Tseng & Wie in 1st & 2nd in Thailand

Yani Tseng shot a 3rd round 70, to take the leading position at the Honda LPGA Thailand at -9. Yani had 5 birdies, 1 eagle, 3 bogeys and 1 double bogey in her 3rd round. I'd say the only thing left for this young lady in this tournament, is an Ace!

Michelle Wie also was not about to lose her position at the top, and remains in 2nd place alongside I.K. Kim at -8. Michelle shot a 3rd round 71. She had 5 birdies and 4 bogeys carded in the 3rd round. I.K. Kim also in a tie for 2nd place shot a 72, with 4 birdies & 4 bogeys. Many recall last season's win she had at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, where she said before her final round that "if she won", she would donate her entire winners check to the charities. Well, she won and she did donate the entire check! Fairly quiet and reserved on the field when playing, this gal has a generous heart and is a great role model for young girls.

Paula Creamer managed to finish at -7 to hold onto 4th place soley. Australian Karrie Webb is right behind at -6, followed by M.J. Hur in 6th place at -5. The 7th position has a four-way tie consisting of: Stacy Lewis, Mika Miyazato, Juli Inkster and Pornanong Phatlum all at -4.

Cristie Kerr is currently sitting in a two-way tie at 16th place with a -2. Other notables, Suzann Pettersen is in a tie for 11th place at -3. She had only 2 birdies and carded 3 bogeys for her 3rd round play. English woman and Twitter friend Karen Stupples is currently in a tie for 35th, sitting at +4. If she can trim out those bogey's, she can certainly have room for a decent finish. Aussie Katherine Hull in in a tie for 30th at +3 and Christina Kim sits at +10 overall, in a tie at 53rd.

The Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course is certainly presenting some challenges for the ladies this week. Last years Champion Ai Miyazato who is currently in a tie at 23rd place, is +1 overall. She will have her work cut out for her to climb up the leader board in the final round. She is 10 strokes behind leader Yani Tseng and while I "never say never", she's going to need her "A" game to take this win from Yani, Michelle or I.K. Kim who have maintained their positions throughout this tourney!

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

Honda LPGA Thailand 2nd round complete

I.K. Kim was the leader after both rounds 1 & 2 at -8 overall. She shot a 63 followed by a 73. Hours away from beginning the 3rd round, she has her eyes poised on a Win to start her season off! She had a bogey free first round with 9 birdies! Her 2nd round included 4 birdies and 5 bogeys to card a 73 for round two.

Currently in a tie for 2nd place is Michelle Wie and the World's #1 Yani Tseng at -7. Yani, who captured back to back wins in Australia, took over the World's #1 from Jiyai Shin. Michelle Wie, who you can follow on Twitter via @TheMichelleWie carded 5 birdies and 2 bogeys for a first round 69. She then followed that by a bogey free 2nd round and 4 more birdies! Yani on the other hand carded a bogey free 1st round with 6 birdies. She followed that with 5 more during her second round and 2 bogeys. Yani has a determination and focus starting this season off, like I've never seen. She appears to have matured in many ways and appears to her goals set. She is now starting to fill up the trophy cases at her home on Lake Nona that she purchased previously from Annika Sorenstam.

In a four-way tie for 4th place sits; Momoko Ueda, Na Yeon Choi, Paula Creamer and Fan Favorite Juli Inkster! Suzann Pettersen (or "the Susan Lucci of Golf" as I refer to her), sits in a tie for 8th currently. Inkster had a first round consisting of 7 birdies, 1 EAGLE and 3 bogeys. She had 4 birdies and 3 bogeys in her 2nd round. Juli has played some great golf recently and was a close contender for a win more than once last season.

Some popular gals in a tie for 12th are; Natalie Gulbis, Stacy Lewis, Karrie Webb and Christie Kerr to name a few. Bam Bam (Brittany Lincicome) sits in a tie for 18th as well as does one of my faves Karen Stupples! Karen started her season off with a top ten finish. She is an avid Twitterer as well and you can follow her via @KStupples I believe that Karen is going to be one to watch this season and I see a WIN coming soon!

Another favorite is the always chipper and a fashionista of color and social media expert, Christina Kim. You can follow her on Twitter via @TheChristinaKim . Christina is currently in a tie for 46th place at +3. Christina had a good start to her season opener in Australia. She is one who is very focused and can make things happen. Pilla Sports made the "Freedom Frame" Pilla sunglasses specially for Christina. Not just for her love of playing in the Solheim Cup for the USA, but also as a gift for her great play in such. Keep your eyes on her! Australian Katherine Hull is currently in a tie for 41st place. She carded 3 birdies and 4 bogeys followed by a round two of 72 after 2 birdies and 2 bogeys.

Yani Tseng WINS 2nd straight Tourney & takes #1 Ranking

Yani Tseng started this tourney like the one last week, with full steam ahead. She ended up winning by 4 strokes at -24, over Stacy Lewis & Australia's Nikki Campbell. Yani had a stellar bogey free final round with 9 Birdies to card another 63! With the win this week, Yani took over the World's #1 Ranking from Jiyai Shin.

Last years tournament winner Karrie Webb was not able to gain enough momentum, and finished in a pack tied for 9th place with -16. Australia's other popular golfer Katherine Hull, finished in a tie for 15th place at -14.

Christina Kim finished with a final round 68, to put her in the tie for 9th place at -16.

Congrats to Yani! It looks like she is starting to fill those trophy shelves in the house at Lake Nona that she purchased over a year ago from Annika Sorenstam. What a way to start the 2011 season, with back to back WINS!

