SB Nation User Blog: hound dog

U.S. Open - 2nd Round

hound dog — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:55:07 -0000

Cristie Kerr posted a 70 (-3 overall) to take a one shot lead at the U.S. Women's Open. Paula Creamer is in second place at -2 after carding a 68. Jean Reynolds is in third place at -1 while Na Yeon Choi and Giulia Sergas are tied for fifth at even par.

Conditions on Friday were just as good as Thursday, allowing seven players to break par after only five did so yesterday. Kerr was the only under-par repeater, following her opening 69 with a five-birdie four-bogey effort. At one time during her front nine (after birdies at 15, 16 and 17), Cristie led by three shots. A late bogey at 8 prevented the overnight lead from being two. Creamer played each nine in 34. Bogeys at 11 and 13 momentarily derailed her but she rebounded nicely with birdies at 14 and 18. Reynolds, the two-time Futures Tour winner, is still hanging with the In Crowd - twice today she began to stumble with a bogey or two, only to find another birdie or two to stay right there. Sergas collected Round of the Week so far with a 67 that could have been 66 had she not bogeyed 18. Choi was the only Top 5er who played this morning - NYC could only manage one birdie against four bogeys.

Lorena Ochoa double-bogeyed twice, bogeyed five times and only birdied once as her 79 all but destroyed her chance to win this championship. Lorena is +6, nine shots back - not impossible, but also not likely. Hee Young Park was -2 after a birdie at 5 (her 14^th) but she closed her day with four straight bogeys and is one of six players tied at +2. Moving in a positive direction today were Song-Hee Kim (69 +1), Lindsey Wright (70 +2) and Teresa Lu (69 +3). Shoot, even par at this event is a move in the right direction so let's give Yuri Fudoh (+2), Suzann Pettersen (+3) and Nicole Castrale (+3) their due, too.

The cut rose steadily all day and just after 5pm, I predicted it would be +8. As the final groups finished up, the +9 players were T62 with two players at +8 still on the course - Haeji Kang and Cindy LaCrosse - each with a couple of holes left. If both fell to +9 or worse, the +9s would be tied for 60^th and make the cut. Kang bogeyed her final hole to finish +9 and create a tie for 61^st. Then LaCrosse bogeyed 18 to also finish +9 and allow Kang and 11 others to sneak into the weekend. Cindy LaCrosse qualified for the Open as an amateur out of the University of Louisville but is playing her first event as a professional this week. I hope Juli Inkster, Meena Lee, Stacy Lewis, Mika Miyazato and the others at +9 seek Cindy and Haeji out tomorrow to thank them for the favor.

Those at +10 or worse didn't get so lucky. Going home are Maria Hjorth, Diana D'Alessio (+6 in her last four holes doomed Diana), Miki Saiki, Se Ri Pak, Angela Stanford, Jane Park, last week's champ Eunjung Yi, Jeong Jang, Yani Tseng, Katherine Hull, Hee-Won Han and Angela Park. The attrition rate this week is incredible - Jee Young Lee withdrew before her tee time, becoming the ninth player to WD. Making the cut (and then some) were amateurs Alexis Thompson (+2 T8), Jennifer Song (+4 T19), Allie White, Alison Lee (both +5 T28), Azahara Munoz (+6 T37), Jessica Korda (+7 T48) and Candace Schepperle (+9 T60).

If you didn't notice, I live-blogged a large portion of the TV coverage this afternoon. Be sure to check it out if this recap didn't answer all of your questions about how the day went down.

U.S. Open - Friday Update

hound dog — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:55:09 -0000

The morning groups are winding down and the afternoon groups are just getting started as of 12:45pm EDT. First-round leader Na Yeon Choi has completed her second with a 74 (a birdie at 14 and four bogeys) and is now even par for the tournament. The other four players under par on Thursday tee off within the next hour and a half.

So far the scoring looks a lot like yesterday. Lindsey Wright has the only completed round under par, a 70 (+2 overall). Meaghan Francella, Sandra Gal, Inbee Park and Teresa Lu each have 1-3 holes left and they are all -1 on the day. Before the round started, Helen Alfredsson, Pat Hurst and Minea Blomqvist added their names to the WD sheet.

