LPGA.com News & Entertainment

Defending Champion Wie confirmed for CN Canadian Women’s Open

DEFENDING CHAMPION MICHELLE WIE ALONG WITH YANI TSENG, SUZANN PETTERSEN AND CRISTIE KERR CONFIRMED FOR 2011 CN CANADIAN WOMEN’S OPEN  

CN Miracle Match fundraising campaign launched in support of Montreal Children’s Hospital and Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation
Volunteers needed — be a part of Canada’s only LPGA Tour event 

Mirabel, Que. (Golf Canada) – CN and Golf Canada are pleased to announce that five of the top 10 players on the LPGA Tour’s Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings have confirmed their intention to challenge for the $ 2.25 million (all figures US) purse at the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open being held August 22-28 at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club.

Leading the way is defending champion Michelle Wie, currently the 10th ranked player in the world. Wie, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, had eight top-10 finishes in 2010 highlighted by her victory at the 2010 CN Canadian Women’s Open at St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg.

Wie will be joined by a pair of former CN Canadian Women’s Open champions — world No. 2 Suzann Pettersen and world No. 4 Cristie Kerr. Pettersen is a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour including the 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open while Kerr’s victory at the 2006 CN Canadian Women’s Open was one of 14 career LPGA Tour victories. This past weekend, Pettersen defeated Kerr in the finals of the Sybase Match Play Championship to move from No. 3 to No. 2 on the LPGA Tour’s Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Also confirming her intention to compete is world No. 1 Yani Tseng, a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour and a three-time major winner. Tseng is a winner of both the 2008 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award and the 2010 Rolex Player of the Year Award. In 2007, Tseng won a CN Canadian Women’s Tour event to earn an exemption into the 2007 CN Canadian Women’s Open where she eventually finished tied for sixth.

Tseng, Pettersen, Kerr and Wie will be joined at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club by a trio of previously confirmed stars — world No. 3 Jiyai Shin and world No. 11 Paula Creamer as well as fan favourite Christina Kim.

“Three months out from the championship, we are very pleased with how our field is coming together and expect that all of the world’s best players will be at Hillsdale,” said Sean Van Kesteren, Tournament Director, CN Canadian Women’s Open. “Yani Tseng, Michelle Wie, Suzann Pettersen and Cristie Kerr are tremendous talents and I’m sure together with Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin and Christina Kim will be among the crowd favourites during this year’s championship.”

A field of 156 competitors will vie for the $ 2.25 million CN Canadian Women’s Open. The deadline for players to confirm their intention to compete at the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open in Mirabel, Que. is Tuesday, August 16.

Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp, Samantha Richdale, Lisa Meldrum and LPGA rookie Stephanie Sherlock will also compete at Hillsdale this August and look to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event on home soil since Jocelyne Bourassa did in 1973. Oakville, Ont., native Jessica Shepley will also compete for the national title after earning an exemption last week with her victory at the CN Canadian Women’s Tour event in Squamish, B.C. Additional Canadian competitors will be announced in the coming weeks.

CN MIRACLE MATCH PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS

The 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open will help to raise money for both the Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation and The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, the official charitable beneficiaries of the CN Miracle Match campaign.

Today CN announced the official launch of the 2011 CN Miracle Match fundraising campaign. Individuals and corporations looking to support the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation and Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation can visit www.cnmiraclematch.ca to make their donation.

“At CN, we recognize our civic responsibility to the communities in which we operate and we are especially proud of the assistance we were able to provide to paediatric care in Canada thanks to the CN Miracle Match program,” said Claude Mongeau, CN President and Chief Executive Officer. “We hope the money raised in the course of the 2011 CN Miracle Match campaign in Montreal, where CN has strong roots, will exceed the sums we raised over the past years.”

CN Miracle Match is a national charitable initiative designed to rally communities across Canada behind a very worthy cause, supporting children’s hospitals. Each year since 2006, CN and Golf Canada have raised funds to support a children’s hospital by matching funds raised through various initiatives that are connected with the CN Canadian Women’s Open. In the past five years, the CN Miracle Match program has raised $ 4.35 million for children’s hospitals.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The CN Canadian Women’s Open is also looking for volunteers to fill the a number of committee positions including Scoring, Player Transportation, Caddies for the Pro-Am, Corporate Hospitality, Marshals and Volunteer Security. Each year more than 1,400 volunteers from within the host community contribute to the success of the CN Canadian Women’s Open.

TICKETS – DAILY, WEEKLY AND CLUBHOUSE PACKAGES

Tickets for the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open are now on sale with pricing as follows:
Junior Grounds Ticket (17 & under) FREE
Early Week Daily Grounds Ticket (Monday -Wednesday) $ 10
Anyday Grounds Ticket (Thursday-Sunday) $ 25
Weekly Grounds Badge $ 75

Family Pack $ 99
(incl. 4 Anyday tickets; 2 parking passes; a $ 20 food voucher; and a 15% merchandise discount coupon)

Clubhouse Single (Monday-Sunday, incl. parking) $ 150
Clubhouse 2-Some (Monday-Sunday, incl. parking) $ 250
Clubhouse 4-Some (Monday-Sunday, incl. parking) $ 475

LPGA.com News & Entertainment

Final Results: HSBC Women’s Champions

2011 HSBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS
Final Tournament Summary
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Purse: $ 1,400,000.00
TANAH MERAH COUNTRY CLUB
Par: 36 36 - 72 Yardage: 6547

HSBC Women's Champions -- Final-round notes and interviews

HSBC Women's Champions -- Third-round notes and interviews

HSBC Women's Champions -- Second-round notes and interviews

HSBC Women's Champions - First-round notes and interviews

Pre-tournament Notes and Interviews

Tournament Preview

LPGA.com News & Entertainment

HSBC Women’s Champions — Final-round notes and interviews

Final-round notes and interviews

Chie Arimura, -12, Rolex Rankings No. 19

LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb made a back-nine charge on Sunday to win the fourth-annual HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. Her final-round 3-under-par 69 included six birdies in an eight hole span to edge LPGA of Japan (JLPGA) star Chie Arimura by one shot. Arimura, the overnight leader after the first three rounds, shot 1-under-par 71 on Sunday. Webb’s four-day tally of 13-under-par 275 is the second best in tournament history behind Lorena Ochoa’s inaugural 20-under-par 268 in 2008. With the win, Webb banks $ 210,000 and becomes just the second player in LPGA Tour history to cross the $ 16 million mark in career earnings (Annika Sorenstam).

As one of the most decorated golfers in women’s history and the fourth “Champion of Champions” at the HSBC, Webb’s 15-year career now includes 37 LPGA Tour career victories, three LPGA official money list titles, two Rolex Player of the Year awards, three Vare Trophies and the 1995 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. Webb is one of only six LPGA players to have achieved the career LPGA Grand Slam and the only player in LPGA history to complete the career Super LPGA Grand Slam. She is also the youngest player in LPGA history to achieve these feats.

Chie Arimura, Sun Young Yoo and Morgan Pressel punched their “Ticket to Titleholders” at the HSBC Women’s Champions. By virtue of their top finishes, Arimura – a member of the LPGA of Japan (JLPGA), Yoo and Pressel each earned a spot in the season-ending Titleholders event, to be held Nov. 17-20, 2011 at Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando, Fla. The inaugural Titleholders, a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every official LPGA Tour tournament, is a format never previously used in professional golf. Yani Tseng, Michelle Wie and Karrie Webb were the first three qualifiers at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand.

Yani Tseng fell short in her bid for two-consecutive victories to open the LPGA season and five consecutive wins worldwide in 2011. She made a front-nine move, turning at 5-under-par 31 for the day to move within one shot of the lead, but faltered with bogies at holes 10 and 13. Tseng rebounded with birdies at 13 and 16, but fell three strokes shy of Karrie Webb at 10-under-par 272. With her finish, Tseng is projected to retain the No. 1 position in the Rolex Rankings when they are released on Monday, Feb. 28.

Webb is going to Canyon Ranch. With her victory at the 2011 HSBC Women’s Champions, Karrie Webb earned an all-inclusive stay for two at a Canyon Ranch resort. In a combined effort to promote health and overall well-being among Tour players, Canyon Ranch will provide every winner of an LPGA event with one all-inclusive stay at one of Canyon Ranch's two destination resorts.

