As the LPGA Tour heads north to Canada for the first time this year, seven Australians are in the field for the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ontario. Julia Boland, Frances Bondad, Katherine Hull-Kirk, Sarah Kemp, Sarah-Jane Smith, Lindsey Wright and Karrie Webb make up the Australian contingent. All eyes will follow and be set on Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park. The 24-year old South Korean stole worldwide headlines two weeks ago when she captured her third-consecutive major championship of the 2013 season at the U.S. Women’s Open. Park became just the second player in LPGA Tour history to win the first three majors of a season and the first since Babe Zaharias, who won all three majors the LPGA played in 1950, the Tour s inaugural season. She will try to etch her name in the history books again in August when she will be the first player, male or female, to play for four-consecutive professional major wins at the RICOH Women’s British Open at St. Andrews. With her U.S. Women’s Open win at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Park not only won her third-consecutive major, but earned her third-consecutive LPGA Tour scheduled event. She’s coming off wins at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open and looks to notch her fourth-consecutive win this week in Waterloo. She would become the first player to earn four-consecutive Tour wins since Lorena Ochoa won four in a row in 2008. LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Nancy Lopez holds the LPGA record with five consecutive victories in tournaments participated in 1978. Annika Sorenstam also accomplished the feat across two seasons in 2004-05. Park, who has six victories and two additional top 10 s in 13 starts this season, has the stats to back them up as well. She leads the Tour in seven statistical categories including putts per GIR (1.702), putting average (28.43), scoring average (69.674), rounds under par (34) and rounds in the 60 s (25). She also tops the money list ($2,106,827) and is first in Rolex Player of the Year points.
Author: LPGA