In case you hadn't heard, the cut will be the top 60 and ties (not top 70). The current number is +6 (up two from this morning) and will certainly be rising through the afternoon.

UPDATE 2:45pm - Lu birdied 18 to post 69, as the other three I listed failed to remain under par on their round. Francella bogeyed two of her last three, Gal bogeyed 18 and Inbee bogeyed 16 and 17 before a birdie at 18. Jean Reynolds parred her first two holes and now leads by one. Kerr bogeyed her second hole (11) and Ochoa doubled 3. Creamer just birdied 5 to go even for the tournament. Candie Kung's streak of pars ended with bogey at 5, after 22 in a row to start the event.

3:00pm - What the heck...let's live-blog it. Eun-Hee Ji birdied 4 and 5 to go -1. Reynolds missed the fairway at 12 (her 3rd hole) and missed a 10-footer for par. Those two are tied with Kerr for the lead at -1 with four players at even - Choi (who has finished), Creamer, Ochoa and Hee Young Park.

3:05pm - Kerr rolled home an eight-footer at 15 (her sixth) to take the lead at -2. Some others who have finished and are in the neighborhood are Alexis Thompson, Lindsey Wright, Yuri Fudoh, Brittany Lincicome (all +2), Suzann Pettersen, Teresa Lu, Kristy McPherson and Meaghan Francella (all +3).

3:20pm - Kerr's approach to 16 stopped two feet away and the short birdie moves her to -3. HY Park put one to four feet at 14 and drained it to go -1. Kerr's tee shot at 17 is only about five feet from the hole.

3:25pm - The cut just went up to +7 so Morgan Pressel, Momoko Ueda and amateur Jessica Korda just breathed sighs of relief. I don't think it's done climbing yet. Kerr makes her third straight birdie and now leads by three shots at -4.

3:30pm - Terry Gannon just pointed out that anybody within ten shots of the lead also makes the cut even if they aren't in the top 60 and ties. Kerr's current run makes that somewhat moot (+7 is 11 shots back) but I will keep that in mind if Cristie stumbles.

3:35pm - Nicole Castrale has a couple of birdies and is now +1. Let's take a peek at the leaderboard:

-4 Cristie Kerr

-1 Eun-Hee Ji, Jean Reynolds, Hee Young Park

E Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Na Yeon Choi (F)

+1 Nicole Castrale

+2 nine players, four who have finished

3:55pm - Ochoa three-putted for bogey at 8 to fall to +1. Creamer just made a six-footer for birdie at 9 to go -1. Ochoa missed from about four feet and took another bogey at 9.

4:00pm - Castrale almost flew her tee shot into the hole at 17. Kerr had 18 feet left at 1 after blasting out of a bunker and missed it left. -3 and leading by two.

4:05pm - Reynolds made a six-footer at 16 to go -2 and draw within one shot of Kerr.

4:10pm - Two in a row for Creamer - a 15-footer at 10 brings her within a shot of the lead. Kerr in a greenside bunker at 2.

4:15pm - Kerr bladed her bunker shot through the green. Putting from the fringe about 35 feet away and down the hill, she left it five feet short. It took less than an hour for the three-shot lead to vaporize. Cristie made it to save bogey.

4:25pm - Ochoa is struggling. At 11 she missed the green right and chipped about 40 feet past the hole. Another bogey. Also at 11, Creamer found the short-side bunker and blasted too far, to the top shelf of the green. Great lag to four feet, but that will be for bogey. Hee Young Park had eight feet for birdie at 18 and just missed it left.

4:30pm - Creamer saved bogey and In-Kyung Kim bogeyed 11 too. Tough hole, that one. Here's how they stand:

-2 Kerr, Reynolds

-1 Creamer, Ji

E NY Choi (F), HY Park

+1 Castrale

+2 7 players (4 finished)

4:35pm - Kerr birdied 3 to retake the lead at -3. Reynolds still hanging around at -2 through 9 holes.