Of note… Defending champion Ai Miyazato tied for 14th at even-par and drained a 20-foot eagle putt on the driveable par-4 16th hole on Sunday… 2009 champion Jiyai Shin tied for 11th… This year’s course average was 73.4… Only 13 of 63 players broke par for the week on a windy Garden Course... Yani Tseng, Karrie Webb, I.K. Kim and Catriona Matthew are the only four players to finish in the top-10 each of the first two weeks.

Karrie Webb, -13

MIKE SCANLAN: We would like to welcome 2011 HSBC Women's Champions winner, Karrie Webb, now a 37 time winner of the LPGA Tour, and member of the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame. How does it feel to be champion of Champions?
KARRIE WEBB: It feels great. I have to say I'm a little I didn't know if I would be sitting here today, put it that way. I feel great to be sitting here and I'm very glad that I holed out that one shot to win.

MIKE SCANLAN: You had six birdies in eight holes but also two bogeys in that eight holes. How were you playing there?
KARRIE WEBB: It was a very up and down day. I started off a little slowly and managed my game pretty well and then obviously Yani made a great run on the front nine, but then bogeyed 10.
So was getting a little frustrated, I had gotten three shots behind. But you know, there was still a lot of golf left and I think my patience paid off, because I put a great swing on a 4 iron on the next and Chie bogeyed. And so I was back to one shot behind. So just like that, I felt really back in the tournament and rolled off another three birdies. So you know, I still knew that losing 14, it wasn't over and that I had a lot of golf left.

Q. Had you been frustrated with your putting
KARRIE WEBB: This week, no, I haven't been frustrated this week with my putting.

Q. What are you doing differently?
KARRIE WEBB: They are going in (laughter). I don't know, you don't question it when you see them going in.
I've worked really hard on my putting and it feels really great to get over them. I mean, I think as get older, those putts are not easier than they were when I was 21. But I get over them and I am pretty sure I'm going to put a good stroke on them.
So that feels good. I'll take that feeling for as long as it stays with me.

Q. What have you done here, when you look at the past champions of this event
KARRIE WEBB: It's definitely a world class event and you have the best players in the world here. And great players have won this event.
For me, personally, to win this event, to win this early in the year, I really hope it sets things up for a great run. You know, I think I handled my emotions very well this week, and you know, even through the lean ball striking period that I had, probably every day I had a couple of holes where I didn't hit it very well but I managed to stay calm, got up and down more often than not which is good and then I made my birdies when I could.

Q. (Inaudible.)
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I'm glad my name is on the trophy, as well. I'm the oldest player, I don't know but how many years, but I'll take it.

Q. (Your thoughts on Chie's performance today).
KARRIE WEBB: Chie has won in Japan. I think it was a very big day for her. You know, I think no matter how many times she's won in Japan, it was probably a different feeling for her. It probably had a lot of meaning and bearing on her career. So I think that probably put a lot of pressure on her. But I think she handled herself very well.
You know, I think she played well. It wasn't easy out there. I think any score under par today under that pressure was a good score and she was there with a chance right until the end. I don't think she should hang her head at all. I think she should be very proud of how she played.

Q. Do you think she actually played like someone that knows how to win?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I expected that. I think no matter what tour you win on in the world, if you've won before, you know how to do. And if you've won from behind and you've won from leading, you know how to do it.
I didn't expect to see her go away at all today. I knew she would tough it out and play well.

Q. What about Yani, you've been on those great runs.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it is, it's really watching her, especially the front nine today, it's really amazing watching players with a lot of confidence. Obviously I didn't get to watch myself when I had that sort of confidence that she has, but watching players with that sort of confidence, they don't feel like they can do any wrong; that they are going to make those birdies. And Yani did.
And I think probably especially Chie leading, she wasn't playing poorly. But her lead was getting smaller and smaller as Yani made birdie after birdie. So I think that pressure alone; and there was a lot of Yani fans out there, too.
So it's hard when you're not the favourite in the crowd and you're trying to keep your emotions in check, too. I think Chie did a good job, and Yani, I mean, Yani played great. I think she made a bogey there on 10, which really stopped her momentum this afternoon.

Q. At what point did you feel you were going to win, was there a point during the round?
KARRIE WEBB: I didn't feel like I was going to win until that last six inch putt went in.
But I think the turning point came, I birdied 9 and I played 10 very poorly today. I was very frustrated. I didn't put a good swing on my drive, and that really set it up for a bad hole. Chie birdied that hole; so I went three shots behind and I knew I wasn't out of it but I knew I needed to play better golf than that to even have a chance.
Put a great swing on a 4 iron on 11 and made about a 12 footer for birdie there, and Chie bogeyed, so all of a sudden, one shot behind and you know, right back in it. That was what calmed me down. I played four it great holes after that, and walked off 14 with a two shot lead.

Q. How did you manage to stay calm?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't know, I really had to keep my emotions in check today. I think it was easy for me not to it get ahead of myself, because I knew I wasn't swinging it as good as I could.
So I really had to just think about one shot at a time. I really couldn't get ahead of myself, because, you know, I knew I had to buckle down over every shot. So it was probably a positive in a way that made me just take one step at a time.

Q. I'm trying really hard not to use the word old in my question
KARRIE WEBB: That's all right. I'll feel old tomorrow morning after I wake up after this red eye tonight.

Q. You mention players playing with confidence; in your career, do you take a lot of confidence from it?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I definitely take a lot of confidence from it. I think the biggest things I take confidence from well, there's a couple of things. I putted really the last couple well, I've putted well pretty much the whole four weeks that I've played.
And then just how I kept my emotions in check. You know, I didn't even as experienced as I am; I still struggle with controlling my emotions and not getting too down on myself and beating myself up where I can't get myself out of that hole.
So I think that's the biggest thing I'll take confidence from this week.

Q. Looking at leaderboards earlier in the round, there were only eight other players under par in the tournament; why do you think the scoring was so high?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it's very tough. I don't think this course has ever played that tough. Mainly I think because of the wind. I don't think we have ever seen the wind blow that hard for four straight days.
And I think it really made the longer par 4s long, really long. And then with the way the greens are, if you are not in the right section, it's really tough to 2 putt or to get up and down if you miss it short side.
So you know, it's definitely a challenging golf course. I don't think we had a lot of rain on the greens, either, so they didn't get any softer as the week went on. So I think just each day became more of a challenge to give yourself decent birdie chances.

Q. (Inaudible).
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it's definitely been a great week for me. I don't want to complain, but I could have had a better ball striking week. I've had better ball striking weeks. But like I said, I have not had a complete week where I didn't let bad shots get me down and I got up and down fairly often. I shrugged off the bogeys fairly quickly as well. The job I did mentally is probably the best job I've done for a long time.

Q. Another world class performance by Yani; were you prepared for the run she made?
KARRIE WEBB: Yes, I was ready for it. And actually, I wasn't surprised that Yani started the way she did. I think I expected that, as well.
And so I was just ready to not really get too caught up in what the other two players in my group were doing and try to remember that there was 18 holes and that this course was playing tough.
So I didn't start off great, and Chie maybe started off really well; that there was still time to catch her. So you know, I didn't really get involved with that. I was just, like I said, trying to hit one shot at a time and you know, make as many birdies as I could.

Q. How were the crowds out there?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, the crowds were great. I think they were happy to see me make a birdie. Cheered loudly when they could.

Chie Arimura, -12

Q. Tough finish today but second is great and such a big tournament. How do you feel it went today?
CHIE ARIMURA: Really pretty good round today, so I'm very happy. So I lost by a stroke.

Q. How was it playing with Yani and Karrie?
CHIE ARIMURA: Really good players, and Yani is really aggressive. She's doesn't hit short. And Karrie is really smart, also. She is very calm and really a good player.

Q. Do you think her experience helped her today?
CHIE ARIMURA: I don't think so, because today is a new day. We have a good round today.

Q. Do you think was there a difference between today and yesterday or the other three days?
CHIE ARIMURA: My putting was a bit short and it's no good.

Q. So they were going in the first three days and some of them were a little bit short today?
CHIE ARIMURA: Yes.

Q. What was the turning point today?
CHIE ARIMURA: Today, No. 11. So three behind to Karrie but I hit bogey and she had birdie, so I realise that I'm one behind. So No. 11 I think.

