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Paula Creamer may not have found the success she was looking for in the U.S. Women's Open. However, the "Pink Panther" lit up the first round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Ohio with an astounding 60.

In fact, Creamer (pictured right) claims that she didn't know how well she was doing. Creamer told the media, “I didn’t know it was a par 71, I thought it was a par 72. If I would have known that, who knows?”

The lowest score for a 21 year old in an LPGA round prior to Creamer's performance was a 64, thus shattering the record.

Creamer's playing partner for the day, Natalie Gulbis, said, “Paula is so talented. She could birdie every hole. She’s a birdie machine. I don’t think there’s a day that she goes out not thinking she can birdie every hole.”

Posted by Golf Champ at 9:36 AM | 0 comments    

Labels: Famous Golfers, LPGA Tour

As the world's best female golfers fight for the U.S. Women's Open title, the USGA has announced a future location for the tournament. The Women's Open will be staged on Long Island for the first time in the tournament's history at Sebonack Golf Club.

The course, designed by legends Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak, opened only in 2006.

This will mark the first time that the U.S. Women's Open has been played in New York state since the 1973 edition played at Winged Foot.

Posted by Golf Champ at 11:37 AM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, US Open, USGA

The amateur has been absent from the top of leaderboards in the U.S. Open for quite some time in the men's golf world. However, an astounding performance by a Colombian amateur in the U.S. Women's Open has put a different class of golfer in contention.

Maria Jose Uribe finished in a tie for fourth place at four under par after the tournament's initial 18 holes. Uribe, who quickly found massive grounds surrounding her as she played, is currently a student at UCLA. Despite being relatively untested at this point in her career, Uribe claimed, “I like to play under pressure, so I was looking forward to it and I knew that I was going to play good today.”

Pat Hurst, who finished at 6 under par after an eagle on Interlachen Country Club's second hole, is tied for first with Ji Young Oh of South Korea. Oh, who made over $148,000 on the LPGA Tour in 2007 as a rookie, has not yet captured an LPGA Tour title.

Lorena Ochoa finished in a tie for 33rd at even par with three birdies and three bogies during the day. Last year's champion, Cristie Kerr, is far back in a tie for 21st at one under par.

13 year old Alexis Thompson, after a 2 over par front nine, played the back nine at even par to finish at +2 after 18 holes. However, the 13 year old Thompson is currently tied with Annika Sorenstam (pictured in the upper left), who struggled on Thursday with four bogies.

Michelle Wie (pictured right) is fighting to stay out of last after an 8 over par round. Wie is currently in a tie for 146th out of the 156 players in the field. Despite being only one over par after 8 holes, a 9 on the ninth hole, a 379 yard par four, led to her high score of 81.

Posted by Golf Champ at 8:28 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour

Annika Sorenstam, the image of success in women's golf in the 2000's, has announced her retirement. Sorenstam, who has captured 72 LPGA Tour titles at this point in her career, plans to finish out this season, but then call it quits.

Despite failing to win last season, it appears Sorenstam will leave the game on top. The announcement today came after a massive seven stroke victory at the Michelob Ultra Open last weekend.

Sorenstam's final tournament will be the Dubai Ladies Masters.

Posted by Golf Champ at 4:22 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: Annika Sorenstam, LPGA Tour

Surprisingly, Michelle Wie made a decision which her critics will likely praise: not competing in another men's event for now. Wie, who has faced tremendous problems on and off the course in 2007, announced that she will not compete in the men's Casio World Open in Japan.

Posted by Golf Champ at 7:53 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie

Posted by Golf Champ at 5:27 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie

The Women's British Open will take place this Thursday through Sunday at St. Andrews' Old Course. However, the demeanor of two of the LPGA's most popular players contrasts greatly. Natalie Gulbis, fresh off her first victory last week at the Evian Masters, said, "It's been on the schedule for a couple of years now and we're really excited about coming over here and having an LPGA event and a major here at St. Andrews, the players have been excited all year. This is one of those golf courses where you're not sure you're going to get the opportunity to play."

Gulbis, along with the rest of the Women's British Open field, will play her first competitive round at St. Andrews. The Old Course is playing host to the event for the first time in its history, making it the fourth course in the world to host a PGA and LPGA sanctioned event.

On the other hand, Michelle Wie is not looking forward to the competition this week. The 17- year-old has already decided to take a defensive game plan this week, saying, "My goal is just to stay out of the pot bunkers, I never realized that almost every tee shot on the front nine is a blind tee shot. You keep on having to play to different fairways. I've been doing that by accident."

Wie has continued to complain about her nagging wrist injury, which has prevented her from playing decent rounds this season. Because of her low ranking on the LPGA Tour, Wie made it into this week's field via a sponsor's exemption.

Posted by Golf Champ at 9:30 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: British Open, LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis

LPGA Tour star Natalie Gulbis made headlines this weekend after capturing her first victory ever on the LPGA Tour. Gulbis, who has gained most of her fame from her annual swimsuit calendar, has been considered to be golf's Anna Kournikova.

However, Gulbis came through on Sunday at the Evian Masters in France with a 70, good enough to match South Korea's Jang Jeong for a 72 hole total of 284, 4 under par. In the first hole of the playoff, the 24 year old American birdied to knockout Jang.

