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LPGA - RICOH Women's British Open Preview
From The Sports Network
| DATES: Thursday, September 13th through Sunday, September 16th |
| SITE: Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, Liverpool, United Kingdom |
| COURSE ARCHITECT: Robert Chambers and George Morris (1869), |
| Donald Steel (2001), Martin Ebert and Tom Mackenzie (2005) |
| Hole-By-Hole: | 1 - Par 4 392 yds | 10 - Par 5 493 yds | |
| 2 - Par 4 377 yds | 11 - Par 4 382 yds | |
| 3 - Par 4 405 yds | 12 - Par 4 397 yds | |
| 4 - Par 4 358 yds | 13 - Par 3 151 Yds | |
| 5 - Par 5 528 yds | 14 - Par 4 400 yds | |
| 6 - Par 3 157 yds | 15 - Par 3 161 yds | |
| 7 - Par 4 383 yds | 16 - Par 5 519 yds | |
| 8 - Par 4 382 yds | 17 - Par 4 457 yds | |
| 9 - Par 3 178 yds | 18 - Par 5 540 yds | |
| ------------- | ------------- | |
| 35 3,160 yds | 37 3,500 yds | |
| Annual: | 36th |
| Television: | ESPN - Thursday/Sunday -- 9 a.m.-12 p.m. (et) |
| Defending Champion: | Yani Tseng |
| Runner-Up: | Brittany Lang |
| Tournament Record: | 269 (Karrie Webb, 1997 - 19-under-par - Par 72) |
| | 269 (Karen Stupples, 2004 - 19-under-par - Par 72) |
| | 275 (Karen Lunn, 1993 - 17-under-par - Par 73) |
| 54-Hole Record: | 198 (Karrie Webb, 1997 - 18-under-par - Par 72 |
| | 205 (Emilee Klein, 1996 - 14-under-par - Par 73) |
| 36-Hole Record: | 133 (Caroline Masson, 2011 - 11 under-par - Par 72) |
| | 134 (Emilee Klein, 1996 - 12-under-par - Par 73) |
| 18-Hole Record: | 62 (Minea Blomqvist, 2004 - Sunningdale Golf Club) |
| Total Purse: | $2,750,000 |
| Shares: | 1st Place - $461,250; 2nd Place - $277,741; 3rd Place - $183,951 |
| 2011 Finish |
| Player | Score | Player | Score |
| Yani Tseng | 272 | Catriona Matthew | 279 |
| Brittany Lang | 276 | Inbee Park | 280 |
| Sophie Gustafson | 277 | Sun Young Yoo | 280 |
| Amy Yang | 278 | Na Yeon Choi | 280 |
| Caroline Masson | 279 | Anna Nordqvist | 280 |
| Past RICOH Women's British Open Winners |
| Year | Winner (Score) -- Runners-Up |
| 2011 | Yani Tseng (272) -- Brittany Lang |
| (Carnoustie Golf Links - Championship Course) |
| 2010 | Yani Tseng (277) -- Katherine Hull |
| (Royal Birkdale Golf Club) |
| 2009 | Catriona Matthew (285) -- Karrie Webb |
| (Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club) |
| 2008 | Jiyai Shin (270) -- Yani Tseng |
| (Sunningdale Golf Club) |
| 2007 | Lorena Ochoa (287) -- Jee Young Lee, Maria Hjorth |
| (St. Andrew's Golf Club - Old Course) |
| 2006 | Sherri Steinhauer (281) -- Cristie Kerr, Sophie Gustafson |
| (Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club) |
| 2005 | Jeong Jang (272) -- Sophie Gustafson |
| (Royal Birkdale Golf Club) |
| 2004 | Karen Stupples (269) -- Rachel Hetherington |
| (Sunningdale Golf Club) |
| 2003 | Annika Sorenstam (278) -- Se Ri Pak |
| (Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club) |
| 2002 | Karrie Webb (273) -- Michelle Ellis, Paula Marti |
| (Turnberry Golf Club - Ailsa Course) |
| 2001 | Se Ri Pak (277) -- Mi Hyun Kim |
| (Sunningdale Golf Club) |
| 2000 | Sophie Gustafson (282) -- K.Taylor, L.Neumann, B.Iverson, Meg Mallon |
| (Royal Birkdale Golf Club) |
| 1999 | Sherri Steinhauer (283) -- Annika Sorenstam |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1998 | Sherri Steinhauer (292) -- Sophie Gustafson |
| (Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club) |
| 1997 | Karrie Webb (269) -- Rosie Jones |
| (Sunningdale Golf Club) |
| 1996 | Emilee Klein (277) -- Penny Hammel, Amy Alcott |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1995 | Karrie Webb (278) -- Jill McGill, Annika Sorenstam |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1994 | Liselotte Neumann (280) -- Dottie Pepper, Annika Sorenstam |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1993 | Karen Lunn (275) -- Brandie Burton |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1992 | #Patty Sheehan (207) -- Corinne Dibnah |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1991 | Penny Grice-Whittaker (284) -- Helen Alfredsson |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1990 | *Helen Alfredsson (288) -- Jane Hill |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1989 | Jane Geddes (274) -- Florence Descampe |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1988 | *Corinne Dibnah (295) -- Sally Little |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1987 | Alison Nicholas (296) -- Laura Davies, Muffin Spencer-Devlin |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1986 | Laura Davies (283) -- Marta Figueras-Dotti, P.Conley |