Q. Are you proud of the way you played today, because you got all the way to the end?
CHIE ARIMURA: Yes, I think so.

Q. How do you feel?
CHIE ARIMURA: Very happy. I'm disappointed with the result, disappointed. Very, very disappointed. But also very happy.

Q. One day do you hope to join the LPGA Tour?
CHIE ARIMURA: I'm thinking this week is really enjoyed it, and so I like the LPGA Tour. But I am playing in Japan. So maybe, maybe not.

Yani Tseng, -10

Q. Tell us your thoughts, pretty good week; third in the end.
YANI TSENG: Yeah, I can't wait to go back and take a break. It was fun today. I played great on the front nine. I just couldn't get it on the back nine. But I tried my best today and it was just great fun.
Karrie, she played very well on the back nine and she deserved to win. I'm very happy to see her win this tournament.

Q. And what about the amazing start you had, reeling off five birdies in a row there, you must have been thinking anything was possible.
YANI TSENG: Last night, I didn't think I was going to win today. And then after the front nine, I was thinking I can win today.
But I just didn't the back nine, I didn't quite play quite well, especially No. 10 and No. 12. That's an easy hole but I just missed a putt and like I said, I tried my best and I'm still very happy and very proud of myself to finish third.

Q. What will you do now? What do you have planned for the next few weeks?
YANI TSENG: I'm going to go back to Taiwan to do lots of press conferences for a couple of days, and then back to the States to get ready for the next three tournaments; the Founders Cup.

Q. You mentioned when you came in everybody was talking about this many wins, that many wins. You must be pretty happy, though, with what you did up against that sort of pressure?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, very happy, four is pretty good. Five would be perfect, but that's golf. This is why golf is so much fun.

Q. Did you grow up watching Karrie? Karrie she has not won in a few years but she's won so many times.
YANI TSENG: That's for sure. When I was younger, I watched Karrie playing golf all the time and then the first time played with Karrie, I was so nervous, and the first time I played with her, she shot 62, so I never forgot. Some of the putting tricks, I learn lots of things from Karrie Webb.

Q. There are lots of you youngsters on Tour at the moment, but what about one of the sort of veteran stars doing so well?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, I think everybody is the same, doesn't matter how old you are. Everybody is always looking forward to winning a tournament. I always know that someone as experienced as Karrie or Juli, they have been here like 20 years, ten years, and it's just lots of fun to play with them.

Q. Tough round today, how do you feel about having come in here having won four tournaments to end your streak?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, I don't care at this point. I feel I tried my best and I played really good today. I played an awesome front nine. I felt really, really good and actually I told my friend, I'm going to win tomorrow I don't know, I have this very strong feel.
But that's how I played on the front nine but on the back nine I missed No. 10 and No. 11, short putts I missed. But I tried my best and I really enjoyed today. And Karrie played awesome on the back nine.

Q. You're not too disappointed?
YANI TSENG: No, it's not like I played really bad today, I had no chance. I tried really hard.
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HSBC Women’s Champions — Third-round notes and interviews

HSBC Women's Champions
Tanah Merah Country Club, Garden Course
Singapore, Singapore
Feb. 26, 2011
Third-round notes and interviews

CHIE ARIMURA, -11, Rolex Rankings No. 19
KARRIE WEBB, -10, Rolex Rankings No. 13

Rolex Rankings No. 19 and seven-time LPGA of Japan (JLPGA) winner Chie Arimura leads LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb by one shot entering final round play at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore. Arimura, who is not a member of the LPGA Tour, owned a three-shot advantage with three holes to play, but a bogey on 17 and a birdie by Webb at 18 closed the gap to one stroke. In what has become a two-horse race with Arimura at 11-under-par 205 and Webb at 10-under-par 206, their closest challengers include Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng, No. 4 Na Yeon Choi and Sun Young Yoo, each at 5-under-par 211.

Can Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng overcome a six-shot deficit to get her fifth victory in five starts around the world in 2011? She carded a 3-under-par 69 on Friday to move into a tie for third with one round remaining at the HSBC Women's Champions. Tseng has sizzled in 2011 with an opening victory in Taiwan, followed by back-to-back wins on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in Australia and a win at the LPGA's season-opening Honda LPGA Thailand last week.

Of note… I.K. Kim had the round of the day with a 5-under-par 67 despite missing a short par putt on 18… The unrelated Miyazatos – Ai and Mika – are tied for eighth with Cristie Kerr at 2-under-par 216…. The third-round scoring average was 73.87, compared to 72.71 on Friday… Jiyai Shin, the winner of the 2009 HSBC Women's Champions, is tied for 14th at even-par 216.

Chie Arimura, -11

Karrie Webb, -10

LPGA.com News & Entertainment

HSBC Women’s Champions — Second-round notes and interviews

CHIE ARIMURA, -10, Rolex Rankings No. 19

KARRIE WEBB, -8, Rolex Rankings No. 13
SUN YOUNG YOO, -6, Rolex Rankings No. 30

Rolex Rankings No. 19 and LPGA of Japan (JLPGA) member Chie Arimura maintained her lead following a 6-under-par 66 on Friday at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. Arimura leads LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb, who also shot 6-under-par 66 today, entering the third round of play at Tanah Merah Country Club’s Garden Course. A five-time winner on the JLPGA in 2009, Arimura started the day bogey-birdie-bogey before an eagle at the par-5 fifth hole. She added birdies at Nos. 8, 9, 13, 15, 16 to move to 10-under-par 134 for the week.

LPGA and World Hall of Fame member Karrie Webb is chasing Arimura for the “Champion of Champions” crown. Following a tie for third and ticket to the season-ending Titleholders at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand, Webb shot 6-under-par 66 on Friday to move two shots back of the leader. Webb also tied for sixth at the Ladies European Tour’s Women’s Australian Open and tied for ninth at the Australian Ladies Masters to begin her 2011 season. A 36-time Tour winner, Webb is approaching the $ 16 million mark in LPGA career earnings.

Of note… Chie Arimura had the shot of the day on No. 5 where she made eagle from 80 yards with a pitching wedge... Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng dropped to a tie for eighth following an even-par 72 on Friday… Cristie Kerr produced a 5-under-par 67 including a nine-foot eagle at the driveable par-4 16th… Defending champion Ai Miyazato shot 2-under-par 70 on Friday to move into a tie for 12th at even-par… Tanah Merah’s Garden Course played to a stroke average of 72.71 on Friday compared to 73.83… Sybase Match Play Championship winner Sun Young Yoo shot 4-under-par 68 to move into solo third place entering Saturday’s final round.

Karrie Webb, -8

MIKE SCANLAN: Karrie, if you would just take us through your round today, 6 under par 66 puts you in very close proximity to the lead at the HSBC Women’s Champions.

KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I feel great about it. You know, fairly solid round. I putted really well today. You know, I didn't probably hit it as consistently well as I did yesterday but I didn't really make any really bad swings, and you know, when I missed greens, I was able to get them up and down. And then I took advantage of the good iron shots that I hit and made a few birdies.

MIKE SCANLAN: I know we spoke last week and you were feeling pretty comfortable with your game obviously. You've been on a four week stretch of playing now. How are you feeling overall?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I've gotten a bit of a cold over the last couple of days. I think my body is telling me I wouldn't be doing five in a row; put it that way.

Q. Is it easier or more difficult to compete as you get older with more experience?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't know if golf ever becomes easier. I think, you know, if I look back when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have agreed with you ten, 12 years ago; that it was the ignorance of youth. Now that I look at it, it really was.
I think the more experience you have, the more good and bad experiences you have. So I think to me, it's just overcoming all of those things and just going out there and playing golf.

Q. Do female athletes have to work harder to get noticed?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't know if we have to work harder. I think we just do it anyway. I think that just comes naturally to us, you know, to be more involved with the fans and to appreciate people being out here watching us and not take it for granted.
I think we do have to make sure that we keep doing do that and not think of ourselves as above the normal standard of every day people. I think women tend to keep a level head that way a little bit easier, so I don't think we have to work that hard. But I know it's an important aspect of the LPGA, anyway; that we do give back to the fans.

Q. Do you prefer more people watching...
KARRIE WEBB: Well, yeah, I think so. I think that's sort of similar to my last seasons. Just that you don't get to the top of the sport without having an ego. I think everyone's got to have an ego. But I think, you know well, I can only speak for myself.
But I know my ego is on the golf course and once it's done, you know, I have to check that and descend into non golf Karrie.

