Wednesday, March 21, 2018

KIA CLASSIC PRE-TOURNAMENT NOTES

Wednesday Pre-Tournament Notes

First and second-round pairings are attached.
Transcripts are available at http://asaptext.com/orgs/lpga/397/

Kia Classic
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort - Aviara Golf Club
Carlsbad, Calif.
March 21, 2018

Transcripts will be available this week at https://asaptext.com/orgs/lpga/397/

ONLINE MEDIA CENTER
media.lpga.com

JOH HAS A BUSY WEEK ON THE SURF AND TURF
San Diego’s hometown hero Tiffany Joh’s schedule has been jam-packed leading up to the first round of the 2018 Kia Classic.

“I almost think of the Kia Classic as my sixth major,” Joh said. “It’s such an important tournament to me and it’s really the only time I get to play in front of my hometown crowd. I love San Diego. It’s like the best place to grow up and the hardest place to leave. It’s just great to be back here.”

Joh spent the day on Monday, along with fellow UCLA alum Mariajo Uribe, cruising around the San Diego Zoo in her sloth onesie. Due to her melanoma cancer diagnosis, Joh had to cut her 2017 season short but ramped up the 2018 season with major surfing plans. She didn’t any waste time making herself at home and managed to squeeze in four surf sessions before she teed off for the Wednesday Pro-Am. 

“You need something outside of golf to keep your head away from what’s going on the golf course and so it was nice.”

Joh will tee off at 7:22 a.m. on Thursday and will be joined by Celine Herbin and 2018 rookie Luna Sobron.

To watch Fox 5 San Diego feature on Tiffany Joh’s visit to the San Diego Zoo, click here: http://bit.ly/2HWrcdA

To read the San Diego Union Tribune’s feature on Tiffany Joh surfing, click here: http://bit.ly/2GPt1tj

THINGS COME ‘FULL CIRCLE’ FOR ROOKIE TEARE
When 2018 LPGA rookie Kassidy Teare played in the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, it was the first LPGA event she had ever been to. This week, the San Diego native returns to the place where her professional golf dreams all began.

“I think when I pictured myself playing professionally it was like this week is what plays in my mind,” said Teare, who grew up hitting balls and taking lessons on the Aviara Golf Club driving range. “My friends, family are there; the ropes are there; the cameras are there. It was like this is where I was playing in my mind.”

Teare has yet to make a cut in three starts as a rookie, but knows playing in the big leagues requires a big learning curve.

“I think my goal is just to feel comfortable and like really trust that I’m supposed to be here and I belong here. Believe it and play like it, you know.”

Teare attended Long Beach State University where she was the 2016 Big West Player of the Year. She recorded two top 10s in her first season on the Symetra Tour last year. In December, she birdied her final five holes to shoot a 6-under par 66 and finish T10 at LPGA Qualifying School Final Stage to earn her 2018 Tour Card.

Now, she’ll get the chance to play in front of family and friends as a full-time LPGA pro.

“As long as no one chickens out with the rain coming. We melt here in California.”

ROLEX MOVES OF THE WEEK WITH TIP OF CAP TO USGA
The Rolex Move of the Week goes to the USGA. On Monday, the golf governing body announced that legend Karrie Webb would receive a special exemption into the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open. It’ll be her 22nd straight U.S. Open, which is the longest active streak. Her ten-year exemption from her 2001 win expired in 2011 and she has used other categories to qualify over the last six years.

Other big moves of the week included:
  • Inbee Park moved into the top 10 (No. 9) thanks to her victory at last week’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup
  • Dame Laura Davies jumped up 208 spots in the world rankings to No. 155 after tying for second
  • Marina Alex moved up 11 spots to No. 37 in the world with her T2 finish
  • A tie for second also put Ariya Jutanugarn back in the top 5 at No. 5


PNC CELEBRATES FAMILY - WOODS FEELS A BOND STEMMING FROM HER GIRLS GOLF EXPERIENCE
Most golf fans know that fourth-year LPGA Tour player Cheyenne Woods is the niece of PGA Tour superstar Tiger Woods.

And many know that it was another member of her family, grandfather Earl Woods – father of Tiger – who introduced her to golf.

But there is another branch of her golf family that has played a key role in the LPGA player’s life for about 20 years -- and that family, the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program, is one for which Woods feels a long-standing appreciation in helping her reach her own goals.

“I joined the Girls Golf program around age 7, and it was a great environment to introduce kids to golf,” said Woods, 27, who grew up in Phoenix. “There were girls my age and it was fun, and whether we were playing in father-daughter tournaments or dressing up for Halloween and playing golf in the dark, it was something that really, really got me tied to the game.”


“ON THE TEE” WITH MO MARTIN, LAUREN KIM
2014 Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Mo Martin and 2018 LPGA rookie joined the LPGA.com ‘On The Tee’ podcast this week.

Martin shares very personal stories about her unique childhood, being a walk-on at UCLA, winning the 2014 Ricoh Women’s British Open and why she thinks 2018 will be a special year. Kim thought about quitting five months ago and detailed her path from nearly quitting to winning last week’s Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on the Symetra Tour.


NOTABLE FIRST ROUND GROUPINGS
At 7:44 a.m. off the 10th tee, 2016 Kia Classic champion Lydia Ko will tee off alongside LPGA and World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster and 10-time LPGA winner Paula Creamer.

Playing in the next group off the 10th tee at 7:55 a.m. will be World No. 1 Shanshan Feng, playing next to last week’s champion Inbee Park and another 2018 winner in Brittany Lincicome.

A trio of 2017 Solheim Cup stars make up the 12:55 p.m. grouping off the 1st tee - Lexi ThompsonDanielle Kang and Cristie Kerr.

MONDAY BOX LINK AND TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Monday Box includes scoring stats from the previous eight years of the Kia Classic event and the $1.8 million purse breakdown - https://lpga.box.com/s/o6v3km0u42nz00ooajn3af1bx4pxnb5j

The event was played at La Costa Resort and Spa in 2010 and 2012, while being played at Industry Hills Golf Club in between in 2011. Since 2012, the event has been played at Aviara Golf Club at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT
144 players; 72 holes, stroke play; after 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 70 and ties

PURSE
$1.8 million USD; winner’s portion is $270,000

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES AND HASHTAGS
Tournament: @LPGAKiaClassic, #KiaClassic
LPGA: @LPGA, @LPGAMedia

TV TIMES – SHOWTIME IN PRIMETIME
Thursday, March 22: 8:30-10:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Friday, March 23: 8:30-10:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Saturday, March 24: 7-9 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Sunday, March 25: 7-9 p.m. ET, Golf Channel

WHITELINE PAR AND YARDAGE
36-36–72, 6,609 yards (par and yardage are subject to change through the start of the tournament)

PAST FIVE CHAMPIONS AND RUNNERS-UP
2017: Mirim Lee, 268 (-20); So Yeon Ryu, Austin Ernst, 274 (-14)
2016: Lydia Ko, 269 (-19); Inbee Park, 273 (-15)
2015: Cristie Kerr, 268 (-20); Mirim Lee, 270 (-18)
2014: Anna Nordqvist, 275 (-13); Lizette Salas, 276 (-12)
2013: Beatriz Recari, 279 (-9)*; In-Kyung Kim, 279 (-9)
*won with a birdie on the second playoff hole

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS
18 holes: 63 (-9), Shi Hyun Ahn, final round, 2017
36 holes: 134 (-10), Five players, most recently Jenny Shin, 2016
54 holes: 200 (-16), Mirim Lee, 2015
72 holes: 268 (-20), Mirim Lee, 2017; Cristie Kerr, 2015

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