2016 Kia Classic Round 3 Notes and Interviews
So Close To The Course Record
Candie Kung breezed through the first 17 holes today before finding
trouble on the final hole. Kung had a chance at the Aviara Golf Club
course record as she walked to the 18th tee, but yanked her second shot
dead left into the stands and finished with a double bogey and a 65. She
almost set both the course record and the low round of her career.
“Everything went pretty smooth out there today,” Kung explained. “The
greens were definitely smoother than the last couple days with less
footprints and I played earlier than a lot of people. So the greens were
smooth. I played great. I had a very good 17 and a half holes.”
Kung walked off the green to scoring still happy despite what happened on 18.
“It was just one of those shots that I put a bad swing on it and it
happened on the wrong hole. Happened on the wrong shot. I didn’t think I
missed it that -- the shot that I missed, if it would have been on the
other holes, it would have been okay. It wasn’t really that far left of
where I was aiming, but it happens.”
A Special Kind Of Ace
Minjee Lee had never made an ace in her life. But when the first one
came on Saturday afternoon at Aviara Golf Club, it wasn’t just a typical
hole-in-one. Lee used a 5-wood on the 275-yard par-4 16th hole, which
was playing 234 yards, to hole out and make only the second hole-in-one
on a par-4 in LPGA history.
“I think I had 210 meters to the pin, and I hit my 5-wood, it was a
little right-to-left down wind, so yeah, just hit it a little right and
then it was going with the wind and went in the hole,” Lee said. “I
didn’t see it go in.
Lee’s ace also marked the first albatross of her career. And it just
two months after Ha Na Jang became the first player on the LPGA to make a
hole-in-one on a par-4 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. Jang
holed out from 218 yards with a 3-wood on the eighth hole at the Ocean
Club on Paradise Island in the third round of the event.
Last Push For The ANA Inspiration
This week’s Kia Classic marks the final opportunity for players to
earn spots in the field for the first major of the 2016 season, the ANA
Inspiration.
The final criteria for players to get into the field at next week’s
ANA Inspiration is the top 20 players who aren’t already qualified and
are currently in the top 80 on the 2016 LPGA Official Money List at the
conclusion of the Kia Classic.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff has helped her chances of earning a spot and heads
into the final round tied for 11th at the Aviara Golf Club. Ewart
Shadoff currently sits 76th ($23,274) on the 2016 LPGA Official Money
List and a strong finish at this week’s event would likely guarantee her
a spot.
Rolex Rankings Scenarios
Below are the Rolex Rankings projections for this week at the Kia
Classic. Note: Please confirm with the LPGA staff during the tournament
for updates.
Lydia Ko remains No. 1 this week regardless of her result and what happens in the field.
Inbee Park will maintain No. 2 no matter the result of all players.
Final UL International Crown Battle
Team Australia (with a combined Rolex Rankings score of 376) sits in
the 8th and final position in the 2016 UL International Crown standings
ahead of Team Sweden (with a combine Rolex Ranking score of 383). Both
teams have two players remaining in the field on Sunday at the Kia
Classic.
For Team Australia, Minjee Lee and Karrie Webb look to improve their
team’s position heading into next week when final teams will be set at
the conclusion of the ANA Inspiration. Anna Nordqvist and Pernilla
Lindberg are battling to make up ground for Team Sweden after both Maria
McBride and Caroline Hedwall missed the cut.
Quotable
“I have no option but to go out and play good golf if I want to be in Brazil.”
– Paula Creamer on her goal of making it into the Olympics this summer in Rio.
Of Note
- After the third round today, World No. 1 Lydia Ko now has nine consecutive rounds under par.
- Candie Kung’s 65 today was her season-low round.
- This was the third round of 66-or-lower for Paula Creamer in 2016. She had just three all of last year.
- LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Se Ri Pak shot a 1-under 71 in the third round in an effort to earn entry into next week’s ANA Inspiration. Park will likely need to make a significant move on Sunday to earn enough money to move into the top 80 on the LPGA Official Money List.
- Sponsor invite and Rolex Rankings No. 28 Sung Hyun Park shot a 4-under 68 and sits in a tie for second at 11-under-par with Brittany Lang and Jenny Shin.
- Alison Lee and Ji Young Oh withdrew from the Kia Classic prior to the conclusion of the first round.
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