Q. Speaking of egos, must be nice to be near the top of the leaderboard.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it's nice to be up there on Friday with a chance and making up a little bit of ground to even give myself a chance.
You know, I'm looking forward to the weekend and we'll see what happens.

Q. Have you ever considered giving up golf or moving on given all you’ve accomplished?
KARRIE WEBB: No. I mean, times where I thought, you know, do I really need to beat my head up against the wall anymore. But I've never had anything else that I wanted to move onto.

Q. (Regarding career after competing on the LPGA Tour).
KARRIE WEBB: I don't know. You know, I would stay involved in golf in some way. But I would like to look outside the box, as well, and look at other challenges.
You know, golf's been good enough to me that I don't think I'll have to do an extreme amount of work to make a living. So, you know, I'd like to find something that actually means a lot to me.

Q. (And do you have interests outside of golf you like to do)?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I love being on the water. So I love boating and fishing and just being by the pool reading. Anything out by the water I love.

Sun Young Yoo, -6

Q. How was your round?
SUN YOUNG YOO: It was a little bit windy out there but pretty much the same wind as the practise round. I feel comfortable and I know I'm hitting it good. So I just have confidence and made some putts.

Q. You're one of the better placed South Koreans on the leaderboard, along with Na Yeon.
SUN YOUNG YOO: I know, everybody knows she's a great player and we still have two more rounds. Actually everybody has a chance at the moment so we'll see what happens.

Q. Is there anything that you can do to play better the next couple of rounds?
SUN YOUNG YOO: There are some holes that have narrow fairways, but I think I handle pretty well right now.

Q. Conditions are pretty tough with the wind, but you had five birdies today; what was the secret to that?
SUN YOUNG YOO: Just keep my ball flight low a little bit. And I've been working on the windy shots for the season, so actually feel pretty comfortable.

Q. So far the weather has been good but there could be rain this weekend. How could that affect?
SUN YOUNG YOO: I don't know, there is nothing you can do about the weather. So I just deal with it.

Q. But the fact that because if it rains, it's going to make it that much tougher.
SUN YOUNG YOO: It will be softer fairways and slower greens, but it's the same for everybody, so I'm not complaining about it.
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HSBC Women’s Champions – First-round notes and interviews

Chie Arimura, -4, Rolex Rankings No. 19
Na Yeon Choi, -3, Rolex Rankings No. 4
Yani Tseng, -2, Rolex Rankings No. 1
Karen Stupples, -2, Rolex Rankings No. 92
Karrie Webb, -2, Rolex Rankings No. 13

Rolex Rankings No. 19 Chie Arimura leads by one-shot at 4-under-par 68 after 18 holes of play at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. Arimura, a member of the LPGA of Japan (JLPGA), carded five birdies and one bogey during first-round play at Tanah Merah Country Club’s Garden Course. She has played in 10-career LPGA events as a non-member, including a tie for 32nd at last year’s HSBC Women’s Champions, with a career-best ninth place finish at the 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship. Arimura went to the same high school as defending champion Ai Miyazato.

Na Yeon Choi, the fourth-ranked player on the Rolex Rankings, leads a pack of players chasing Arimura to become “Champion of Champions” this week in Singapore. “NYC” carded a worry-free 69 to move one shot back of Arimua and one shot better than four players including Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng. Choi, the leading money winner on the 2010 LPGA Tour, has a shot to overtake Tseng as No. 1 in the world this week. Tseng’s rollercoaster day included six birdies and four bogeys to put her into a tie for third at 2-under-par 70 alongside LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb, Karen Stupples and reigning Sybase Match Play Championship winner Sun Young Yoo.

Of note… Karen Stupples teed off on the 10th hole and carded eagles at No. 13 and No. 9… The first-round scoring average was 73.83, more than 1.2 strokes higher than last year’s four-day average of 72.6… Defending champion Ai Miyazato is tied for 31st at 2-over-par 74… 2009 HSBC champion Jiyai Shin is tied for seventh at 1-under-par 71…

Chie Arimura, -4

Q. Tell us about your round today.
CHIE ARIMURA: Today was my first round of golf this year and I felt really nervous. I knew I had prepared well and practised hard on my putting.I am very happy to play here again and had a good round. It has been a great day for me.

Q. You had a bogey at 17th hole. How do you feel about it?
CHIE ARIMURA: Among the 18 holes I only missed out on this one today. It is a shame but I have tried, there is nothing much I can do about it. I did well in other places especially my putting so I have no regret.

Q. How are you going to play the course tomorrow?
CHIE ARIMURA: When I first played in events on the LPGA Tour in America, I was very eager to win and I felt nervous every time I played. But now I work hard and practice a lot, so I will focus on playing my game in order to play well tomorrow and get good results.

Q: Do you have any secret to play well at this course?
CHIE ARIMURA: I don’t have any secret.

Q: Tell us more about yourself.
CHIE ARIMURA: I started playing golf at 10, my father was my first coach. I turned pro when I was 18. Besides golf, I enjoy watching movies and karaoke.

Q: Are you a good singer?
CHIE ARIMURA: No, I am not.

Q: Are you having any English lessons now? Even when you travel?
CHIE ARIMURA: I have English lesson only when I am in Japan. My caddy speaks Japanese and English so he helps me with my English.

Q: Can you tell us a bit more about your outfit today?
CHIE ARIMURA: My sponsor has very cute outfit. When we play in the US, we tend to wear simple outfit. But when we play in Asia, we tend to wear colorful outfits; especially in Japan where it is more fashionable.

Q: What is the name of your sponsor?
CHIE ARIMURA: My sponsor is ViVa Heart.

Q: How much do you admire Ai Miyazato?
CHIE ARIMURA: Ai is a great player. I went to the same high school with Ai, although she is 2 years above me. I always turn to Ai whenever I want a talk regarding golf or personal life, she gives great advice. I respect Ai as a player and friend.

Na Yeon Choi, -3

MIKE SCANLAN: We would like to welcome Na Yeon Choi, NYC into the interview room. A very good day, 3 under par 69, and you are in second place. How did you play?
NA YEON CHOI: I think I had a pretty good round, and I had a couple bogeys out there, but I kept trying to keep my composure and I played with Yani and Christie Kerr and I think it was fun to play with them.
Yeah, that's why I played well today.

MIKE SCANLAN: How good is Yani playing right now?
NA YEON CHOI: I mean, I can tell she's playing more aggressive and very powerful and yeah, looks really confident.

Q. Do you compare your games when you’re out there?
NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I think I have a good feel about my game. But Yani looks great. I think I learned from Yani today; I mean, she putts, her ball is just over the cup, every putt, like plays really aggressively. So I think kind of have to learn to be like that, be confident. She was very good.

Q. Were the conditions tough out there with the wind
NA YEON CHOI: Well, I got some bogeys, too, but I know I can't control about the score, so I just keep doing, just try my game or play my game. I did my best. Yeah, I think not it doesn't bother me.

Q. The top five players in the world
NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I'm very honest. I enjoyed playing with them. I think they are the best players in the world. Yeah, it's just really surprised me, playing with them or like in ads for tournament. To play with them, I'm really honored.

Q. Are you surprised that you, Yani, Cristie, Suzann, are not leading right now after the first round?
NA YEON CHOI: No, I think we just played the first round and then we still have to play three more days. So you never know in the first round.

Q. Is there anything that you would change
NA YEON CHOI: With the English? (Laughter) I think really I had a great year last year. I think I will never forget 2010. It really surprised me. Yeah, I'm really happy to play the LPGA Tour and coming to like Asia or Singapore or Thailand, yeah, I'm really happy right now.

Q. So last year was the first time for multiple wins?
NA YEON CHOI: Two years ago I won two times, 2009, and then 2010.

Q. The course, how tough it is playing
NA YEON CHOI: Some holes it's very difficult to read the greens, but I try to accept the course conditions. So I think for everybody it is the same.

Q. What do you think from last year is the difference of the course?
NA YEON CHOI: I think the greens are softer than last year, and then everything is the same.

Yani Tseng, -2

MIKE SCANLAN: We would like to welcome the Rolex Ranking No. 1 player in the world in, Yani Tseng, 2 under par 70 for the day right now and in a tie for third place.

Yani, if you would, just take us through the day, I know it wasn't quite as good as would you have liked, but still pretty good.
YANI TSENG: It was like a roller coaster today. I had six birdies, four bogeys and I had two 3 putts. I was really just going for the 3 putts. And the greens, they were a little slower than last week and so I'm still trying to get used to it and I was just having a lot of long putts.
Still in very good position and still three days to go, so I'm still very looking forward to the next three days.

MIKE SCANLAN: Have you done any changes in your routine recently given the attention you've been getting the last couple of weeks being No. 1, have you changed anything?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, more interviews. (Laughter). Lots more interviews. I need more time.
But now I know how to manage it I think, and I would like to share my story, but still very happy to talk to the media.

Q. Do you have a strategy to relax, because the more you relax, the better you play; how do you stay relaxed out there?
YANI TSENG: I felt relaxed right now and the tournament, it gives me a lot more confidence here and I don't feel any pressure, I just am competing with the best players in the world and I enjoy on the Tour and I'm not expecting too much. I know I'm now No. 1 but everybody is still very close and anybody can win the tournament. It's just tough but I'm enjoying here, right now and just keep working hard.

Q. You are enjoying it
YANI TSENG: Yeah, I love it, and my friends told me, if I had a ton of people watching me, they would have fun, too. When I'm enjoying and the people watching me play golf, I want them to enjoy watching me play golf and watching the LPGA players playing golf.

Q. Inaudible.
YANI TSENG: Yeah, especially the 3 putt on the par 3, No. 11 and No. 17. I know it was a long putt and I know it was very slow, but I just couldn't control my speed. So I just needed to get better for the speed on the putting green.

Q. When you look back, what did you do
YANI TSENG: No, just stop talking about it and I didn't even really I tried my best. I always stay very focused on one shot at a time and tell myself I tried my best. So just pass and the next hole is a new one.

Q. Do you think more of the top five players should be leading?
YANI TSENG: No, I'm not surprised. I think right here, this is like everybody has been so well, like all of the players have a chance to win the tournament. It's not just the top 5 of us.
So it's really competitive and it's very good for like everybody, and it's so much fun, it's always of the different players, not just the top five or top three or something. There are so many things, everybody have different ways of playing golf and I think it's really a challenge and it's fun.

Q. Do you like to play in the wind?
YANI TSENG: I like wind. Before that I like the wind. I know that I can control better when there is wind. So I don't I still focus on one shot at a time. So when the wind comes, just thinking more and strategy and just need to control my shot and play smarter.

Karrie Webb, -2

Q. Talk about the finish on the 18th?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it is, whenever you finish with a birdie it's a nice way to finish, but 18 is always a tricky hole so I'll definitely take a three.

Q. And it's not the only tricky hole out there, you've been talking about how you were using a 4 iron on many occasions and half the players out here don't have 4 irons.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, that's true. I don't think we've ever played this course with that much wind, and it's set in a little bit different direction than what we are used to; so a lot of long par 4s played really long today.

Q. Your game is coming together, you played quite a bit in Australia where you said you were knocking off the rust, a good finish last week in Thailand, are you feeling comfortable?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, last week was really good for my confidence. My ball striking got a lot better and hopefully I can carry it into this week. Today was pretty solid.

Q. Maybe talk us through the birdie there on the last?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, just 3 wood off the tee, little 8 iron to probably ten feet.

Q. Set you up well for tomorrow?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, feels good. I birdied 16 and 18 and had a chance on 17, but you know, I finished two out of three to finish 2 under and 2 under is a good score today, so I'm happy with that.

Q. You mentioned knocking off the rust, three Top 10s in a row, time to take the next step I guess?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, hopefully, just put myself there with a chance on Sunday and we'll see how things go from there.

Karen Stupples, -2

Q. Talk us through the eagles?
KAREN STUPPLES: The first one on 13 was good, I hit a really solid drive. It's a bit of a tricky driving hole. I hit a 3 wood, landed over the green and just rolled over the back and chipped in which was kind of nice.
And the last one on 9 I hit a perfect drive, only hit 5 iron into the green and made about a 30 foot putt. It was really good, kind of needed it. I had made a few mistakes out there, I had a double bogey and a few other bogeys. It was nice, one of those rounds where there was plenty of offense, which counteracted the few squirrely shots.

Q. A lot of players said the pin positions were quite tricky today?
KAREN STUPPLES: They were, they were very tough, made you think a lot of the time, which I don't like doing.

Q. Not very many players under par, with the wind.
KAREN STUPPLES: The wind was really that made some of the shots tough. I found myself having a lot of shots into the wind off of an upslope and those are hard because you are always trying to keep them down and with the upslope they go up in the air and are very hard how.

Q. Did you spend Christmas?
KAREN STUPPLES: Back in England. I was back in England with the family. We rented a flat in Deal, but we spent most of the time with my parents and sister and her son. We had a really nice family time of it and it was really lovely and we made snow men and played snowballs.

Q. So you had quite a bit of time off of golf?
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, it was almost four weeks away from golf.

Q. Was it snowy all that time?
KAREN STUPPLES: It snowed for about two weeks it was a week. We were there for two and snowed for a week.

Q. Did you play in Australia?
KAREN STUPPLES: I did, yes.
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HSBC Women’s Champions Pre-tournament Notes and Interviews

HSBC Women's Champions
Tanah Merah Country Club, Garden Course
Singapore, Singapore
Feb. 23, 2011

Pre-tournament interviews: AI MIYAZATO, 2010 HSBC Women's Champions winner and Rolex Rankings No. 6 | CRISTIE KERR, Rolex Rankings No. 5 | KARRIE WEBB, Rolex Rankings No. 13 | KATHERINE HULL, Rolex Rankings No. 18

The LPGA returns to Singapore this week for the fourth-annual HSBC Women's Champions. Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden Course will play host to 63 of the world's best female professional golfers when play gets underway on Thursday. Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng has been the talk of the town as she aims to win her fifth event in five starts in 2011. The 22-year-old, who tied for third at last year's HSBC, won the season-opening Honda LPGA Thailand by five strokes last week in addition to back-to-back victories on the Ladies European Tour in Australia in the weeks prior. She added a victory in Taiwan earlier in the year to make it four straight. Japan's Ai Miyazato returns to defend her 2010 title, while Jiyai Shin, the "Champion of Champions" in 2009, also returns to Singapore in hopes of regaining the Rolex Rankings No. 1 she lost to Tseng two weeks ago.

The cream rises to the top in Singapore. In three previous years as a Tour event, the HSBC Women's Champions has lived up to it's name. In 2008, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lorena Ochoa won the inaugural HSBC Women's Champions by 11 shots. In 2009, Jiyai Shin, who went on to earn Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors, overcame a six-shot deficit to win the Singapore-based event. Last year, Ai Miyazato took home the hardware with two-shot win for her second-consecutive LPGA victory. All three players have been Rolex Rankings No. 1 in their careers.

Ai Miyazato, defending champion and Rolex Rankings No. 6

Cristie Kerr, Rolex Rankings No. 5

Karrie Webb, Rolex Rankings No. 13

Q. Your season so far, how are you going? Third, ninth, seventh, pretty solid start.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it's been pretty solid. Last week was probably my best performance. Obviously I finished third. But my game felt a lot more like where I would like it to be. Hopefully I can continue that and give myself a few more chances to win and see what happens.

Q. So what was last week, you mentioned ‑‑ sort of a 74 to start, so must have played nicely there after.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I did. Friday and Saturday, I really hit the ball very well.

Sunday I got off to a tough start but played well my last 12, 13 holes. You know, and then to shoot 3‑under after where I started was a pretty good effort.

Q. Anything that you had worked on in the off‑season, obviously a good start, anything in particular that you did?
KARRIE WEBB: No, it was just I think shaking the rust off, and my ball‑striking got better last week, which, you know, that felt good to be out there and know could I play shots that I was looking at.

Q. What about this week, you played a couple of times already, expectation this is week?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I've played not too bad here in the past. You know, I think the course suits me pretty well. Again, I think it's a course where you've got to hit the ball pretty well just to give yourself a decent putt. Hopefully I can continue the ball‑striking I had from last week.

Q. I guess a pretty popular event, all of the top players are here; does it have a good sort of place in your schedule each year?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, it does for sure. I think HSBC run a great event, world‑class event and it has a great feel to it. And I think the girls love coming to Singapore and playing here.

Q. This is on the LPGA season, the second of two weeks; a kick start, really, important to get a good start when you have a couple of weeks coming off.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I always hope to get off to a good start at the beginning of the year. I think it just sort of takes the pressure off the rest of the year if you can sort of get in there and get some momentum going.

Q. Having seen the Pro‑Am today, any prediction? What sort of score do you think is needed over the four days?
KARRIE WEBB: Fairly similar. The wind such more than it ever has been here. That might make it a little bit tougher. We'll see, if the conditions stay the same, the scores might be as low as normal.

Katherine Hull, Rolex Rankings No. 18

MIKE SCANLAN: Katherine, thanks for coming in. If you would just tell us a bit about your game right now, how you're feeling. I know you have been pretty busy in the last seven weeks.
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, this is my seventh week on the road, so kind of running out of gas. But golf swing feels it good. It's just whether the brain stays switched on at this point.

Q. What do you learn about ‑‑ two years ago, after the third round, what did you learn about the experience coming in this year?
KATHERINE HULL: I think when you have like a good few rounds at a golf course, you obviously get some confidence from that, and you feel good about returning to a course, because, yeah, you know you can shoot some good scores.

So yeah, I think that is probably ‑‑ yeah, I'll draw on that, knowing that I can make plenty of birdies out here and I like the golf course.

Q. How did the course play today for you?
KATHERINE HULL: Actually pretty well. Fairways are fantastic. The whole golf course is in great shape. The greens are a bit slower than what we probably would expect coming from Thailand, so I think you'll see probably a few putts finish short over the next few days, but we'll get the hang of it by the weekend.

Q. Were you pleased with your putting today?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, I think I made four or so birdies, so it was okay. Got to hit it closer, though, if you're going to have more birdies.

Q. You mentioned that you have been on the road for seven weeks; how much is that a factor this week with the heat? A tough course, as well?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, I mean, for me, seven weeks in a row is too many (laughing). So I'll be looking forward to Sunday night, that's for sure. But the heat doesn't bother me too much. I'm from Queensland.

Actually, the hotter the better, because I think that kind of affects some of the other girls adversely, and so the hotter the better. I don't mind the conditions at all. They are great.

Q. How do you find the food?
KATHERINE HULL: The food? I love the food.

Q. Do you eat spicy?
KATHERINE HULL: I like spicy. In fact, we went to an Indian restaurant last night and everyone was like, gets get mild and I'm like, come on, guys, spice it up a bit. I love the food.

Yeah, I'll try anything, too. I've kind of got an adventurous streak in me.

Q. What is the most exotic food you've had in your seven weeks on the road?
KATHERINE HULL: Let me get back to you on that one. (Laughter).

Q. There's a lot?
KATHERINE HULL: No, not a lot. I'm just trying to think. There was something last week I probably tried that was a little interesting but I can't think.

Q. Compared to a few years ago, two years ago, is the course any different? Are you a different kind of player two years ago?
KATHERINE HULL: I think it the golf course is pretty much the same. It might be a little drier than the last couple of years because we have obviously had some rain. And I feel my game is better than what it was two years ago, but I think the thing now is that there's more girls out here with more talent. So that means you've got to be that much better if you're going to have a chance at winning.

Q. So will your strategy change two years ago when the course is basically the same?
KATHERINE HULL: I usually keep a strategy pretty simple. I'm not an overaggressive player or an overly conservative player. Yeah, just hit the fairways, hit the greens. I tell people, it's not brain surgery.

Q. If you were out here as a spectator for a week, what would you be watching and what would you tell the spectators that are out here to watch? What will they learn most from?
KATHERINE HULL: I would say routines. Players out here, we have all got different routines, but we are all pretty strict with what they are. They are always consistent, because under pressure, it's the one thing that's going to help you execute the best possible shot.

So I think amateurs, too, tend to not be as consistent with all that sort of stuff, so I think that's probably one of the most important things they could learn from.

Q. And would you say that there are different routines in different parts of the world? Like in Australia, do you notice the Japanese do this or the English players tend to that or the Americans do something different?
KATHERINE HULL: I think there's probably more Asian players have their caddies line them up. But everyone's different. I'm trying to think if there's anything else that stands out.

No, I think ‑‑ yeah, it's up to the individual. I mean some, girls will have their caddies involved and others want them just to carry the bag. I don't think there's too many ‑‑ there's no cookie cut girl out here. Everyone's different.

Q. Of the holes that you have to go and sit and watch, what holes do you most find, 16?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, 16, because you can have a crack at it. You're going to see a lot of birdies. I think birdies are always fun to watch.

Q. So compared with two years, what has changed or what have you improved significantly?
KATHERINE HULL: My short game is a lot better than what it was. And I think my ball‑striking is, too. I'm hitting it a little bit further. Overall I think my whole game is a lot better than what it was.

Q. You seem to be getting much more into the shot ‑‑ you seem to be getting power from the ground all the way up, more from two years ago, three years ago?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, I've been working a lot in the gym on getting my lower body stronger, glutes and core stronger. That makes a big difference, because it's easier to generate power that way, as opposed to trying to swing fast with your upper body. I think part of it is, too, an education process about the golf swing. I found out ‑‑ it would have been, yeah, a year ago now, that my hip sequence was not exactly conducive to swinging it well.

So yeah, been working on that and that's made a difference, too.

Q. As the only one person who has finished in the top two in these tournaments to not be a world No. 1; do you have an idea of what it is about this event that seems to be to bring out the best of this event?
KATHERINE HULL: No, I don't have a viewpoint on that ‑‑ well, maybe there's a desire factor in there. Obviously to be No. 1, you've got to ‑‑ you have got to want to be No. 1. And at the start of the year, the girls that win the tournaments, they are going to be I think the ones out there wanting to win very early on. So maybe there's a correlation there.

Q. So what does it mean to you to be world No. 1?
KATHERINE HULL: That would be a dream come true, because I've wanted that since I was a little kid. But it's going to take a lot more hard work. There's so many girls out here that right now, as evidenced last year, we had, what, five girls that reached No. 1?

MIKE SCANLAN: Five that contended all year.
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, it's a lot tougher now than what it was when I joined the Tour eight years ago.

Q. You've had patches of three, four, five weeks where you've played up to that level; what do you need to do to do it for the two years that you actually have to, to get to that ranking?
KATHERINE HULL: I think the biggest thing for me is what I do off the golf course. Because my personality runs kind of hot and cold.

So it's probably why my golf sometimes get hot and cold. I think if I can maybe get my time management right and my priorities right off the golf course, then I'll start to get better results on the golf course.

Q. Is it a matter of being more dedicated or being a duller person off the golf course?
KATHERINE HULL: I don't know about dull. I'm dedicated to my golf, for sure, but I try and do too much. So for me, I'm going to have to I think taper some other stuff down and make sure that I'm feeling rested and fresher at each tournament if I'm going to have a chance at winning.

Q. Can you tell us what it is you do when you're not playing golf then apart from working on it?
KATHERINE HULL: I'm the best time waster there is. I don't know, I guess at nighttime, because that's me time, like no one's around to distract me or ask me questions, so I just tend to get caught on doing stuff, whether it's booking flights or reading a book or whatever. I lose track of time. Nothing like too extravagant like going out and clubbing or anything.

Q. Do you find yourself reading a book until 3.00 in the morning or what?
KATHERINE HULL: Not until three, no. I am a night owl, so I'll say over the last seven weeks, there's been a few 1.00am bed times, but yeah, all different stuff. It's not one thing that I get stuck doing.

Q. So what was the last movie that you saw?
KATHERINE HULL: From start to end? (Laughter).

Q. In the cinema?
KATHERINE HULL: In the cinema? Oh, gosh, I can't remember the last time I went to the cinema. Really plane flights are the only time I get to watch movies. Flying from Brisbane to Bangkok last week, I watched a couple flying up.

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Tags: Champions, HSBC, Interviews, Notes, Pretournament, Women's

HSBC Women’s Champions – Tournament Preview

February 23, 2011 by  
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The LPGA returns to Singapore this week for the fourth-annual HSBC Women's Champions. Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden Course will play host to 63 of the world's best female professional golfers when play gets underway on Thursday. Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng has been the talk of the town as she aims to win her fifth event in five starts in 2011. The 22-year-old, who tied for third at last year's HSBC, won the season-opening Honda LPGA Thailand by five strokes last week in addition to back-to-back victories on the Ladies European Tour in Australia in the weeks prior. She added a victory in Taiwan earlier in the year to make it four straight. Japan's Ai Miyazato returns to defend her 2010 title, while Jiyai Shin, the "Champion of Champions" in 2009, also returns to Singapore in hopes of regaining the Rolex Rankings No. 1 she lost to Tseng two weeks ago. The cream rises to the top in Singapore. In three previous years as a Tour event, the HSBC Women's Champions has lived up to it's name. In 2008, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lorena Ochoa won the inaugural HSBC Women's Champions by 11 shots. In 2009, Jiyai Shin, who went on to earn Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors, overcame a six-shot deficit to win the Singapore-based event. Last year, Ai Miyazato took home the hardware with two-shot win for her second-consecutive LPGA victory. All three players have been Rolex Rankings No. 1 in their careers.

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Tags: Champions, HSBC, Preview, Tournament, Women's

Dressed to Impress at HSBC Women’s Champions

February 22, 2011 by  
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Jiyai Shin and Ai Miyazato, previous winners of the HSBC Women’s Champions, signaled the start of the HSBC Women’s Champions 2011 by dressing up two of their biggest rivals in their respective national costumes. Defending champion Miyazato, the 25-year-old Japanese star, was tasked with helping America’s Paula Creamer into a furisode (a type of kimono). Shin, the 2009 winner, at just over 5’1”, wrestled with getting the 6’0” Michelle Wie into a hanbok, Korea’s distinctive costume. Meanwhile, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng, who has dominated the start of the year with four wins in her first four tournaments, watched on approvingly.

“The HSBC Women’s Champions came to Singapore because we knew this wonderful new generation of Asian stars was coming. While the golf is going to be as serious as it gets, it seemed like a nice idea to let them share some of their culture and remind the golf world of how rich their cultures are,” said Giles Morgan, HSBC’s Group Head of Sponsorship.

“There’s always something different here [at the HSBC Women’s Champions] and dressing Paula up in the furisode was great fun,” Miyazato said. “Paula looked great, too, like she always does!”

The HSBC Women’s Champions 2011 will see 63 of the world’s top female golfers, including all of the 2010 major champions and all of last year’s LPGA tournament winners, battle it out over 72 holes of individual stroke play. Coverage in the U.S. begins Thursday on the Golf Channel.

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Tags: Champions, Dressed, HSBC, Impress, Women's

On Other Tours: Tseng wins ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open

February 7, 2011 by  
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Tseng Seals Back-to-Back Open Victories

Sunday 6 February 2011 - Taiwan's Yani Tseng became just the second player in the championship's history to successfully defend her title with a seven stroke win at the 2011 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open at Commonwealth Golf Club on Sunday.

The 22 year old, who was named Rolex Player of the Year in 2010, fired a final round 2-under par 71 to finish with rounds of 70-67-68-71 (276).

"It feels very good to win by seven shots. I have not had that feeling before and it feels very good. And I enjoyed the crowd on the 18th hole," Tseng said.

She said the win set her up for her tilt at the Number 1 spot on the Rolex World Rankings this year.

"I just feel more confident and relaxed. Before I was thinking too much and trying to win. Now I know I don't need it. I stay focused on my swing and play one shot at a time. I know I can win."

Tseng said she was looking forward to defending her title in 2012.

"I always enjoy it here. I love the city, I love the people and all the volunteers. They are very nice to me."

World Number 1 Jiyai Shin, Korean Eun Hee Ji and England's Melissa Reid finished in a tie for second.

Reid shot the equal best round of the day with a 5-under par 68. Ji and Shin finished with final rounds of 74 (+1) and 75 (+2) respectively.

Round 1 co-leader Jennifer Song finished in fifth place following her final round 2-under par 71.

Germany's Sandra Gal finished with an even par 73 in sixth place.

Australia's leading pair were Karrie Webb and Katherine Hull who finished in a tie for seventh with American Cindy LaCrosse at 5-under par.

Thirteen year old New Zealander Lydia Ko finished in a tie for 12th place as the leading amateur.

All gate proceeds go to Queensland Flood Relief.

The 2011 HANDA Women's Australian Open was played at Commonwealth Golf Club from 3- 6 February.

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Tags: Australian, Handa, ISPS, open, Tours, Tseng, wins, Women's

Goh wins coveted place in HSBC Women’s Champions

January 27, 2011 by  
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Christabel Goh wins coveted place in HSBC Women's Champions at local qualifying tournament

Singapore, 27 January 2011 - Christabel Goh has claimed the Host Country Invite to play in the HSBC Women's Champions 2011 after winning the Local Qualifying Tournament today at the Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).

The 22-year-old, who led the 13-strong field after yesterday's first round on the Garden Course, earned her place at next month's showdown with the world's top professional golfers after adding a final round score of 79 to yesterday's 77 (gross 156) to finish just one stroke ahead of Amelia Yong and Joey Poh.

All three players were in the same flight which meant that the contest went down to the final hole. However, in the end, Goh, who recently turned professional, held on to come out on top.

"I am so happy to have won after a difficult two days and to now have the chance to play with the stars from the LPGA Tour. Playing with Amelia and Joey is always a challenge and it was no different today. I'm really looking forward to the tournament next month and I would like to thank HSBC for the opportunity. I am also grateful to TMCC and my father for their continuous support", said Goh.

Poh, who won the 2009 and 2010 Host Country Invites was looking to win for the third time whilst Yong, the winner in 2008, was also vying to claim the coveted spot to play in the prestigious tournament again.

Said Yong about the close finish: "It was really close right towards the end and I was hoping to return to the HSBC Women's Champions, which is one of my top goals. However, Christabel was just too good today and I wish her the best of luck at the tournament next month."

The runner-up from last year's edition of the tournament, Ji Jiali, finished in fourth with a total score of 160 whilst fifth-placed Koh Sock Hwee finished a further two strokes behind (Gross 162).

Alex Hungate, CEO of HSBC Singapore, congratulated Goh on her performance, saying: "As a bank, HSBC prides itself on opening up a world of opportunities for people and this is a great opportunity for Christabel Goh. No one expects the winner of the qualifying tournament to go out there and outperform the best female golfers in the world, but if she does she will make headlines around the world. HSBC is proud to give her and Singapore golf this opportunity and we wish her every success."

Edwin Khoo, Organising Chairman of HSBC Women's Champions 2011, TMCC, congratulated Goh on behalf of the host venue. He said: "We have seen an exciting two days of golf and it is wonderful indeed to see how much the standard of golf has improved here in Singapore. We congratulate Christabel Goh on her achievement and we will support her in her preparations for the HSBC Women's Champions."

TMCC will provide Goh with complimentary rounds on the Garden Course to help prepare her for the four-day stroke play tournament which will take place from 24 to 27 February. The fourth edition of 'Asia's Major' will feature a field of 63 golfers battling it out for the 'Champion of Champions' trophy and an increased prize purse of US$ 1.4 million

Players qualify for the HSBC Women's Champions 2011 by winning tournaments on the LPGA Tour or finishing in the Top 20 on the Rolex Rankings (as at December 31, 2010).

The HSBC Women's Champions 2010 attracted the strongest field ever seen in Asia, with the top 20 players from the Rolex Rankings and the top 55 players from the 2009 LPGA Official Money List in the field.

Further details on the HSBC Women's Champions 2011 and additional star players who have confirmed their participation in the event in Singapore will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on the HSBC Women's Champions 2011, please visit the tournament website at http://www.hsbcgolf.com.

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Tags: Champions, christabel goh, christabel goh golf, christabelgoh, Coveted, HSBC, place, wins, Women's

Bourassa Named Honorary Tournament Chair of 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open

January 24, 2011 by  
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Tickets and Corporate Hospitality packages now on sale; Volunteer positions still available

Mirabel, Que. (Golf Canada) 12/08/2010 - Golf Canada in partnership with CN announced today that Quebec golf icon Jocelyne Bourassa will serve as Honorary Tournament Chair for the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Que.

Canada's only stop on the LPGA Tour will run August 22-28, marking the return of the Canadian Women's Open to the province of Quebec for the first time since 2002.

Bourassa was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1996. She was an outstanding amateur golfer throughout the 1960s and took the LPGA by storm in the early 1970s, winning the 1973 La Canadienne in her second season. In addition to being named the LPGA's rookie of the year, she was named the 1971 & 1972 French Canadian Athlete of the Year and 1972 Canadian Female Athlete of the Year. Bourassa was also named to the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame in 1996. From 1980 to 2000, Bourassa was the Executive Director of the former du Maurier Classic and also served as a special consultant to Golf Canada from 2000-2003 assisting in the transition of the du Maurier Classic to the Canadian Women's Open.

"Jocelyne Bourassa has been so closely connected to women's golf in Canada, especially in Quebec, that inviting her to be a part of the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open was a natural fit," said Sean Van Kesteren, Tournament Director of the CN Canadian Women's Open. "Throughout her career, Jocelyne has been a tremendous ambassador for this event and a true champion for golf in Canada. We are thrilled that she will once again be involved when the CN Canadian Women's Open makes its return to the Montreal area."

A long-time proponent of women's developmental golf in Canada, Bourassa's contributions to the game inspired the naming of the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year Award - given annually to the CN Canadian Women's Tour competitor that finishes atop the Tour's Order of Merit.

In honour of Bourassa's involvement with the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open, the Women's Pro-Am on Monday of tournament week will be renamed the Jocelyne Bourassa Women's Pro-Am.

For, Bourassa, in addition to her long history with Canada's National Women's Open Championship, it was the event's charity efforts in support of children's hospitals in the host community that played an important role in her willingness to get involved.

"I am thrilled to be involved in the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open and the return of this special event to Quebec," said Bourassa. "This event means so much to me and I think CN and Golf Canada have done a great job making it into one of the best on the LPGA Tour. The CN Miracle Match charity program has the opportunity to raise a lot of money for local children's hospitals and I'm honoured to play a small part in an event that will have such a huge contribution to the community."

Since CN came on board as title sponsor in 2006, more than $ 4.3 million in charitable proceeds have been raised in the name of the CN Canadian Women's Open for children's hospitals in the event's host communities.

The host charity beneficiary for the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open will be announced in the coming weeks.

TICKETS AND CORPORATE HOSPITALITY NOW ON SALE
Golf Canada, CN and the Hillsdale Golf Club also announced today that corporate hospitality as well weekly passes and individual tickets for the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open are now available.

A full listing of ticket prices as well as corporate hospitality options including Pro-Am teams, skyboxes, suites and clubhouse badges are available online at www.cncanadianwomensopen.com or by calling 1-866-571-5742.

Tickets for early week (Monday-Wednesday) start as low as $ 10; anyday tickets (Thursday-Sunday) are $ 25; weekly passes are $ 75; and family packs are $ 99. More information about these and other ticket packages are available online.

As well, a limited time early bird offer is now available for a Weekly Clubhouse 2-Some at the price of $ 200. The offer is a $ 50 savings from the regular price and is only available until December 31, 2010. To activate the discount, enter LPGA into the promotion box at www.cncanadianwomensopen.co.

Golf fans are also reminded that children aged 17 and under gain free admission to the CN Canadian Women's Open when accompanying a ticketed adult.

In addition to watching the best players in the world compete for Canada's national title, golf fans onsite at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club will be treated to family activities, clinics and junior golf activities throughout tournament week.

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS STILL AVAILABLE
For any individuals interested in taking part in the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open, Golf Canada and Hillsdale Golf and Country Club are currently recruiting volunteers for a multitude of positions.

A total of 1,400 volunteers from within the community and across Canada help to make the CN Canadian Women's Open a success and while the volunteer recruitment is well underway, a number of positions are still available.

For more information including a full listing of committees, positions and responsibilities, visit www.cncanadianwomensopen.com.

ABOUT THE 2011 CN CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN
Stars of the LPGA Tour will challenge for the 2011 CN Canadian Women's Open from August 22-28 at the Hillsdale Golf and Country Club in Mirabel, Que. The CN Canadian Women's Open is proudly sponsored by the Canadian National Railway Company along with event partners CVS Controls Ltd., , Corona Extra, The Globe and Mail, The Glenlivet, BlackBerry, Mike Weir Wine, CBC. For more information about tickets, corporate hospitality and volunteer opportunities, visit www.cncanadianwomensopen.com.

NORTH AMERICA'S RAILROAD
CN - Canadian National Railway Company - spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For further information please visit www.cn.ca.

CN DELIVERS THE GREAT GAME OF GOLF
CN is proud to support golf in Canada and is pleased to bring the best of women's professional golf to Canada with its title sponsorship of the CN Canadian Women's Open and the CN Canadian Women's Tour. In addition to supporting women's golf, CN contributes to the development of golf among young people across the country through its sponsorship of the CN Future Links program. CN is pleased to work with Golf Canada to help develop golf as a sport for women and juniors across Canada and to increase the accessibility of golf to recreational and competitive golfers. Visit www.cn.ca.

GOLF CANADA - LOVE THE GAME, GROW THE GAME
Golf Canada is a member-based organization governed by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA). Recognized by Sport Canada as the National Sport Organization (NSO) for golf in this country and representing more than 350,000 members and 1,600 golf clubs, Golf Canada is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the game of golf in Canada.

Golf Canada actively conducts championships, programs and services to help shape the present and future of golf in Canada. Canada's National Amateur Golf Team program, National Golf in Schools, Golf Fore the Cure, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and CN Future Links, Canada's national junior golf program, are only some of the initiatives the association leads for golf in Canada. As the authority for the game of golf in Canada, the association also administers the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status as well as Handicapping and Course Rating under the esteemed RCGA brand.

In addition, Golf Canada conducts Canada's most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women's Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while regional junior and national amateur championships provide world class competitive opportunities for Canada's top golfers to showcase their talents.

For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit us online at www.golfcanada.ca.

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Tags: 2011, Bourassa, Canadian, Chair, golf gifts for tournament chair, Honorary, Named, open, Tournament, Women's

Women’s Golf Icon Renee Powell Receives Honorary Degree at UMES

December 22, 2010 by  
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PRINCESS ANNE, MD - (Dec. 17, 2010) - During its 2010 winter commencement exercises today, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore awarded an Honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree to Renee Powell in recognition of her pioneering spirit and accomplishments as a sportswoman and philanthropist.

Powell is the second African-American woman to play on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour.

"I am honored and humbled to be recognized by UMES," said Powell. "This is my first honorary degree from a college in the U.S. and all because of my dad's vision of teaching me the game of golf."

At age three, Powell picked up a golf club her father had cut down to fit her tiny hands. She entered her first tournament at age 12 and won her division. It was a sign of things to come. She went on to play golf at Ohio University and The Ohio State University, serving as captain of the women's golf team at each institution.

She debuted on the LPGA tour in 1967 and competed in 250 professional golf tournaments. She won the 1973 Kelly Springfield Open in Brisbane, Australia.

In the early 1970s, Powell visited Vietnam as part of a USO goodwill tour. In 1979, she made history when she became the first woman to be named head professional at a golf course in the United Kingdom.

Powell finished her LPGA career in 1980 and taught golf in Africa and Europe. She eventually returned home to the Canton area, where she currently serves as the head professional at Clearview, where she learned the game. In 2001, Clearview - the course her father, William, built from scratch - was named to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Also in 2001, the Powell family established the Clearview Legacy Foundation to promote education, preserve the golf course for future generations, develop improved facilities for teaching golf and expand turfgrass research.

Powell received the Professional Golf Association's First Lady of Golf Award in 2003.

Honors
· 1989 - Inductee, Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
· 1990 - Recipient Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award
· 1992 - National Golf Foundation / Jack Nicklaus Golf Family of the Year
· 2007 - William and Renee Powell, inductees, Ohio Golf Hall of Fame Rolex for the Love of the Game Award
· 2008 - Honorary Doctor of Law degree - St. Andrews University, Scotland
· 2010 - Top Female Teaching Professionals, Golf Digest

Those highlights underscore why UMES, an 1890s land-grant institution, chose to recognized her. UMES is the nation's only historically black institution with a professional golf management program where 43 students currently are pursuing their studies. The program's charter class is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2012.

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Tags: Degree, Golf, Honorary, Icon, Powell, Receives, Renee, UMES, Women's