Ai Miyazato Wins Honda PTT LPGA Thailand
by Bill Jempty on Feb 21, 2010 9:16 AM EST
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The first LPGA tournament of 2010 is in the books. From AP:
Japanese star Ai Miyazato rallied to win the season-opening Honda PTT LPGA Thailand on Sunday, holing a birdie chip on the final hole for a 9-under 63 and a one-stroke victory over Norway’s Suzann Pettersen.
Miyazato, six strokes behind Pettersen after the third round, was 6 under in a six-hole stretch midway through the round, then birdied three of the last six holes to match the tournament record of 21 under set by Pettersen in October 2007.
Pettersen finished with a 70 Siam Country Club’s Old Course. She had a chance to force a playoff on the par-5 18th, but missed a 23-foot eagle try.
The 24-year-old Miyazato earned $195,000 for her second LPGA Tour title. She also won the Evian Masters last year in France and has 15 victories on the Japanese tour.
“I didn’t think of winning. I was just focused on my game and tried to do my best in the final round,” Miyazato said. “It was my lucky day as no matter what I did was right. This victory is a good start of the season for me.”
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng (69) was third, six strokes back at 15 under. Karrie Webb (67) and Cristie Kerr (70) followed at 13 under, and Laura Davies 65), Maria Hjorth (71), Momoko Ueda (72) and Song-Hee Kim (73) were 12 under.
Miyazato played some of the best golf on tour from June onward last year. She finished the year 3rd on the money list only behind Ji Yai Shin and Lorena Ochoa. She has the talent to be one of the best players on tour. When Miyazato joined the LPGA in 2006, big things were expected from her but she couldn’t win till last year. I predicted her to finish in the top 5 this year (5th to be exact).
Once again Suzann Pettersen has been unable to close the deal on a Sunday. Among her poor finishes on the LPGA are the 2008 Wegmans, 2009 Safeway, 2008 Kapalua, and most notoriously the 2007 Kraft Nabisco. Pettersen still has 6 wins on tour but with the record I list above you can’t ever say she is a safe Sunday bet.
Other bloggers writing on Miyazato’s win are The Constructivist at Mostly Harmless and Hound Dog.
FanPosts are written by Waggle Room members. Viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect those of WaggleRoom.com, editor, Charles Boyer or any other writer or member.
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woo-hoo!
Still shocked/amazed/disbelieving. But I have enough presence of mind to recall that you picked Ai-sama 6th in your fanpost at Hound Dog’s place!
by The Constructivist on Feb 21, 2010 9:23 AM EST reply actions
I don't dislike Pettersen
My wife still thinks she’s a lesbian. My Florida Masochist blog has gotten lots of hits from people trying to learn if this or that LPGA golfer was gay. Like I would know! LOL
Pettersen comes off as odd to me.
Suzann isn’t a lesbian. I’ve seen her boyfriend at tournaments.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 21, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks for spoiling it, Bill.
I guess I’ll learn to NOT look at any Web site you contribute to until after I’ve watched the television coverage (which sucked by the way). I didn’t like knowing who won at 9:30 this morning.
Placebos, of course, are things you have to swallow even though they contain nothing that actually helps you. It's like American health insurance in a pill. -BiPM
I'm not the only one
The Constructivist and Hound Dog each had posts up on the tournament by 9 a.m. this morning. None of us wait for the television broadcasts. They are the two best LPGA bloggers and I who also covers the tour very heavily, don’t really want 8-9 hours to post what any of us think.
by Bill Jempty on Feb 21, 2010 10:13 PM EST up reply actions
that's a good point, Bill
Except that I knew better than to visit lpga.com, Hound Dog or the Constructivist.
Neither I nor anyone else have the right to tell you what content you can have or where to post your stories, most of which I enjoy reading. But in the interest of protecting those of us anxiously waiting for tape delayed television coverage, would you consider titling your stories something like: SPOILER ALERT: HSBC Women’s Final Result? That would allow you to write whatever and whenever you chose. Thank you for your consideration.
Placebos, of course, are things you have to swallow even though they contain nothing that actually helps you. It's like American health insurance in a pill. -BiPM
Good idea dianemarie
I posted the result an hour earlier at 8:15 am EST in the Paula Creamer Thumb Injury blog. I also thought about starting a fan post about it but knew TGC was re-airing it at 4:00 pm. The creamer blog was at the bottom of the list and not very active so I figured it was safe.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Pettersen didn’t play a bad final round – watching the little bit they have on xxx Golf Channel, it looks like she thought she could cruise through the final round and couldn’t turn it on when she needed it down the stretch. Who figured Miyazato for a -9 (and almost -10 !) ? Phenomenal final round.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
um, me?
Really, if it wasn’t Ai, it could have been anyone within shouting distance. I think Suzann never really adjusted to the way the speed of the greens changed after it rained, simple as that. Then, when Ai-sama put pressure on her unexpectedly, her approach shots got a little less accurate when she needed them most and the putts didn’t drop like she needed.
by The Constructivist on Feb 22, 2010 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
That's sports for ya....
Could have been…but it wasn’t since Miyazato was the only one who made the charge and Pettersen didn’t finish lower than second. Two bogies all week – both on Sunday. Two pars and she wins…all kinds of possibilities and “what if’s” – ain’t it fun ? :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I am may seriously consider directing my
golf blogging focus to the American LPGA tour and LPGA tour of Japan.
They may not have Tiger and Phil, but the players they do have are very, very easy on the eyes and they sure can shoot lights out…
I'll keep an eye out for you...at www.oneeyedgolfer.blogspot.com
by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Feb 21, 2010 5:57 PM EST reply actions
If a good strong wind came up
Ueda might be blown away in it. She is a skinny thing.(Nice looking too)
H-e-e Y-o-u-n-g P-a-r-k
remember the spelling there. or just go to Seoul Sisters.com for the many photos of her from the tournament.
by The Constructivist on Feb 22, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
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