PREVIEW-Golf-Holder Tseng the player to beat at Mission Hills
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
RANCHO MIRAGE, California, March 29 (Reuters) - Since the retirements of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa, Yani Tseng has become the LPGA’s dominant figure and is unquestionably the player to beat at this week’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, this year’s first major for women.
The world number one from Taiwan has already triumphed four times across the globe this year and she will be bidding for a fourth major victory when she launches her title defence in Thursday’s opening round at Mission Hills Country Club.
“I feel really excited to come back,” Tseng told reporters on Tuesday after playing nine holes in practice on the sun-splashed Dinah Shore Tournament Course.
“Especially walking down the 18th, I saw my name was on the walk of champions and that brought me lots of good memories. And then I came over (the bridge), and that’s the water I jumped in.”
The island green at the par-five 18th is surrounded by Poppies Pond and it has become a tradition at the Nabisco for the champion to make a celebratory leap there into the water.
“My caddie threw a coin into the pond to wish I could win the tournament this week, too,” Tseng said with a flashing smile. “Hopefully this week will be a good week.”
The long-hitting Taiwanese, who claimed last year’s title by one shot over Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, has every reason to expect another good week at Mission Hills where her game of power and patience is ideally suited to the par-72 layout.
“Yani is a very, very talented player and she’s very, very long,” said Australian Karrie Webb, champion here in 2000 and 2006.
“I’ve played with her quite a few rounds already this year and one of the reasons why she’s playing so well is she’s hitting it long and straight.
“She’s not hitting too many wild tee shots which then sets up relatively simple iron shots for her. And when she gets her putter going, there are weeks that she really dominates.”
WEBB’S CHANCES
However veteran Webb likes her own chances this week, especially having already won twice on the 2011 LPGA Tour.
“Two wins this early in the season probably was higher than my expectations starting out so I’m very happy with the way things are going,” the 36-year-old said.
“And coming back here to Mission Hills, I have obviously very good memories. I enjoy coming to this place every year and I look forward to it when the schedule comes out.
“I’m hoping with the little bit of confidence that I’ve gained from a couple of early wins and the confidence I seem to have when I come here that that’s a good combination for this week.”
Asked why the course matched up so well for her own game, Webb replied: “I really like the fact that you’ve got to shape the ball both ways off the tee, and generally this course demands you hit your driver pretty accurately.
“And by the weekend the greens get firm and fast, so there’s a definite plus of distance control with your irons and placing the ball in the right parts of the greens to make some putts.”
While Tseng and Webb are the form players so far this year, they will face a typically strong field at Mission Hills for the opening women’s major of the season.
Among those taking part are former champions Brittany Lincicome (2009) and fellow American Morgan Pressel (2007), South Korean world number two Shin Ji-yai and third-ranked American Cristie Kerr, who won last year’s LPGA Championship by a record 12 shots. (Editing by Julian Linden; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment