WEATHER A CONTINUING STORYLINE AT SHOAL CREEK

Subtropical Storm Alberto may have moved away from Alabama, but rain continues to be a major storyline at this week’s U.S. Women’s Open Championship. USGA officials kept the course closed until 1 p.m. on Wednesday due to morning thunderstorms. Similar conditions caused a delay until 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with players only able to use practice facilities while the water-logged golf course was given time to recover from the nearly five inches of rain it has received since Sunday.

“We are evaluating the golf course both from a playability standpoint, how we mark ground under repair, how we set up the golf course,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s senior managing director of of championships and governance. “All the tools in our tool kit, as I’ve said, are at our disposal, and we’ll use those and what the rules give us to use. We’re also just evaluating play and what it looks like for the players now and how they are playing the golf course, how it feels to them, what it looks like to us and from a maintenance standpoint.”

Wednesday afternoon brought sunny skies and much-needed drying conditions to Shoal Creek, though there is a chance of more overnight precipitation. USGA officials are hopeful that the first round will begin as scheduled on Thursday at 6:40 a.m., when Casey Danielson, a member of the Ladies European Tour who hails from Wisconsin, will step to the first tee and hit the first ball of the competition.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEFENDING CHAMPION SUNG HYUN PARK

Park won the U.S. Women’s Open in July 2017 and followed up one month later with a victory at the CP Women’s Open; including those two wins, she had 11 top-10 finishes in 2017, tied with So Yeon Ryu for Rolex Player of the Year honors and won the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award

Park is competing in her second U.S Women’s Open; she finished T3 in 2016 after leading through 36 holes

Through nine LPGA Tour events in 2018, Park has one victory (Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic) and one other top-10 finish (ANA Inspiration)

Park is third in driving distance average at 274.9 yards, behind Maude-Aimee Leblanc (275.9 yards) and Yani Tseng (275.7 yards)

U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN IS SECOND LEG OF ROLEX ANNIKA MAJOR AWARD

The Rolex ANNIKA Major Award recognizes the player who, during a current LPGA Tour season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. Points will be awarded at all five major championships to competitors who finish among the top 10 and ties. To take home the award, a player must also win at least one of the five majors.

Pernilla Lindberg took the early lead in the 2018 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award standings following her win over Inbee Park and Jennifer Song in an eight-hole, sudden-death playoff at the ANA Inspiration, the longest sudden-death playoff in LPGA major championship history.

The winner of the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award will be announced in a ceremony at The Evian Championship, wrapping up what promises to be an exciting season of majors in 2018. In 2017, So Yeon Ryu joined Lydia Ko (2016), Inbee Park (2015) and Michelle Wie (2014) as winners of the award.

Click here for more on the Rolex Annika Major Award.

FINAL CHANCE FOR COUNTRIES TO QUALIFY FOR UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN

It’s down to the wire for countries to qualify for the UL International Crown, to be held Oct. 4-7 at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The eight qualifying countries will be determined when the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are released on June 4, while players will be determined following the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on July 2.

Spain won the inaugural UL International Crown in 2014, while the USA won in 2016. This year’s event marks the first time the competition will be held outside the USA.

The current country standings are:

1. Republic of Korea (18)

2. United States of America (43)

3. Japan (172)

4. England (185)

5. Australia (242)

6. Thailand (255)

7. Sweden (285)

8. Chinese Taipei (317)

Outside looking in:

9. Spain (485)

10. People’s Republic of China (499)

For more information on the UL International Crown, visit: www.ulcrown.com

Weather a Continuing Storyline and More from Shoal Creek

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