2010 champion Katherine Hull, Sarah-Jane Smith and Sarah Kemp are the Aussies in the field for this week&aposs Navistar LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama which begins on Friday morning AEST. Queenslander Hull recorded her second LPGA career victory at the event in 2010, shooting 68-67-67-67 for a 19-under par total to beat American Brittany Lincicome by a stroke. The Navistar Classic marks the final event before October s Asian-Pacific swing for the LPGA Tour. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail – Senator Course hosts the tournament for the fifth year in a row and will feature a field of 144 players vying for a US$195,000 first-place prize. Back to defend her 2011 title is rookie standout Lexi Thompson, who at the time, shattered the LPGA age record when she became the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history at 16 years, 7 months and 8 days. As a non-member, Thompson carded rounds of 66-68-67-70 to finish with a 17-under 271, a 5-stroke win over Tiffany Joh. Shortly after her win she petitioned for LPGA membership and was approved for the 2012 season. Thompson s yields an impressive rookie r sum with two top-5 finishes including a tie for fifth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and a tie for second at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. She also ranks second in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race. This week s field is also comprised of 28 additional players in the rookie class, including the leader of the pack, Korean So Yeon Ryu. Other past champs from this season competing at the Navistar LPGA Classic include No. 25 Brittany Lang (Manulife Financial LPGA Classic), No. 17 Azahara Munoz (Sybase Match Play Championship), No. 18 Angela Stanford (HSBC Women’s Champions) No. 1 Yani Tseng (Honda LPGA Thailand, RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, Kia Classic), No. 2 Stacy Lewis (Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, ShopRite LPGA Classic) and No. 19 Sun Young Yoo (Kraft Nabisco Championship). with assistance from LPGA.COM
Author: Golf Australia