LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship begins today
The $2 million Kraft Nabisco Championship beginstoday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, with I.K. Kim and YaniTseng seeking to overcome embarrassments.
Kim had a one-foot par putt break to the right on the final hole ofregulation in last year’s tournament, forcing a sudden-death playoff, which shelost to fellow South Korean Sun Young Yoo.
“I can’t really explain what had happened,” said Kim, who said shegets asked about the putt “all the time.”
“It was tough to handle at first, but I think it’s important not onlyto the viewers and the people, but to let other people, younger generation, toknow that it’s not always going to be glorious and like victory.
“Life is not about winning or losing. When you’re 80 and look back,you’re not going to remember, `Oh I should have made that putt. When you’re 80,it’s more about how much you have fun and enjoy your life.”
Tseng, who is from Taiwan, will be playing for the first time sincebeing withdrawn from the Kia Classic March 20 because she overslept and missedher pro-am tee time.
“So many people have given me alarm clocks,” said Tseng, whose 109-week reign atop the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings ended March 18 after AmericanStacy Lewis won her second consecutive tournament.
The final spot in the field of 111 for the LPGA’s first major of theyear went to 14-year-old Angel Yin of Arcadia, who won the Kraft NabiscoLegends Junior Challenge by firing a five-under-par 67 Tuesday on the ArnoldPalmer Course at Mission Hills Country Club.
“Angel was beyond impressive out there,” said World Golf Hall of FameMember Donna Caponi, who coached Yin in the event, where top SouthernCalifornia junior female golfers are paired with LPGA legends.
Yin said her goals for the tournament are to “have fun and experiencewhat it’s like for LPGA players.”
The field also includes 15-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the world’stop-ranked woman amateur golfer, who has won three professional tournaments.She became the youngest winner of an LPGA event in August when she won the CNCanadian Open.
“I don’t think she realizes how good she is,” Lewis said. “I expecther to come out and play really good.”
Ko will be paired in the first two rounds with one-time prodigy MichelleWie.
“If it was my first time, I would have been really nervous, but I willdefinitely be nervous as she is my idol,” Ko said. “Luckily, I’ve experiencedplaying with her and Yani at the Australian Open.”
In 2003, Wie became the youngest player to make a cut in an LPGAtournament and major, when she tied for ninth at the Kraft NabiscoChampionship.
Now 23, Wie has struggled recently, missing the cut in three of her fivetournaments this year, and finishing 45th and tying for 45th in the others.She is ranked 86th, 61 spots behind Ko.
The tournament is set to conclude Sunday with the winner receiving$300,000.
One change fans will notice is The KNC Fan Experience, a 22,000-squarefoot area which includes golf simulators, hitting bays, a 60-foot puttingcontest and food outlets.
Tickets are $35, with children 17 and under admitted free whenaccompanied by a ticketed adult. Admission is free for active members of themilitary, with identification, their spouses and children.
