Morgan Pressel Wins for Sponsor

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 20, 2008 10:56 AM EDT

I was kind of curiously rooting for Morgan Pressel this weekend at Kapalua - and not because hundreds of people flock to this blog for a butt shot of Pressel from last season. Rather, because she could win for the resort for whom she is the traveling professional. When she won the Kapalua LPGA Classic for her 2nd LPGA Tour win - and first to not be a major - I was pretty happy. It seemed appropriate.

Also, it seemed that global justice was furthered by the TAMPA BAY (DEVIL) RAYS beating the Boston Red Sox to lock up their berth in the World Series. Go Rays!

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Fantastic !

I didn’t see the final round on TV and I’m thrilled to hear that she finally got a real win. (I still don’t count that major as a win. She got the trophy because Pettersen couldn’t hold a 4 shot lead with three to play) Pressel has been a favorite of mine for a while. I hope she can turn this into a lot more.

Didn’t she get the Kapalua endorsement by asking ? Seems like she said that she fell in love with the place and just called the people there and got the gig. Never hurts to ask !

Go Rays !!!

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 20, 2008 11:22 AM EDT reply actions

I'm not sure on the endorsement

Probably TC or HD could weigh in better.

Here’s a good piece on some of the changes she has tried to make and how they’re starting to pay off.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 20, 2008 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

2007 Kraft Nabisco

Pettersen played the last 5 holes in four over par.

Besides Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome, Stacy Prammanasudh, Catorina Matthew and Se Ri Pak missed opportutnities at the Nabisco in 2007. Pak’s collapse is the most forgotten, going for the last leg of the Grand Slam, had a 3-shot lead on the front nine but came apart. Playing the last six holes in five over par, Pak shot a 77 to finish four shots back.

by Bill Jempty on Oct 20, 2008 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

That KC

was the biggest series of chokes I have ever seen in 9 holes in a major. It was seriously unbelievable. Mission Hills is not that tough – not like Augusta Sunday this past year. I thought for sure that anyone other than Pressel would win. Still, she didn’t choke, so she earned the victory.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 20, 2008 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Lincicome, Stacy P, Matthew, and Pak weren’t in the lead coming down the stretch. Pak got off to a bad start and rolled downhill. Blowing 4 shots like that is almost impossible to do when there was no one putting any real pressure on her.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 20, 2008 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

No Pak got off to a fast start

My blog has an article detailing it.

• Se Ri Pak, missing only this major to complete the career Grand Slam, had a three-shot lead on the front nine, fell two shots behind Pettersen over a four-hole stretch around the turn, then bogeyed five of the last six holes for a 77.

• Catriona Matthew had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have made her the clubhouse leader at 4 under. She ran it 5 feet by the hole, missed it coming back and walked off with a bogey, a 71 and a tie for second place.

• Stacy Prammanasudh took bogey on three of the last five holes and shot 71 to finish two shots behind.

• Brittany Lincicome was hanging around making one clutch par after another until she dropped a shot on the 15th. She had a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th that just missed, leaving her with a 72 and one shot behind.

by Bill Jempty on Oct 20, 2008 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

"down the stretch"

isn’t the front 9 – by the time she got to the last 6 or 7 holes, she was back with the pack. (no pun intended)

Matthew could have been the clubhouse leader – but you don’t get trophies until everybody is done. She was not the leader – just the best to post before Pressel finished. If that had held up – Morgan Pressel would not have won because Pressel posted lower. (are you kidding me with that one ?)

Stacy P – ALSO folded behind Pressel

The only thing you’re doing with this is making my case stronger. There were three players who had legitimate shots at finishing ahead of Pressel. (Matthew isn’t one of them) When Pressel posted (LOWER than Matthew), she had to sit and wait more than an hour while the final groups fell apart. Pressel posted a number and some exceptionally bizarre play GAVE Pressel the win. Pressel didn’t go out and beat Pettersen – Pettersen had a comfortable lead and pulled a world class fold and gave it away.

At Kapalua – Pressel BEAT the field – and I’m thrilled.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 20, 2008 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions

cg is right

how often do I get to write that? ;)

by The Constructivist on Oct 20, 2008 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

oh no !

not the Apocolypse NOW ! I have too much paperwork to do ! :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 20, 2008 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

CG isn't right about Pak

Check the above link. She had a 3-shot lead on the front nine on Sunday.

by Bill Jempty on Oct 20, 2008 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

correction

CG is right on how Morgan became the Kapalua host.

I’m with Bill that you gotta look at the performance of everyone within 3 shots of the lead as they entered the back 9 to really see who was in contention. So much had to fall into place for Pressel to get that win, both before and after she finished her round.

But a win is a win is a WIN.

by The Constructivist on Oct 21, 2008 6:41 AM EDT up reply actions

it's in the W column

You’re right about that. But I’ve had wins like Pressel had at the Kraft – and they really felt kind of hollow. That’s probably why I think this way and why I’m so thrilled about the win at Kapalua. Wins just feel better to me when I beat someone – not when everybody else falls apart.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 21, 2008 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

hopefully Morgan will get to experience all kinds of wins in her career

Seems like the second is sometimes the hardest….

by The Constructivist on Oct 22, 2008 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions

That seems 100% true to me

Couldn’t agree more that winning a 2nd time is much tougher than the first.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 22, 2008 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Unless...

…you haven’t won for the first time. :-)

I always like the statement that anyone can win once as a fluke – but the second win means the first one wasn’t a mistake.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 22, 2008 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Doug Ferguson's revisionist history of the 2005 US Open

The same blog post includes this following gem from the AP reporter.

“She was that high school kid who upstaged Michelle Wie at Cherry Hills two years ago and had the U.S. Women’s Open won until Birdie Kim stole it away with an improbable bunker shot for birdie on the final hole as Pressel watched, stunned, from the fairway.”

Had the US Open won. Since when? 18 was playing like a par five that day. Birdie’s 3 was the only one on Sunday. Pressel made the most common score on 18, bogey 5. If Kim hadn’t holed out, the best Pressel was looking at was an 18 hole playoff with Brittany Lang, and probably Kim too.

by Bill Jempty on Oct 20, 2008 6:14 PM EDT reply actions

you can't be surprised...

…at that article – it’s Dougie doing the writing.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 22, 2008 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to relay this

I’ve been reading Bob Smiley’s book that is a chronicle of Tiger’s 604 holes of golf this year. Early on, at the Buick Invitational, he makes fun of Doug Ferguson by referring to him as Luau Larry because he always wears a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. I laughed out loud at that.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 22, 2008 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

I like it !!

Kind of fits his loose treatment of the facts, too !

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 22, 2008 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

by the way...

…YOU got a book from Bob, but I have to go through Harper Collins to get him on the radio in Atlanta ?? (I tell you I get no respect)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 22, 2008 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

He contacted me personally

I’ve always enjoyed his work on ESPN.com and his blog and he reads Waggle Room from time to time. When the book comes out next month, I’ll probably be talking with Harper Collins to arrange an appearance. BTW, love the book so far, as I said on the show this week.

by Ryan Ballengee on Oct 22, 2008 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

good to hear...

…we have been trading emails and he said that H-C is doing all the publicity work. I’m starting to wonder how hard they are working at it – I haven’t gotten a reply back from the person he told me to contact. At least I got his official okie-dokie that he wants to come on with us. (good ol’ Col. Sherman T Potter)

but HE sent you a book ! Geez. Probably autographed, too.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 22, 2008 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions