Inbee Park (click to enlarge)
The toughest part of being a fan of so many players on the LPGA tour is that for me there are inevitably days like this where I am overjoyed and crushed at the same time. I’ll start with the positive. Inbee Park successfully defended her title by winning the 2014 Wegmans LPGA Championship in a playoff. It’s not only Queen Bee’s second LPGA Championship, it’s also her 5th Major title. That matches the number of Majors won by her idol, Se Ri Pak. At 26, Inbee seems poised to pass Se Ri and maybe finish her career as the greatest South Korean player of all time. A few years ago to suggest anybody might eclipse Se Ri for that title would have been unthinkable. But after the Player of the Year, 3-Major winning 2013 season that Inbee had and her now tying Se Ri in Majors won, there might be some that think she’s already better than Se Ri was. I’d say slow down on that for the moment. Don’t forget that Se Ri’s best years came during a time when Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Juli Inkster, all Hall of Famers, were winning at a high rate. And Inbee still has work to do to match Se Ri’s 25 overall wins. But if somebody wanted to say Inbee is already the best Seoul Sister ever, the arguments against that claim are quickly being erased.
Brittany Lincicome and Inbee Park (click to enlarge)
Inbee won the playoff, which means somebody lost it. That somebody is another favorite of mine, Brittany Lincicome. Walking to the 18th green, applause echoing around her, it seemed she would not only capture her first LPGA title since 2011, but make it a Major as well. Bam-Bam won the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship, but it’s been a long time since she had so much pressure on her shoulders. She needed only to two putt for par from the back edge of the green to claim victory. But the word “only” belies the difficulty of the moment. She left the first putt 8 feet short of the hole. Nerves had struck. Although she was still one up with a chance to win with her next putt, it felt like it had slipped away. Sure enough, her par attempt was low and Inbee was let back into the tournament. On the first playoff hole, the same par-4 18th that sunk Lincicome in regulation, the American star chipped her third shot from close to where she was at the back fringe in regulation 6 feet past the hole. After Brittany missed the comeback putt for par, Inbee sank a par putt to claim the championship. Again, overjoyed for Queen Bee, but also crushed for Bam-Bam.
Meena Lee and Inbee Park (click to enlarge)
However, let’s take nothing away from Inbee Park. No matter if Brittany tripped up on the 72nd hole, a tournament isn’t over until the final shot is taken. That’s especially true when the defending tour Player of the Year is on your heels. Inbee did what she needed to do to win. Brittany didn’t. Still, as she said in her interview, second place in a Major is a great achievement. Obviously, she was close to so much more but what she ended up with is also something of which she should be proud. The greatest sadness of the day was the LPGA Tour leaving Rochester, New York after 38 years. The community loved the LPGA and the LPGA loved them back. It’s too bad it had to come to an end. Hopefully, with a great commissioner like Michael Whan at the helm, the LPGA might one day find its way back to Rochester. If not, if this is the end, let’s all tip our hats to the local community for such a magical run for so long.
ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE
1 INBEE PARK (-11)
2 BRITTANY LINCICOME (-11)
3 LYDIA KO (-8)
T4 AZAHARA MUNOZ (-6)
T4 ANNA NORDQVIST (-6)
…and one last pic, of Gerina Piller, who finished T13, holding back tears after learning her husband Martin won on the web.com tour
| Pos | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Today | Thru | Total | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inbee Park | 72 | 66 | 69 | 70 | -2 | F | -11 | 277 |
| 2 | Brittany Lincicome | 67 | 68 | 71 | 71 | -1 | F | -11 | 277 |
| 3 | Lydia Ko | 70 | 69 | 71 | 70 | -2 | F | -8 | 280 |
| T4 | Azahara Munoz | 71 | 70 | 71 | 70 | -2 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T4 | Anna Nordqvist | 69 | 73 | 69 | 71 | -1 | F | -6 | 282 |
| T6 | Shanshan Feng | 68 | 72 | 71 | 72 | E | F | -5 | 283 |
| T6 | Julieta Granada | 75 | 65 | 72 | 71 | -1 | F | -5 | 283 |
| T6 | Mirim Lee | 69 | 71 | 69 | 74 | +2 | F | -5 | 283 |
| T6 | Stacy Lewis | 71 | 73 | 71 | 68 | -4 | F | -5 | 283 |
| T6 | Suzann Pettersen | 71 | 69 | 67 | 76 | +4 | F | -5 | 283 |
| T11 | Meena Lee | 66 | 73 | 71 | 74 | +2 | F | -4 | 284 |
| T11 | Jane Park | 70 | 69 | 72 | 73 | +1 | F | -4 | 284 |
| T13 | Carlota Ciganda | 73 | 73 | 67 | 72 | E | F | -3 | 285 |
| T13 | Gerina Piller | 72 | 69 | 69 | 75 | +3 | F | -3 | 285 |
| T13 | So Yeon Ryu | 73 | 71 | 72 | 69 | -3 | F | -3 | 285 |
| T13 | Jenny Shin | 75 | 71 | 69 | 70 | -2 | F | -3 | 285 |
| T17 | Cristie Kerr | 68 | 74 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Mo Martin | 72 | 70 | 72 | 72 | E | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Caroline Masson | 72 | 73 | 68 | 73 | +1 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Lisa McCloskey | 67 | 75 | 72 | 72 | E | F | -2 | 286 |