4:40pm - Kerr drops a seven-footer for birdie at 4 and she's back to -4 and leads by two.

4:45pm - Lollo sighting!! Louise Friberg makes a five-footer at 9 (her third birdie in five holes) to go +2.

4:55pm - Reynolds makes a 12-footer at 1 to reach -3. Friberg lipped out at 10 or she would have birdied again.

5:00pm - 13 players in the afternoon wave are under par on the day (Castrale's -3 is the best, having just birdied 1). Ochoa is not one of them. Another bogey at 13 drops her to +6 on the day, +4 overall. Creamer barely missed saving par at 13 and falls back to even par.

5:10pm - A short birdie putt by Giulia Sergas at 11 is her third birdie in six holes. She's now +1. Castrale bogeyed 2 to fall back to +1. +8 is now T60. The five players at that mark have finished, eight players are on the course at +9 and five more are +10. I'm going with +8 as the final cut. Creamer strikes back with a 25-foot birdie at 14, now -1.

5:15pm - Reynolds found the rough at 2 and took bogey. Kerr's lead is now two. Everybody making putts now - Hee Young Park just birdied 3 to go -1, Inky birdied 14 to go +1, even Ochoa got one at 14 (now +3).

5:30pm - Castrale missed a four-footer for par at 4 and falls to +2. The updated board:

-4 Kerr

-2 Reynolds

-1 Creamer, Ji, HY Park

E NY Choi (F)

+1 IK Kim, Sergas

+2 eight players, four finished

5:40pm - Sergas birdied 13 to reach even par. Reynolds bogeyed 4 from a greenside bunker, falls to -1. Park birdied 5 to go -2.

5:55pm - At 5, Reynolds made birdie from four feet. Kerr having problems at 8. Ochoa doubles 16. Creamer saves par from five feet at 16.

6:00pm - Kerr's second at 8 went through the green. Chipped downhill across the green. Seven feet for par grazed the right edge. -3 and the lead is one as ESPN goes off the air. I'll recap the entire round when everybody is done, in about an hour probably.

U.S. Open – 1st Round

hound dog — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:03:42 -0000

Not to overshadow the U.S. Open or anything but it looks like Bivens is outta here....

Na Yeon Choi posted a 68 and holds a one-shot lead after Day One at the 64^th U.S. Women's Open. Cristie Kerr, Lorena Ochoa and Futures Tour standout Jean Reynolds are tied for second place while Hee Young Park is (surprisingly alone) in fifth place after posting a 70.

Since par is 71, those five players are the only ones under it. And conditions today were great with very little wind. The greens weren't holding much but they weren't ridiculous about it either. I'm standing by my prediction of nobody under par at the end of Sunday's round. Choi started off blazing with birdies on her first three holes (10, 11 and 12) and four of her first five. Three putts led to bogey at 17 and out in 32 but birdies at 2 and 3 (a blind chip-in at 2 was the best shot I saw all day) put her at -5. Bogeys at 5 and 6 brought Na Yeon back to the field.

Kerr bogeyed once, at 7 (the last three front nine holes are a real bear) while Ochoa and Reynolds each bogeyed twice (one of Jean's came at 7 as well). Park suffered a double at 17 along with a conventional bogey at 5. The only player without a bogey all day was Candie Kung, who had no birdies either - hence the 71. Here are the notable scores:

68 Na Yeon Choi

69 Cristie Kerr, Lorena Ochoa, Jean Reynolds

70 Hee Young Park

71 Eun-Hee Ji, Anna Nordqvist, Alexis Thompson (a)

71 Kristy McPherson, Young Kim, Candie Kung

72 Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin, In-Kyung Kim, Sun Young Yoo, Laura Davies

