This week the LPGA heads back to China for the playing of the Blue Bay LPGA. Many of my readers may remember last year's exciting finish when Shanshan Feng came out on top by one stroke over Moriya Jutanugarn.
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The Top 5 in the Race to the CME Globe can win the million dollars if they win the Championship, top 12 have mathematical chance.Race to the CME Globe: (1 million dollars)
Ariya Jutanugarn is still the leader by a wide margin with 4,054 points. Minjee Lee is currently second with 3,141. Brooke Henderson's 2,649 points find her in third place.
Just below Brooke are:
4. Nasa Hataoka 2596 (not playing)
T5 Jin Young Ko 2388 (not playing)
T5 Sung Hyun Park 2388 (playing)
7 Sei Young Kim 2339 (playing)
8 So Yeon Ryu 2231 (not playing)
9 Lydia Ko 2188 (not playing)
10 Moriya Jutanugarn 2099 (playing)
11 Marina Alex 2028 (not playing)
12 Carlotta Ciganda 1960 (not playing)
Payouts this week are 500 for a win, 300 for second, 190 for third so Nasa and Jin Young are vulnerable. Brooke looks safe.
Note that 40th place is the last place that gives points (31 points) in no-cut events. If Sung Hyun Park gets 40th place, that knocks out Jin Young Ko.Last edited by sjmcampbell; Nov 6, 2018, 02:01 AM. -
The first round pairings for the Blue Bay LPGA tournament have been posted:
http://www.tonyslpgareport.com/2018/...-and-more.htmlLast edited by tonyj5; Nov 6, 2018, 07:36 PM.Comment
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Good start for Brittany with a 72 (E, T15).
Great start for Alena with a 69 (-3, T2).
Alena interview: http://www.lpga.com/videos/alena-sha...-blue-bay-lpga
November 7, 2018
Alena Sharp
Hainan Island, China
Q. You said rested and relaxed. Feel good coming off the golf course?
ALENA SHARP: I definitely do. Nice to get a good round under your belt to start the week. I love coming here. I've played here -- I've played well here before. The first year I was here I think I had a Top 5.
It's challenging with the wind this year. It wasn't like this last year with the breeze being this stiff. So kind of plays into my advantage. I like playing in the wind.
Q. Wind was my next. Everyone I've talked to today said, The wind, the wind, the wind. How was it affecting your play? What was it like out there?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah. Definitely was probably two-club wind most of time into and down. Maybe not so much down but into for sure two and a half clubs. Gusting kind of pretty strong on our back nine so it made it a little more difficult because we were on the front side.
No. 5 you got to hit a really good drive to get over the bunker, so had to aim a little right today. Got on the green in two and two-putt and got out of there. Make par there every day it's a good thing.
Q. How do you feel heading into the next three days?
ALENA SHARP: I feel really good. I mean, I've been working on my game when I was at home. Saw my coach a couple times. We're in overseed in Phoenix. I hadn't played that much, but I played a Cactus tournament last week and I actually won it. So it was nice to have three rounds of competition before coming here.
I'm putting really well. It's been something that wasn't that great this year, so it's nice to putt well in Evian and continue it here.
Q. Was Evian your last event?
ALENA SHARP: Yes.
Q. So it has been a bit of a while.
ALENA SHARP: Uh-huh.
Q. What have you been working on with your coach? Anything specific?
ALENA SHARP: Long-term stuff. Just better position on the down swing. The same thing that I worked on most of the year. Just getting a better hip turn on the backswing and then kind of just unleashing it on the way down.
I'm trying to gain more distance. Like that's my overall goal with the driver. I'm not working on that right this second. That's kind of after this tournament. Work into that and get in the gym more and get some more speed that way.
Q. Is that your big goal for next year then?
ALENA SHARP: Yeah, and obviously to play a little bit better. I'm not really happy with how I played this year, but the last half of the season has been much better.
Q. You've been really open about how much you've been working on things, yourself, your game, everything. What has that meant to you?
ALENA SHARP: I think it's good to get out of your -- like I always live in my own little bubble. I think it's good to get out. There are people that have gone through it so you can get their help. I have a lot of great friends that have played out here before that have gone through it that have helped me.
Sarah, my caddie, has been like the positive rock all the time. You know, it hasn't been the greatest year for me, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Finishing off on a good note and getting ready for next year is my main goal for this week.
I didn't really have a lot of expectations coming in. I'm not thinking about CME. It would be nice to play next week, but if that happens that's just a bonus.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP SportsLast edited by sjmcampbell; Nov 7, 2018, 05:31 PM.Comment
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Here are the leaders after the first round of the Blue Bay LPGA:
1 Thidapa Suwannapura -4
2 Alena Sharp -3
2 Ariya Jutanugarn -3
For more scores:
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8th hole, 2nd round, Ariya went for the green in two. 525 yards with 3-wood, 6-iron. Her 3-wood went 330 yards.
(video, 1:20) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELsIAFL5Q4
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They have released a preliminary field for next week's Tour Championship and Brittany is 3rd alternate after Beatriz Recari and Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras. Alena is 12 spots farther down the alternate list from Brittany.
The list will not be finalized until after this event in China is done.Comment
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Here are the leaders after the second round of the Blue Bay LPGA:
1 Ariya Jutanugarn -7
2 Gaby Lopez -3
2 Moriya Jutanugarn -3
2 Jennifer Song -3
For more scores:
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Here are the leaders after the third round of the Blue Bay LPGA:
1 Gaby Lopez -9
2 Ariya Jutanugarn -8
3 Sung Hyun Park -4
3 Sei Young Kim -4
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Here are the final results of the Blue Bay LPGA tournament:
1 Gaby Lopez -8
2 Ariya Jutanugarn -7
3 Celine Boutier -6
For more scores:
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After the Blue Bay, Alena has moved up to 92nd on the money list and Brittany is 89th. Brittany is now fourth alternate for next week's Championship.
EDIT: It looks like they haven't renumbered the money list yet -- Alena may move up a spot or two
Top 5 for the Race to the CME (will win $1 million with a win this week): Ariya, Minjee, Brooke, Sei Young and Nasa.
UPDATE: They have renumbered the money list. Brooke is now #4, Brittany is #89 and Alena is #91.
It looks like the difference between a full LPGA card for next year (top 100) and a conditional one (101-150) will be $8.
100: Brianna Do ($113,220, earned $10,097 this week)
101: Cydney Clanton ($113,212, earned $12,411 this week)
Cydney was T73 at Q-Series, so will be in the 101-125 category next year.Last edited by sjmcampbell; Nov 11, 2018, 03:46 AM.Comment
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