| T17 | Lexi Thompson | 66 | 72 | 74 | 74 | +2 | F | -2 | 286 |
| T22 | Chella Choi | 70 | 74 | 72 | 71 | -1 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | Sandra Gal | 71 | 73 | 71 | 72 | E | F | -1 | 287 |
| T22 | Sydnee Michaels | 74 | 69 | 73 | 71 | -1 | F | -1 | 287 |
| T25 | Na Yeon Choi | 74 | 68 | 73 | 73 | +1 | F | E | 288 |
| T25 | Laura Davies | 71 | 72 | 75 | 70 | -2 | F | E | 288 |
| T25 | Laura Diaz | 73 | 70 | 72 | 73 | +1 | F | E | 288 |
| T25 | Danielle Kang | 70 | 73 | 72 | 73 | +1 | F | E | 288 |
| T25 | Karrie Webb | 73 | 71 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | E | 288 |
| T30 | Juli Inkster | 74 | 71 | 74 | 70 | -2 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Eun-Hee Ji | 69 | 73 | 73 | 74 | +2 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Tiffany Joh | 70 | 72 | 70 | 77 | +5 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Catriona Matthew | 69 | 76 | 75 | 69 | -3 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Jennifer Song | 72 | 73 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Angela Stanford | 69 | 75 | 74 | 71 | -1 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T30 | Yani Tseng | 70 | 75 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | +1 | 289 |
| T37 | Sarah Kemp | 71 | 72 | 74 | 73 | +1 | F | +2 | 290 |
| T37 | Lizette Salas | 71 | 75 | 71 | 73 | +1 | F | +2 | 290 |
| T37 | Karin Sjodin | 73 | 73 | 74 | 70 | -2 | F | +2 | 290 |
| T40 | Moriya Jutanugarn | 71 | 74 | 75 | 71 | -1 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Haeji Kang | 72 | 73 | 73 | 73 | +1 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Jessica Korda | 70 | 73 | 73 | 75 | +3 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Ilhee Lee | 69 | 73 | 73 | 76 | +4 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Xiyu Lin | 71 | 72 | 77 | 71 | -1 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Beatriz Recari | 70 | 70 | 72 | 79 | +7 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Ashleigh Simon | 74 | 72 | 68 | 77 | +5 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T40 | Sarah Jane Smith | 73 | 71 | 74 | 73 | +1 | F | +3 | 291 |
| T48 | Katie Burnett | 74 | 70 | 75 | 73 | +1 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T48 | Emma Jandel | 69 | 75 | 74 | 74 | +2 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T48 | Candie Kung | 74 | 72 | 72 | 74 | +2 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T48 | Haru Nomura | 73 | 72 | 72 | 75 | +3 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T48 | Paula Reto | 70 | 71 | 76 | 75 | +3 | F | +4 | 292 |
| T53 | Jennifer Kirby | 67 | 79 | 71 | 76 | +4 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Pernilla Lindberg | 73 | 73 | 70 | 77 | +5 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Kristy McPherson | 71 | 71 | 77 | 74 | +2 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Brooke Pancake | 69 | 76 | 70 | 78 | +6 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T53 | Ayako Uehara | 72 | 74 | 74 | 73 | +1 | F | +5 | 293 |
| T58 | Jaye Marie Green | 73 | 73 | 73 | 75 | +3 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T58 | Jennifer Johnson | 70 | 70 | 77 | 77 | +5 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T58 | Stacey Keating | 72 | 74 | 70 | 78 | +6 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T58 | Becky Morgan | 75 | 71 | 74 | 74 | +2 | F | +6 | 294 |
| T62 | Jacqui Concolino | 73 | 73 | 76 | 73 | +1 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T62 | Kathleen Ekey | 72 | 72 | 73 | 78 | +6 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T62 | M.J. Hur | 71 | 75 | 76 | 73 | +1 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T62 | Jimin Kang | 74 | 72 | 74 | 75 | +3 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T62 | Brittany Lang | 70 | 75 | 73 | 77 | +5 | F | +7 | 295 |
| T62 | Erica Popson | 73 | 73 | 75 | 74 | +2 | F | +7 | 295 |
| 68 | Katy Harris | 72 | 74 | 76 | 75 | +3 | F | +9 | 297 |
| 69 | Mina Harigae | 73 | 73 | 75 | 77 | +5 | F | +10 | 298 |
| T70 | Chie Arimura | 71 | 75 | 74 | 79 | +7 | F | +11 | 299 |
| T70 | Austin Ernst | 71 | 75 | 75 | 78 | +6 | F | +11 | 299 |
| 72 | Dewi Claire Schreefel | 74 | 70 | 76 | 80 | +8 | F | +12 | 300 |
| 73 | Thidapa Suwannapura | 72 | 71 | 78 | 80 | +8 | F | +13 | 301 |
| T74 | Marina Alex | 72 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Anya Alvarez | 75 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Amy Anderson | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Irene Coe | 73 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Caroline Hedwall | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Maria Hernandez | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Pat Hurst | 77 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Christina Kim | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Sue Kim | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Joanna Klatten | 72 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Mi Hyang Lee | 75 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Pornanong Phatlum | 71 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Reilley Rankin | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Jenny Suh | 76 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Kris Tamulis | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Mariajo Uribe | 72 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T74 | Lindsey Wright | 73 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
