Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
News
|
||||
 Brittany Lincicome scored a dramatic eagle on the 72nd hole to win the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship (COURTESY: Kraft Nabisco Championship). Every 2010 LPGA Tour event is an opportunity to gauge the circuit’s health moving forward under new commissioner Michael Whan. One of the most significant examination periods begins this month in Southern California with the inaugural Kia Classic Presented by J Golf in San Diego County and the Kraft Nabisco Championship, a major mainstay in the Coachella Valley. Although the current LPGA season officially kicked off with two limited-field tournaments in Asia last month, the domestic portion of the schedule begins in our backyard. That’s been a rare occurrence — the 1955 campaign began with the Los Angeles Open at old Inglewood Country Club and the Palm Springs area’s Colgate Triple Crown ushered in the season from 1977 through 1979. “Everything about playing golf in California works for us,” Whan said. “Players like to play here and fans here like the game. Plus, I love the time difference with the East Coast, because when we’re finishing here at 6 o’clock at night it’s 9 o’clock — primetime — in New York.” The Kia Classic, which tees off March 25 at Carlsbad’s La Costa Resort & Spa a week before the Kraft Nabisco, marks the first time since 2005 that a full-field, non-major LPGA tournament will be in the Southland. Whan has made it a point to fill out the 2010 schedule with more tournaments and new title sponsors, and this event likely will be used as an exhibit in negotiations with prospective partners. Whether it’s due to a shortage of tournaments for golfers to compete in or a gentle nudge from LPGA brass, almost all of the Tour’s top players committed to the Kia field quite early, including world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, reigning money leader Jiyai Shin, Michelle Wie and American fan favorites Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr. Those same names should be on hand for the 39th playing of the Kraft Nabisco a week later at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. The year’s first major has ramped up its charity involvement for 2010, allocating 100 percent of all advance ticket proceeds to charity and ear-marking over half of the Celebrity Pro-Am entry fees — $3,300 of $6,500 per person — to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “We were predominantly a customer-entertainment and corporate-driven event in previous years, and we really wanted to expand our charitable and community outreach,” said Gabe Codding, tournament business manager. “We want to have deep roots going into our 40th year and being one of the most respected majors on the LPGA Tour.” Aside from a familiar venue and grand-slam status, what’s helped solidify the Kraft Nabisco Championship is a reputation for final-round drama. That again was the case in 2009, when Brittany Lincicome stiffed a hybrid to within four feet on the 72nd hole to make eagle and win by a stroke over Kerr and Kristy McPherson. ALSO SEE: Michael Whan off to a fast start as LPGA Tour commissioner Kia Classic Presented By J Golf — Information Kraft Nabisco Championship — Information Five LPGA Tour players to watch |
||||
RSS Subscribe
