Yani Tseng leads the ladies in Queensland, Australia

Hot is how you could describe the way Yani Tseng started the 2011 season off. She won last week at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open and is leading this week's tourney after 3 rounds at the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters. Tseng leads the pack by 3 strokes and is currently at -20. She carded a 2nd round 66 that was improved upon even more with a 3rd round 63!

Defending Champion Karrie Webb is currently in a tie for 15th place at -11. She won the tourney in 2010 and is on the hunt for a back to back win in her homeland Australia. Karrie carded rounds of 66, 71 and 68 and has her work cut out for her to catch Yani who sits 9 strokes ahead of her.

This week's event is played at RACV Royal Pines Resort, located in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Previously played at Palm Meadows, the tourney found it's permanent home at the Royal Pines Resort in 1992. US Open Champion Jane Geddes had won back to back titles in 1990 & 1991; which was a very fitting farewell to Palm Meadows.

The field is made up of 144 players that come from the following: 50 ALPG, 50 LET, 15 KLPGA, 4 LPGA of Japan, 4 Amateurs & 15 Sponsor Invitees. And while television coverage is said to be via the GC in the USA, Canada & Japan....I have yet to find it! Very disappointing that our LET events are  not better televised for the USA.

Holding 2nd place soley at -17 is Stacy Lewis, who posted rounds of 67, 65 and 67 respectively. Behind Stacy is Ryan O'Toole, also from the US. In a tie for 5th place is one of my favorites Christina Kim, who had a 3rd round 66 which followed a 69 for both prior rounds.

A recent young lady who turned 16 last week, Alexis Thompson is in a tie for 23rd place at -10. Joining her at -10 is a popular Australian, Katherine Hull.

Next week, the LET tour will be in New Zealand at the Pegasus Golf Club in Christchurch. In the USA, the LPGA will head to  the Honda LPGA Thailand tourney in Chonburi, Thailand. Ai Miyazato is the defending champion who won last year's tourney with a -21. She defeated renowned 2nd Place finisher Suzann Pettersen by 1 stroke. Will 2011 be the year Suzann takes her game to the end and gets a win? She went without any wins last season and I have called her the "Susan Lucci" of Golf.

The Honda LPGA Thailand event began in 2006. It is a 72 hole format and will be played at the Siam Country Club. The course plays 7,016 yards. Currently in the Rolex Rankings, Yani Tseng sits closely in 2nd place behind Jiyai Shin. Cristie Kerr is in 3rd followed by Suzann Pettersen in 4th place. 5th & 6th places are filled by Na Yeon Choi and Ai Miyazato respectively.

I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see the 2011 season begin and the excitement as the ladies strive for that #1 World Ranking!

Now, Go Hit Some Balls...........