|
 |
|
Longs Drugs Challenge
Course: Twelve Bridges Golf Club, Lincoln, California
Yardage: 6388
Par: 72 (four par-fives)
USGA Rating: 75.2
Greens: Bentgrass - 6,200 sq.ft (Tour average: 6,000 sq.ft)
GCSAA Tournament Fact Sheet
Weather
Forecast
Best Players Last 10 Years Past Winners:
2001 - Se Ri Pak
2000 - Juli Inkster
1999 - Juli Inkster
1998 - Donna Andrews
1997 - Annika Sorenstam
1996 - Kelly Robbins
Outright plays (1.5 units
unless stated):
Juli Inkster to win 16/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Winner of this event in 1999 and 2000, she has the best course form of any
player on view this week. But it should be no surprise that Inkster plays well
here, this is as close to a home tournament as she can get. She lives in Los
Altos (125 miles away) and she and her family will stay at her sister-in-law's
house in nearby Auburn. She always enjoys considerable support and should
continue her recent run of form that included a runners-up spot in the
Welch's/Circle K Championship which she really should have won.
Sophie Gustafson to win 33/1 e.w. @
Bet365
The Swede gets the selection as the expense of Grace Park who injured her back
two weeks ago in the Office Depot Championship and despite her form you can't
ignore that type of injury. Gustafson has a decent record in this event and has
been showing solid form all season. This is supposed to be a tight course, but
straight-hitting does not appear to be a feature of previous contenders so this
may just be the track for the big-hitting Swede.
Cristie Kerr to win 40/1 e.w. @ NetBetSports
Backed her last time out after she had finished in the top-20 in her last four
events and secured two top-3 finishes during that time. She promptly missed the
cut. She has made the cut in her four starts at the Twelve Bridges course, but
has no top-10 finishes though he has always come into this event in poor form.
She in much better form this year and maybe she can repeat her 54-hole
performance of 1999 when she entered the final round only three shots behind the
leader, Juli Inkster. She shot 77 in the final round that year, but at least she
has showed that she can compete on this course.
Mid-point update:
Inkster 4th
Gustafson 43rd
Kerr 1st
Very promising position heading into the weekend. Kerr has been the 1st and 2nd
round leader, currently with a two-shot lead, and Inkster looks to be in a
decent position. Can take nothing for granted on this tough course though.
Gustafson had been 3rd after the 1st round, but fell away with a 2nd-round 80.
It can get away from you very easily around this track.
Final update:
Outright plays: 1-2; +33.00 units
Inkster 8th
Gustafson 12th
Kerr 1st
What a finish! Kerr dominated this event but made it a very nervous event to
follow on the last day. In the end, Hee-Won Han bogeyed the last hole to hand
the debut victory to Kerr. Fine performance from the other selections even
though they failed to finish in the top-5. Inkster was always in contention for
a top-5 spot until the end and had Gustafson shot level-par (instead of 80) in
the 2nd round, she would have finished level with Kerr. A great week to have
increased LPGA event to a 1.5 unit weighting. |
|