72 Brittany Lincicome, Jessica Korda (a), Azahara Munoz (a), Jennifer Song (a)

72 Christina Kim, Meena Lee, H.J. Choi, Yoora Kim

73 Karen Stupples, Yuri Fudoh, Stacy Prammanasudh, Candace Schepperle (a)

74 Suzann Pettersen, Song-Hee Kim, Ai Miyazato, Lindsey Wright, Morgan Pressel

75 Karrie Webb, Brittany Lang, Inbee Park, Louise Friberg, Amy Yang

76 Ji Young Oh, Se Ri Pak, Teresa Lu, Rosie Jones, Akiko Fukushima

77 Yani Tseng, Jee Young Lee, Angela Park, Jeong Jang, Lisa Ferrero

78 Angela Stanford, Katherine Hull, Hee-Won Han, Juli Inkster, Stacy Lewis

80 Seon Hwa Lee, Helen Alfredsson, Eunjung Yi

Considering the conditions, the scores were through the roof but don't blame the average of 76.30 completely on the amateurs - just look at the numbers for Alexis Thompson, Jessica Korda, Azahara Munoz and Jennifer Song and compare them to Yani Tseng, Angela Stanford, Seon Hwa Lee and Helen Alfredsson. Of the 30 players who shot 80 or worse, 12 were amateurs (including unfortunately Kimberly Kim) but 18 were not. Lee (along with Brandie Burton) withdrew after finishing her round.

Report: Bivens Is Out

hound dog — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:43:58 -0000

As promised, I've waited for a few more details to come in about the "player revolt". I was also waiting to get home from vacation so I could catch up on those details properly. With the ultimate detail just released by Golfworld's Beth Ann Baldry that Bivens is already out, here's what I've been pondering.

Reports vary, but it seems that about 15 players were at the dinner where the Bivens topic was discussed. It is unknown how many players actually signed the letter but only two players - Paula Creamer and Suzann Pettersen - have stated that they themselves signed it. I don't understand the reluctance of the other players (I assume these weren't the only two) to also confirm having signed the letter. That information is going to come out eventually, and honestly - if I was going to the trouble to attach my name to a piece of paper intended to affect positive change to my organization, I would be publicly forthright about my stance on the issue rather than hiding behind a flimsy "let's respect the U.S. Open" excuse. As a group, the ladies timed it perfectly - women's golf never gets more attention in America than during U.S. Open week and making this stance just prior ensured the largest possible audience. Why dilute the effect? Confirm you signed the letter and then you can tell the media "no more questions" on that subject.

Assuming that nearly all of those in attendance did sign the letter, Bivens' status was critical from the get-go. Bivens is not a commissioner beholden to a couple dozen corporate entities (a la Bud Selig or Roger Goodell), she directly reports to a 13-member Board of Directors of which seven are players. Golfworld magazine is reporting that five of those seven players agree with the call for resignation, although apparently Christina Kim is not one of them. I'm not sure why any player wouldn't agree under these circumstances. This much is a given - you have a document in hand calling for a change signed by a dozen of the top players on Tour. If you don't make that change happen, you risk alienating (or driving away) those who supported it - and they just happen to be at the literal and figurative forefront of your organization. We don't have the exact language of the letter in front of us but I would have to assume that when you start talking about somebody resigning, you have to put some specific muscle behind it. The players at the meeting are definitely the muscle of the LPGA, and without them the Tour would fail.

Yes, I said FAIL. If Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel and Suzann Pettersen all stopped playing LPGA events tomorrow, you tell me how the Tour survives. If I was the Commish and these same players demanded my resignation, I would oblige even if I thought I was correct on every decision I had made. If they are right, it's best for the Tour. If they are wrong, it is they who will sink or swim with that choice. Word is that Ms. Bivens would be receptive to a buyout of the final two years on her contract. Well so would I, given the circumstances. Perhaps she is not as clueless as some would have you believe. BTW, don't argue whether she deserves the buyout or not - she's got a contract, you want her gone, you gotta buy her out unless you can prove she violated some term of that contract. I seriously doubt you're going to be able to prove that.

