1. THE VENUE: Sebonack Golf Club, Southampton, New York. The links-style course, built by Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus in 2006, overlooks Peconic Bay and is in golf-rich Long Island land, not far from Shinnecock Hills and the National Golf Links of America. It will play at 6796 yards and a par 72. This is the first time Sebonack has hosted the women’s Open. 2. THE FORM Everyone is chasing the 24-year-old Inbee Park, the world no. 1 from South Korea. Park has won five times on the LPGA Tour this season already, including last weekend, and is the best putter in the world. She also has won the two major championships of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the LPGA Championship. This is the first year in which there will be five major championships, and she has a chance of a unique grand slam on current form. Another Korean (coached by Australia s Ian Triggs), So Yeon Ryu, lost a playoff to Park last weekend and is incredibly consistent. America s Stacy Lewis is the other hot player of 2013, although she recently lost the world No. 1 ranking to Park. 3. RECENT WINNERS: 2012 Na Yeon Choi (Sth Korea) 2011 So Yeon Ryu (Sth Korea) 2010 Paula Creamer (USA) 2009 Eun-Hee Ji (Sth Korea) 2008 Inbee Park (Sth Korea) 4. THE AUSTRALIANS Karrie Webb is back in the top 10 in the world after her win in New Jersey earlier this season, and playing well. She has twice won the US Women’s Open, in 2000 and 2001. She remains the pre-eminent Australian player. Queenslander Sarah Jane Smith finished just outside the top 30 in the LPGA Championship and is playing some of the best golf of her career. Stacey Keating made her way through qualifying and the Victorian is now ranked 72nd in the world after two wins in Europe last year and a Victorian Open triumph. Lindsey Wright, the world No. 83, and Katherine Hull-Kirk (91) are tour veterans and US Open regulars. 5. TELEVISION/MEDIA Fox Sports has live coverage from Friday. Go to www.lpga.com for live scoring. Previews and news at www.golf.org.au.
Author: Martin Blake / Golf.org.au