Gulbis's Official Website was quick to add the "2007 Evian Masters" title to the site, which is likely the high point of her career. She has spent 6 years on the LPGA Tour, but has been unable to come through for her first victory despite generally good seasons. Fortunately, Gulbis has been an extremely marketable character with deals with Taylormade-Adidas, Winn, and others. Additionally, Gulbis was the star of the Golf Channel's "The Natalie Gulbis Show", a reality style program.

Gulbis, like Michelle Wie, enter the professional golf world at a young age. She became the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA event at age 14, later broken by Michelle Wie when she was only 12. Best of all, Gulbis was the former girlfriend of the NFL's greatest quarterback, Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger.

Posted by Golf Champ at 5:04 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis

Golf.Com is currently conducting a survey to find the sexiest woman in golf. My vote from the eight choices is Natalie Gulbis. However, young LPGA Tour star Paula Creamer is accumulating a lot of votes at the moment.

Posted by Golf Champ at 10:34 PM | 1 comments    

Labels: Famous Golfers, LPGA Tour, Wacky

Just in 2006, Hawaiian Tadd Fujikawa became the youngest male to qualify to the USGA's U.S. Open. Fujikawa, who made a cut in a PGA Tour event this year, was only 15 years old. In Southern Pines, North Carolina, American twelve year old Alexis Thomson became the youngest qualifier to the U.S. Women's Open in history.

The previous record was held by now 19 year old Morgan Pressel, but she was ousted by around six months. Of course, it is easy to compare the youngster to Michelle Wie, but the two are hardly similar.

Thomson will head to the Women's Open with a pretty healthy mentality, telling reporters, "If I make the cut it's going to be really awesome and if I don't it's all right." On the other hand, Thomson appears comfortable with her new celebrity status, already signing autographs for fans.

The U.S. Women's Open kicks off officially next Thursday, to be contested by 156 of the world's best female golfers.

Posted by Golf Champ at 8:30 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: Golf News, LPGA Tour, USGA

One week ago, Michelle Wie pulled out of an LPGA event hosted by Annika Sorenstam as a result of "pain in her wrist." However, Wie played the next day in Maryland for some extra practice at this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship's home course. Wie's pullout drew fire from the queen of women's golf, Sorenstam herself.

Some felt the reasons for Wie's withdrawal go beyond her "injury." If Wie had parred the 17th and 18th holes of her round, she would have shot an 88. With an 88, she would no longer be eligible to take sponsor's exemptions on the LPGA Tour, so would end her efforts on that tour until she wins a LPGA Tour Card.

Wie's woes continued this week at the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. The teenager shot 83 in the third round, which left her five shots behind the rest of the field. There is a possibility that Wie will withdraw from the final round, as GolfChannel.com reports, "Wie's left wrist was clearly bothering her."

Posted by Golf Champ at 8:37 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie

Last spring, Dakoda Dowd's mother, Kelly Jo Dowd, witnessed her daughter playing in an LPGA event, the Ginn Open in Reunion, FL. Dakoda was only 13 at the time. Dakoda is one of the top ranked junior female players in the nation.

Kelly Jo Dowd spent years battling breast cancer. She lost her battle on Thursday, May 24, 2007.

Posted by Golf Champ at 8:40 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: Golf News, LPGA Tour

Nancy Lopez, who set the LPGA on fire in 1978, will return to the LPGA nearly 30 years later.

In the past few years, she has lost 30 pounds and focused on strength training. She plans to play in five or six LPGA Tour events this year. Her first event will be the Ginn Open in Florida, April 12 - 15.

Personally, I know Lopez has developed other interests off the course. Several years ago, a neighbor traveled to Atlanta, GA to purchase a pure breed dog from Lopez which he subsequently named "Bogey".

Posted by Golf Champ at 9:55 AM | 0 comments    

Labels: Famous Golfers, LPGA Tour

While Tiger dominated basically every event he entered this year, LPGA star Lorena Ochoa was busy taking down a giant. Annika Sorenstam has been the LPGA's Tiger for several years now, but that all changed after the young Mexican Ochoa came to play. Ochoa won and placed second in many events to finish the LPGA season and claim the tour's player of the year honor.

Her success in 2006 was further honored when the Associated Press voted Ochoa the "female player of the year." In short, golf now has the best athlete in both the male and female sports world. It's hard to believe that golf, not considered a "major" sport, dominated the "majors" as well as great performances by its peers such as the success by Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova in tennis.


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Posted by Golf Champ at 4:06 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: Awards, LPGA Tour

After a spectacular season, Mexico's Lorena Ochoa took the LPGA's player of the year honor. Ochoa's victory was hardy surprising after she had arguably the most dominant year of any player other than Annika Sorenstam during the current era. Ochoa clinched the player of the year title by winning her 6th event of the season at the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions. A seven under Sunday round in Alabama was good enough for a great victory over several of the tour's other young guns such as Paula Creamer.

Ochoa's Player of the Year honor is the first in five years not given to Annika Sorenstam. The 2006 season may signal a changing of the tide on the LPGA tour which leaves golf fans to question if Annika will reclaim her post in 2007.

Posted by Golf Champ at 3:22 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour

Posted by Golf Champ at 5:35 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour

Posted by Golf Champ at 3:46 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour, Michelle Wie

Posted by Golf Champ at 2:58 PM | 0 comments    

Labels: LPGA Tour