LPGA STARS LINING UP FOR VIC OPEN TILT
Well, they’ve built it, and the stars are coming …
Towards the end of November, Golf Australia and the ALPG announced the LPGA Tour would be co-sanctioning the women’s Vic Open, starting with the 2019 championship to be played from February 7 to 10 at Thirteenth Beach on the Bellarine Peninsula.
The move was expected to give the stars of the LPGA Tour an added incentive to make the journey Down Under, with the Women’s Australian Open to be contested the following week at The Grange in Adelaide. It worked … Many of the world’s biggest names will arrive at Barwon Heads prior to Adelaide to compete in the only event in the world where women’s and men’s championships are contested on the same golf course, with equal prize money offered.
It also means players won’t fall behind in the early stages of the season-long Race to the CME Globe, which begins two weeks earlier in Florida at the Tournament of Champions.
Fans can expect to see our highest-ranked female player, defending champion and reigning Greg Norman Medalist, Minjee Lee at Thirteenth Beach, as she resumes the hunt for her fifth victory on the LPGA Tour.
The 22-year-old West Australian – who also won the Vic Open as an amateur in 2014 – enjoyed an impressive year on Tour last year and rose to World No.5 in October before finishing runner-up to Ariya Jutanugarn in the Race to the CME Globe.
But Lee only managed to convert one of her 13 top-10s into a win – and she is hoping to buck that trend in 2019, starting with her Vic Open defence.
“The plan is to get to that World No.1 spot,” said Lee during her acceptance of the Greg Norman Medal.
“Technically I’m pretty sound but we always go back to the little things and a little bit psychologically that will help me get to that next level.”
Golf Australia magazine also understands major champions Georgia Hall and Pernilla Lindberg will both be competing in Victoria before heading across to Adelaide for the national Open.
Englishwoman Hall became just the third local player to win the Women’s British Open since it became a major (2001) when she triumphed at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s last August.
The 22-year-old also captured the 2016 Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links during her maiden season on the LET Tour – and she is looking forward to once again starting her year in Australia.
“I love coming to Australia to start my season … I’m already looking forward to it,” said Hall, who has played the Women’s Australian Open twice previously and finished in the top 15 both times.
Swede Lindberg, meanwhile, finished T5th at the Vic Open last year and will be making her 10th consecutive appearance at the Women’s Australian Open.
The 32-year-old broke into the majorwinner’s circle when she captured the 2017 ANA Inspiration after an epic three-way playoff against Jennifer Song and Inbee Park.
Popular American players Christina Kim and Cheyenne Woods are also expected to tee it up on the Bellarine, as Woods looks to improve upon her eighth-place finish last year, which included a second-round 80.
Former World No.1 Lydia Ko is an ambassador for tournament sponsor, ISPS Handa, which means she could be another big name to compete in Victoria prior to travelling to Adelaide.
Meanwhile, World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie Webb should make her first appearance at Barwon Heads since 2016 when she finished T11.
The 44-year-old – who owns 41 career titles on the LPGA Tour – is yet to capture the Vic Open and played on a significantly reduced schedule throughout 2018, competing in just eight events.
“It’s a 365-day-of-the-year job when you’re playing a full schedule … I still feel like I can compete, which is why I’m not shutting it down completely,” Webb told the Sydney
Morning Herald last September. Victorian talent Su Oh, who finished T3rd here in 2017, has been promoting the event for the past six months and represents just some of the home-grown talent that will be on full display.
Hannah Green will begin her second full season on the LPGA Tour and should be joined by stalwarts like Sarah-Jane Smith, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Kemp and Rebecca Artis.
Then there’s the stars of the future … like 20-year-old Karis Davidson – who finished runner-up to Lee last year – and Grace Kim, who won the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational at Royal Wellington last December.
There will also be 50-55 places in the field for players from the Ladies European Tour, which leaves plenty of room for the likes of Mel Reid (2017 champion), who will be looking towards the Australian Ladies Classic to be contested at Bonville Golf Resort later this month.
Golf Australia was still entering negotiations with other players at the time of writing, so fans should expect the field to grow even deeper given the unique nature of the event and its position in the LPGA Tour schedule.