| (Royal Birkdale Golf Club) |
| 1985 | Betsy King (300) -- Marta Figueras-Dotti |
| (Moor Park Golf Club) |
| 1984 | Ayako Okamoto (289) |
| (Woburn Golf & Country Club) |
| 1983 | Not Held |
| 1982 | Marta Figueras-Dotti (296) |
| (Royal Birkdale Golf Club) |
| 1981 | Debbie Massey (295) |
| (Northumberland Golf Club) |
| 1980 | Debbie Massey (294) |
| (Wentworth Club) |
| 1979 | Allison Sheard (301) |
| (Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club) |
| 1978 | Janet Melville (310) |
| (Foxhills Golf & Country Club) |
| 1977 | Vivien Saunders (306) |
| (Lindrick Golf Club) |
| 1976 | Jenny Lee-Smith (299) |
| (Fulford Golf Club) |
| Note:Formerly called Ladies British Open Championship (1976-86); |
|
Weetabix Women's British Open (1987-2006).
|
| Top Contenders in the Field |
| Player | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Yani Tseng | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | T-20 | Won | Won |
| Brittany Lang | --- | --- | --- | --- | mc | mc | mc | T-33 | T-43 | 2nd |
| Sophie Gustafson | T-11 | 8th | mc | 2nd | T-2 | T-33 | T-24 | T-33 | T-43 | 3rd |
| Catriona Matthew | T-35 | mc | T-29 | 21st | mc | T-7 | T-38 | Won | mc | T-5 |
| Na Yeon Choi | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-21 | T-8 | T-3 | T-7 |
| Inbee Park | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-11 | mc | 24th | T-9 | T-7 |
| Anna Nordqvist | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-58 | T-42 | T-51 | T-69 | T-7 |
| Stacy Lewis | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | mc | T-31 | T-11 |
| Cristie Kerr | T-29 | T-14 | T-11 | T-5 | T-2 | T-33 | 6th | T-8 | T-5 | T-14 |
| Mika Miyazato | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-11 | mc | T-14 |
| Se Ri Pak | T-11 | 2nd | T-21 | wd | wd | T-5 | mc | T-20 | --- | T-14 |
| Jiyai Shin | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-28 | Won | T-8 | T-14 | 21st |
| Karrie Webb | Won | T-3 | --- | T-11 | mc | T-28 | T-9 | 2nd | T-43 | T-22 |
| Angela Stanford | T-13 | T-64 | mc | mc | T-36 | mc | mc | T-20 | T-50 | T-22 |
| Karen Stupples | T-56 | T-12 | Won | T-11 | T-10 | T-42 | T-24 | mc | mc | T-22 |
| Michelle Wie | --- | --- | --- | T-3 | T-26 | mc | --- | T-11 | T-17 | T-28 |
| Brittany Lincicome | --- | --- | --- | mc | T-56 | T-11 | mc | T-28 | T-9 | T-30 |
| Shanshan Feng | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | mc | T-67 | T-73 | T-30 |
| I.K. Kim | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-42 | T-9 | T-20 | T-3 | T-37 |
| Suzann Pettersen | T-24 | mc | mc | --- | mc | T-28 | T-24 | mc | T-14 | T-37 |
| Paula Creamer | --- | --- | --- | T-15 | T-22 | T-7 | T-9 | T-3 | T-21 | T-43 |
| Morgan Pressel | --- | --- | --- | --- | T-56 | mc | mc | T-42 | 8th | T-49 |
| Azahara Munoz | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | mc | T-19 | T-49 |
| Ai Miyazato | --- | --- | mc | T-11 | 9th | T-58 | 5th | T-3 | T-9 | mc |
| So Yeon Ryu | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sports Network Selections |
| Pick to Win - Inbee Park |
| Darkhorse - Catriona Matthew |
| |
| Last Week's Pick to Win (Stacy Lewis) - Finished tied for 9th |
| Last Week's Darkhorse (Chella Choi) - Finished tied for 14th |
| |
| NOTES: |
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The final major of the 2012 LPGA season begins this week, as the best in the
world compete in the RICOH Women's British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club
at Hoylake. The field is led by world No. 1 and two-time defending champion
Yani Tseng, who is the only three-time winner this season. Tseng, however, has
not won since March and has not recorded a top 10 finish in a stroke play
event since April. Royal Liverpool has hosted the British Open 11 times. The
last British Open held at Royal Liverpool was in 2006, when Tiger Woods
captured the title. This event is co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the
Ladies European Tour.
Inbee Park leads the money list by more than $82,000 over American Stacy
Lewis, the No. 2 ranked player in the world. Park has finished in the top 10
in eight straight events, winning the Evian Masters in July.
Sun Young Yoo won the year's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship;
Shanshan Feng won the Wegmans LPGA Championship; and Na Yeon Choi captured
the
U.S. Women's Open Championship.
Although part of the LPGA Tour since 1994, this is the 12th year in which the
British Open has been included as a major. Carnoustie Golf Links hosted in
2011; Royal Birkdale Golf Club hosted in 2000, 2005 and 2010; Sunningdale Golf
Club hosted four times (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008); Royal Lytham & St. Annes
hosted in 1998, 2003, 2006 and 2009; Turnberry Golf Club played host in 2002;
Woburn Golf & Country Club has hosted the tournament 12 times. There have been
only two playoffs in the tournament's history, the last coming in 1990 when
Helen Alfredsson edged Jane Hill for the title.
Last year, Tseng collected her fifth major championship when she successfully
defended her title. Tseng, 22, became the youngest player in history, male or
female, to win that many major titles. Even the great Tiger Woods only won his
fifth major title at 24. Tseng joined Debbie Massey and Sherri Steinhauer as
the only players to win this title two years in a row. She also became the
first golfer to win two majors in consecutive years on the LPGA Tour since
Karrie Webb finished her run off in 2001.
In 2010, Tseng rolled in a 5-foot par putt on the final hole to hold off
Katherine Hull and win by a single stroke. Tseng only managed a 1-over 73 in
the final round after three straight rounds of 68 at Royal Birkdale, but it
was enough for her third major championship title. She finished at 11-under-
par 277. The 21-year-old from Taiwan became the youngest golfer in the modern
era -- male or female -- with three major championship titles. Se Ri Pak had
been the youngest 3-time major winner on the LPGA Tour, earning No. 3 at the
age of 23. Tseng became the first LPGA Tour player to win two majors in the
same season since Annika Sorenstam did so in 2005.
In 2009, Catriona Matthew birdied three straight holes on the back nine in the
final round to pull away and win. Matthew completed her third tour win and
first major championship title at 3-under-par 285 for a 3-shot win over 3-time
winner Karrie Webb. Matthew was playing in just her second tournament since
giving birth to her second child three months before.
Jiyai Shin fired a 6-under 66 in the final round in 2008 to earn her first
major championship at Sunningdale Golf Club. She finished at 18-under 270 to
win by three over Tseng.
In 2007, Lorena Ochoa led wire-to-wire as she collected her first major title
at St. Andrews. She fired rounds of 67-73-73-74 to win by four over Jee Young
Lee and Maria Hjorth. Ochoa finished at 5-under 287 in the first women's
tournament ever hosted by storied St. Andrews.
Steinhauer shot an even-par 72 to claim her third Women's British Open title
back in 2006. Winning the tournament for the first time since it was declared
a major in 2001, Steinhauer ended at 7-under-par 281 for a 3-shot victory over
Cristie Kerr and 2000 champion Sophie Gustafson. It was the seventh career
title and second major championship for Steinhauer, who won the 1992 du
Maurier Classic for her first. The du Maurier was replaced by the British Open
as the fourth women's major in 2001, two years after Steinhauer claimed the
second of her back-to-back Women's British titles in 1999.
In 2005, Jeong Jang stole the show for her first career win. Jang posted four
rounds in the 60s to capture this event, finishing as a wire-to-wire winner at
16-under-par 272 for the tournament. That was good enough to hold off
Gustafson and everyone else in the field.
Karen Stupples roared from behind with an 8-under 64 in the final round in
2004 to win by five strokes. Stupples' tournament total of 19-under-par 269
tied the tournament record on a par-72 course. Webb set the original mark in
1997 at the same venue, Sunningdale Golf Club. Stupples' total also matched
the lowest score in an LPGA Tour major.
In 2003, Annika Sorenstam captured this major championship to complete the
final leg of the career grand slam.
The LPGA moves back to North America next week for the Navistar LPGA Classic
in Alabama, where Lexi Thompson will defend her title.
09/11 14:21:12 ET
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As of September 11, 2012, at 02:21 PM ET
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