KERR DEFENDING “WALK-OFF” WIN

Defending CME Group Tour Championship winner Cristie Kerr returns to the site of her most recent victory this week at Tiburón Golf Club. It was the 18th win of the 39-year-old’s career on the LPGA Tour, and one she likened to a “walk-off win in the World Series.”

“Definitely felt like a walk-off homerun,” Kerr said in a press conference Tuesday. “Yeah, I’ve had great memories since I’ve been back walking around kind of remembering some of the shots I hit or how I felt. I’ve played pretty well the last couple days, so fingers crossed.”

Kerr said she feels like a “hometown girl” being back in Naples with all of the family and friends that come out to watch her play here. The American used a final-round 4-under 68 highlighted by lengthy putts for birdie on 15 and eagle on 17 to capture a win she could relish the entire offseason.

“I was actually a little disappointed. I wanted to keep going at the end of last year. But at the same time, I had the whole off-season to savor it. It’s an interesting feeling. I’m glad I got to experience it.”

Kerr described her 2016 as a “transitional year,” noting that her family has moved three times while she also took time off while her husband recovered from knee surgery. Her four top-10s is the lowest total since her 1999 season, but Kerr has been heating up of late with two top-10s in her last three starts including a season-best T7 at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship.

“It’s been a crazy year for us. It’s been kind of nonstop. Like not a lot of rest. Always doing something. We’re renovating our house. I said in another interview, it’ll be nice when January 1st rolls around and it’s a fresh new year.

But sometimes you have those in your career. If you play professional golf long enough, you’ll have years that are transitional years. You have to get through them and ride the highs and lows of a career. It’s not all high. People who play professional golf know it’s not all high.”

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Rolex Rankings No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and Rolex Rankings No. 7 Brooke Henderson are ranked No. 1 and No. 3 respectively in the Race to the CME Globe standings heading to the CME Group Tour Championship, meaning both players, along with No. 2 seed Lydia Ko, can automatically capture the $1 million prize by winning this week.

Henderson and Jutanugarn both had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the “money box” that could be theirs come Sunday, and commented on the chance at winning the grand prize Tuesday:

“Of course everybody like that one, that box. I just, I don’t know. I just really want to have fun. This year has been a great year for me already. No matter what going to happen after this week, I really happy about that.” – Ariya Jutanugarn

“Yeah, it is our final [tournament of the] year, so I definitely want to give it all I got, but hopefully I’ll have a long career at LPGA Tour. The season starts in just a couple short months again. It’s definitely a really big week, so I’m definitely really looking forward to it. I think about it a little bit. You know, when I make birdies on the course or bogeys I think it’ll still be in the back of my mind. Hopefully I’ll be able to play my own game, take it shot by shot, and finish the tournament in a good spot.” – Brooke Henderson

ARIYA PUT EARLY STRUGGLES IN THE REARVIEW

When reminded today about shooting an 84 in the final round of the COATES Golf Championship Presented by R+L CARRIERS in Ocala, Fla. back in February, Race to CME Globe Ranking No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, at first, joked that she couldn’t recall that round. Jutanugarn was able to put her early struggles in the rear-view mirror five tournaments later at March’s ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

“I think at ANA I just feel like everything is getting better,” said Jutanugarn. “Even like last three hole in the final round, I’m in the lead. I almost can win that. I just have to make like three par. I learn a lot from that because I know how to play under the pressure. I know like when I’m really nervous and excited what I have to do to get through that.”

In the 20 tournaments after the ANA Invitational, Ariya finished in the top-20 18 times, top-10 12 times and earned five wins, three being back-to-back-to-back wins in the month of May, while climbing all the way to No. 2 in the world in the process.

KO IN POSITION FOR 3-PEAT

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lydia Ko is the only golfer to ever win the Race to the CME Globe, having taken the $1 million prize in consecutive seasons in 2014 and 2015. She will be aiming for a three-peat this week at Tiburón Golf Club.

As a 17-year-old, Ko was the first player to grab the CME Group Tour Championship trophy in 2014 when she defeated Carlota Ciganda and Julieta Granada in a playoff that lasted four holes for her fifth career LPGA win. She is the only player to win both the Tour Championship and the Race to the GME Globe in the same season.

In 2015, a T-7 finish was good enough for Ko to win the Race to the CME Globe as she edged out Inbee Park by 300 points after the reset. This year Ko can again guarantee herself the grand prize with a win, but she currently stands in second place behind Race to the CME Globe Ranking No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn in the point standings.

“For me to be in this position and have the opportunity to go for the Globe again and all the other things, it’s a pretty cool position to be in,” said Ko. “At the same time, I’m in a bit of a different position to last year. I’m not really in the driver’s seat. A lot of things. For it to happen, I kind of need to win this week. For me, it’s more important to have a strong finish to the season. That’s what I’m mainly thinking about, and just enjoying being here in Naples.”

One honor that Ko could carry away for the first time in her career is the Vare Trophy – she currently leads the Tour for lowest scoring average at 69.611 (90 rounds).

“It would being really cool,” Ko said of the opportunity. “I think I’m in the 60s, and there is not that many players where the scoring average is in the 60s. Obviously to win the Vare Trophy, and have my name alongside the many other players that have had their names on this trophy, it would be a pretty special Sunday.”

OF NOTE

Lydia Ko is the only player to win the Race to the CME Globe and the CME Group Tour Championship in the same season (2014)
At the TOTO Japan Classic, Ariya Jutanugarn scored her 52nd round in the 60s of 2016, passing Lorena Ochoa (51 in 2004) for most rounds in the 60s in a single season in LPGA history
With four under-par rounds this week, Brooke Henderson (81) could tie the all-time mark for most sub-par rounds in a season (85, Stacy Lewis, 2014)
Jutanugarn (449) and Henderson (441) both have a chance to break Stacy Lewis’ record for most birdies in a season (451 in 2014)

TV Times this week for CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Golf Channel

November 17 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET (Tape Delay)

November 18 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET (Tape Delay)

November 19 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET (Tape Delay)

ABC

November 20 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

All times listed are Eastern

Kerr Defends, Ko Looks to Repeat and Jutanugarn Puts Early Struggles Behind Her

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