Some people are asking why these players waited so long to do something about the situation. I would counter that these same people would ask why the players were rushing to judge so quickly had they acted just six weeks earlier. Near the end of May we endured the Mourning at Corning and we've had a Gloom & Doom Report nearly every week since. Even throwing out the Kapalua announcement (who defaulted on their contract) and the course-less LPGA Championship, the 2010 expectations for five of the last seven events played are dismal. Every example has featured this theme - the sponsor is unwilling or unable to comply with "the vision" of Ms. Bivens. Each example has also featured THIS theme - the Tour is unwilling (or unable - I'll be fair) to be flexible with individual tournaments.

What is unfortunate about this situation is that Bivens' plan wasn't some hare-brained scheme. Her original stated goal was to bolster the Tour's financial position and build the pension plan for retired players. Picking up from where Ty Votaw left off, Bivens traveled a highly-defensible path. Sure, she pushed the boundaries too far when she insisted that media turn over rights to their LPGA photos and stories in order to receive credentials, and the policy (program?) to force all Tour members to learn English blew up in her face. But in some ways, her plan was succeeding. She did attract several high-dollar sponsors (unfortunately high-risk as well) and did finally secure a long-term TV contract with Golf Channel, an item I have long lobbied for. About 18 months into her administration though, the economic playing field changed and the Commissioner failed to modify her "vision" accordingly. She stubbornly stuck to the plan even after multiple tournaments could not keep up with the demands. History has several examples of where a leader rolls on with the status quo, ignoring the changing landscape until his constituents inform him (sometimes rather violently) that he should have adjusted. I almost titled this piece "Off With Her Head" but that is a bit too melodramatic. Bivens may be out of office but she certainly won't meet the same fate as Louis XVI or Czar Nicholas.

U.S. Open - Thursday Update

hound dog — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:01:51 -0000

The morning groups have finished their rounds and the afternoon bunch is well underway. Three players got around in 69 - Cristie Kerr, Lorena Ochoa and Jean Reynolds (hmm...one of these is not like the other...). Hee Young Park shot 70 and those four were the only morning players to finish under par. Eun-Hee Ji, Anna Nordqvist and Candie Kung posted 71 while Paula Creamer, In-Kyung Kim, Sun Young Yoo and Christina Kim carded 72s.

Na Yeon Choi is -4 through 7 holes and Jiyai Shin was -3 through 3 until a bogey at 13. Both are getting lots of airtime right now on ESPN.

U.S. Women's Open Preview

hound dog — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:59:29 -0000

Defending Champion - Inbee Park

Saucon Valley Country Club, Old Course

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

72 holes, begins Thursday

Par 71, 6740 yards

Field Score - 93

Tournament Odds - from Oddschecker.com

Last Player In - n/a

First Players Out - n/a

Scoring Averages - 75.57 (2008), 74.53 (2007), 75.78 (2006)

2009 Scoring Average to date - 72.54

U.S. TV coverage (all times EDT):

Thu & Fri 2p-6p ESPN

Sat & Sun 3p-6p NBC

The U.S. Women's Open will be contested for the 64^th time this week, on the Old Course at Saucon Valley Country Club. SVCC will be hosting its first Women's Open but its sixth USGA championship including the 1992 and 2000 U.S. Senior Opens. Inbee Park won her first career LPGA title last year, by four shots over Helen Alfredsson.

6740 yards makes for a long course in LPGA terms. Add to that the typical U.S. Open setup of thick rough (lots of rain in the area recently) and slick greens plus par of 71 - we may not see anybody under par by the end of the day Sunday.

The Open field is a strong one of course, but is notable for a few absentees. Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis and Wendy Ward all rank in my current Top 30 but they failed to qualify. USGA officials reduced the number of current-year money list entrants from 35 to 10 because of the shortage of events on the early-season LPGA schedule. Of the seven major championships where I've calculated it, the Field Score for this U.S. Open is the lowest (albeit only one point less than the '09 KNC). Hopefully both the change in the qualifying criteria along with the reason for changing it will be reversed in 2010.

