of Sentosa Golf Club could set her at ease thanks to the great memories from 2015.
Ko and Lewis – who won at the same course in 2013 – are back to challenge Park, as are last week’s runaway winner Lexi Thompson, 2014 HSBC Women’s Champions champion Paula Creamer and Jessica Korda, who fired a 64 in Thailand on Sunday. In addition, HSBC Women’s Champions winners Angela Stanford (2012), Karrie Webb (2011) and Ai Miyazato (2010) – won earned their victories at Tanah Merah Country Club – are teeing it up this week.
Other players to watch include rookie star In Gee Chun, Sunday’s runner-up to Thompson who is now ranked No. 6 in the world, and 2016 tournament winners Hyo Joo Kim, Ha Na Jang and Naru Nomura. Players like Amy Yang, who has firmly entrenched herself in the top 10 of the world rankings, Suzann Pettersen, Yani Tseng, Michelle Wie, Sei Young Kim and Anna Nordqvist add even more star power to an absolutely loaded field.
Golf Channel will carry the action live from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET on Thursday and midnight to 3 a.m. Friday through Sunday as the LPGA’s fifth champion of the season is crowned. It’s been an exciting season so far with a few surprises mixed in, and the next surprise could come on Sunday.
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