| T91 | Jodi Ewart Shadoff | 72 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Yueer Cindy Feng | 70 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Jeong Jang | 76 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Nicole Jeray | 72 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | P.K. Kongkraphan | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Cindy LaCrosse | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Megan McChrystal | 70 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Stephanie Meadow | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Mika Miyazato | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Ji Young Oh | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Hee Young Park | 73 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Morgan Pressel | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Jennifer Rosales | 74 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Alena Sharp | 71 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T91 | Amy Yang | 72 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
| T106 | Heather Bowie Young | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Cydney Clanton | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Brianna Do | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Sophie Gustafson | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Hee-Won Han | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Karine Icher | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Ai Miyazato | 74 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T106 | Giulia Sergas | 71 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
| T114 | Paula Creamer | 73 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Louise Friberg | 75 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Kim Kaufman | 74 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Mindy Kim | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Katherine Kirk | 75 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Rebecca Lee-Bentham | 75 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Lee-Anne Pace | 72 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Jane Rah | 78 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T114 | Kelly Tan | 77 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
| T123 | Sandra Changkija | 76 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T123 | Jee Young Lee | 74 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T123 | Amelia Lewis | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T123 | Alejandra Llaneza | 77 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T123 | Maria McBride | 73 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T123 | Giulia Molinaro | 75 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
| T129 | Christel Boeljon | 77 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T129 | Dori Carter | 75 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T129 | Sue Ginter | 76 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T129 | Paola Moreno | 72 | 80 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T129 | Ryann O’Toole | 76 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T129 | Line Vedel | 79 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
| T135 | Jessica Carafiello | 77 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T135 | Moira Dunn | 75 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T135 | Felicity Johnson | 75 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T135 | Charlotta Sorenstam | 83 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
| T139 | Emma Talley | 77 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T139 | Alison Walshe | 79 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T139 | Sun Young Yoo | 77 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
| T142 | Julia Boland | 77 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| T142 | Hannah Jun Medlock | 80 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
| T144 | Silvia Cavalleri | 75 | 81 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| T144 | Paz Echeverria | 77 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 156 |
| T146 | Katie Futcher | 75 | 83 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 158 |
| T146 | Megan Grehan | 79 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 158 |
| 148 | Jean Bartholomew | 81 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 159 |
| 149 | Alison Curdt | 83 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 162 |
| 150 | Belen Mozo | 72 | WD | WD | WD | – | – | – | 72 |
Fairways and Forehands 