Of the missing three, Wie would have been a lock for my Top 12 though I probably wouldn't have put her in the top half. Gulbis probably wouldn't have been a pick and Ward certainly wouldn't have. Enough about who isn't here - let's focus on who is. As of this writing Paula Creamer is playing but with a balky thumb and/or rustiness from resting it, I can't spend a pick on her chances. I think this is the week that Lorena Ochoa's lock on World Number One takes its biggest hit yet.

1. Jiyai Shin

2. Song-Hee Kim

3. Yani Tseng

4. Cristie Kerr

5. Lorena Ochoa

6. In-Kyung Kim

7. Suzann Pettersen

8. Lindsey Wright

9. Angela Stanford

10. Morgan Pressel

11. Seon Hwa Lee

12. Ai Miyazato

Stats: Winners 3-14

Winners in Top 12 6-14

Top 10s 62 4.4

Hot 20 - U.S. Open

hound dog — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:48:07 -0000

The 20 who are playing the best going into this week's U.S. Women's Open. Players in bold are not in the field.

1. Yani Tseng

2. Jiyai Shin

3. Song-Hee Kim

4. Michelle Wie

5. Eunjung Yi

6. Lindsey Wright

7. In-Kyung Kim

8. Morgan Pressel

9. Kristy McPherson

10. Suzann Pettersen

11. Cristie Kerr

12. Seon Hwa Lee

13. Anna Nordqvist

14. Angela Stanford

15. Paula Creamer

16. Se Ri Pak

17. Nicole Castrale

18. Lorena Ochoa

19. Stacy Lewis

20. Hee-Won Han

LPGA Stars Call For Bivens' Resignation

hound dog — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:29:30 -0000

Golfweek is reporting that a dozen or more LPGA players (Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel among them) have sent a letter to the LPGA Board of Directors calling for the resignation of Commissioner Carolyn Bivens.

Ryan at Waggle Room wrote a wonderful piece on what needs to change at LPGA Central and so did The Constructivist at Mostly Harmless. Me? I'm on vacation and am at least 24 hours behind everybody else on this news. Haven't even gotten my U.S. Open Preview started. I'll weigh in after a few more details come in (hopefully they will).

Jamie Farr Classic – Epilogue

hound dog — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:45:49 -0000

Eunjung Yi's victory in Toledo was her first as a professional. She joined the Futures Tour in 2006 and played there two years, finishing second once in 2006. Eunjung earned LPGA conditional status at Q-School at the end of the 2007 season. This win moves her into the money list Top 30 and immediately raises her Priority status to Category 5. Because of her five missed cuts and lack of other Top 10 finishes this year, Yi will not be ranked in the next edition of the HD Top 30 when it comes out next week unless she continues to shine at this week's U.S. Open. For the second time in three events, the tournament winner is also my Big Surprise Award winner.

The average score this week was 69.84, the lowest average score for an entire event that I have on record, dating back to the beginning of the 2004 season. The previous low was 70.05 at the 2004 Welch's/Fry's event where par was 70. The Farr's average relative to par (-1.16) was not nearly as low as this year's Corning (-1.55) but almost as low as last year's State Farm (-1.17). 28 players finished double-digits under par, only one player who made the cut finished over par (Katie Futcher +1) and only 36 players total shot a composite over par score.

Reilley Rankin broke par every day and broke 70 three of the four days. So did Ai Miyazato. They both finished at -8, tied for 33^rd place ten shots behind the winner.

Of the 453 rounds played this week, only one of them took more than 76 strokes - Angela Park shot 81 on Friday and finished DFL. Angela was #26 in my (unreleased) rankings last week and falls to #36 this week. I don't recall ever seeing anybody drop that drastically in one week's time. She gets this week's Big Disappointment Award.

In the next couple of days, I'll update how the Priority re-ordering should shape up - unless the Tour office beats me to it. What am I saying? It's much more likely that Phil E. Blunts will beat me to it rather than the folks in Daytona.

Since Larry's last rumor came true...

hound dog — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:21:08 -0000

From the Life On Tour blog -

Hold on to your seats! What many have been hoping for may come true by the end of next week.

I can only presume that this refers to Madame Commissioner. Any other guesses?