While the LETour goes onto New Zealand for their next tourney, the LPGA will be in Thailand before the ladies travel on to Singapore after that. The good thing is.... that this weeks coverage should be shown on GC as follows: 18th 12:30 - 2:30 PM ET and then 3:00 - 5:00 PM ET on both the 19th and 20th.

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

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...........

Annika Sorenstam to be honored

Annika Sorenstam will be honored along with 17 other women at the Founders Cup Tournament March 18-20 in Phoenix Arizona. This will be in recognition of their contribution to the game of Golf.

Not only has Annika previously been honored as a 3 time ESPY award winner, has 6th career Vare Trophies (for year's of the lowest scoring average in the LPGA), crossed the $20 million mark while a player on the LPGA, shot that phenomenal 59, opened her own Golf Acadamy, rang the bell at the NYSE, was the Rolex Player of the Year in 2005 (only her 2nd year on the tour), won a skins match again Lorena Ochoa in Lorena's backyard.... Mexico, launched a fragrance, has her own chardonnay  & a wine club, was the recipient of the EWGA 2009 Leaders award, designed several courses, has her own blog, is a Hall of Famer, and a selected recipient of the Saint Leo Women in Sports Achievement Award (she is the 16th recipient of such), she is  now retired (after the 2008 Tour season) from the game and by early summer will be a two time MOM.

Annika will also serve as honorary chair at the 2011 Women's US Open in Reunion, FL July 4-8th. 

The Annika Academy is located in Central Florida, south of Orlando. There, you can learn from Annika and her coaches both in a state of the art facility.  Annika perfected her game with the help of Henri Reis and Kai Fusser. Henri has been Annika's only swing coach while Kai is her personal trainer. She has also enlisted at the Academy, the help of her sister Charlotta, who is the Director of Golf Operations.

One thing is for sure, Annika will never be away from Golf. She continues to work for the better of her Academy and her Foundation. She works toward the goals of fitness and nutrition and teaches kids the importance of "living Healthy" and fighting childhood Obesity.






To say that Annika has a "passion" for golf would be
selling her short. She lives and breathes golf and tries to give back through her charities and to help kids through her Academy.

Married to Mike, they will become the parents of another baby girl in early summer. How she can manage so many things at any given time is sheer wonder.

So, join me as I congratulate Annika on her upcoming recognition honor at the Founders Cup in March. This is just one more way to say Thank-You Annika, for your endless contributions to the game of Golf and your dedication to helping kids living healthier lives and never stop striving for their dreams.


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

Poulter nude on the Euro cover of Golf World in March...whoa!

Yes, we've got ourselves a winner for a March issue! That's Ian James Poulter on the cover with nothing but his pink golf bag! The only problem is it isn't the American version, only the Euro. For those that want to read about it, Click on this link (Happy drooling ladies)

Bubba Watson, a 2nd time PGA Tour Winner!

A close battle at the end of Sunday afternoon, left Watson a winner and lefty well....left out. Bubba sunk a 12 foot birdie to stay 2 strokes ahead of Mickelson, who had to eagle #18 to take it to a play-off. Mickelson, who on #17 went up ahead of his shot to check out the green and then came back to hit an amazingly close shot, which he then dropped in for a birdie. He tried the same again on #18, when he needed to sink it from 72 yards out (with Bones tending the pin) for an eagle to tie Bubba.

Phil's wedge shot was a tad short and left him a 4 foot putt for birdie. He got his bird and finished solo in 2nd place. There was a bit of an onslaught of people saying that Phil having Bones tend the pin from 72 yards out was, well....a LONG SHOT! Phil agreed that it was indeed a long shot however, he didn't want anything to stop a potentially tie if he got the right line to the hole. There was alot riding on that one shot and it certainly was Phil's choice. Now, everyone needs to leave it behind. After all, he did have an amazing shot on #17 and to want to better that to take this into a play-off, which was not exactly far fetched. His 2nd place finish moved him into the No. 4 spot in the rankings.

Bubba on the other hand, played a stellar tournament from start to finish. He averages 315 yards on his drives. On #13, the 525 par 5, Bubba had one heck of a monster drive that left him a simple wedge shot to the green. When he chipped out of the 17th hole bunker with Johnny Vegas and Lefty only one back, his ball ran approximately 10 feet past the hole. That was a shot that he made look effortless. The ball ran right to the cup as if it had direct radar. Then on #18 when he had a 12 foot putt for birdie, he repeated the finesse that he had just shown on the 17th green. Before he got to the birdie putt, he looked up expecting that Phil was going to "go for it". What he didn't know, was that Phil had already taken his shot and laid up. That, was another source of groans by many. The majority of golfers I've spoken with and read their responses about, state that they felt Lefty should have waited to take his shot. Phil on the otherhand, saw nothing wrong with it.

There's no question Bubba's putting was HOT when he needed it to be. His long game, is also something that continues to shave strokes off his card. He can sore off the tee box with aim that we as golfers can only hope to master. He has worked on the off season on his short game. I would say that it has certainly paid off! While the WIN was a happy moment, it was also bittersweet. It was the first win since his father passed last October. Bubba got his first win while his father was still alive, yet very ill. And, while he didn't have his father there to congratulate him with a hug, his devoted wife Angie was.

If there's one thing that Bubba proved, it's that hard work and determination pays off. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Well done Bubba, well done! I think I can speak for many and say, "Your father would be very proud of you Bubba". I think his win was for his father, who was no doubt wataching over him at Torrey Pines this past week!

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