Tag: Brooke Henderson

Cristie Kerr shoots 68 at CME Group Tour Championship just weeks after dislocating ribs

Cristie Kerr shot a 68 just weeks after an injury in a golf cart accident and all the news from Thursday at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Cristie Kerr, winner of the 2015 CME Group Tour Championship, shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round on Thursday.

That part isn’t a surprise.

Considering she’s still recovering from three dislocated ribs she suffered in a golf cart accident two weeks ago, though, it’s quite something.

“I actually feel a little bit better today, but I just thought it was really important to get through last week,” said Kerr, who played in the frigid conditions in the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open on Monday in Houston. “There were points where I didn’t think that I was going to be able to, but I guess when they say there is a will there is a way.”

Kerr decided not to will her way through the entire pro-am Wednesday, stopping with five holes to play. She said the pain level for her was improved Thursday.

“It was like a two to three today, so it was a little bit better,” Kerr said. “Honestly, Sunday last week when we played the one hole it was like nine. I got very lucky to not play that day and to go get treatment and come back out the next day and finish the round, to be able to finish.

“It was pretty bad. Of there were points last week where I didn’t think I was going to be able to finish. Since coming here and getting therapy and doing more cryotherapy, I definitely felt — in the pro-am as the day went on it got a little bit worse and I saved myself a few holes there, but today of the best I’ve felt in two weeks.”

CME Group Tour Championship: Leaderboard | Lexi leads early

Playing partner and rookie Andrea Lee was impressed with Kerr’s play Thursday. That included some up-and-downs for par, including chipping in for par on one hole.

“We just call her the Short Game Queen because she gets up and down from everywhere,” Lee said.

Back on course after positive COVID test

Andrea Lee had to miss the U.S. Women’s Open last week after testing positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 8, and withdrawing.

“It was definitely the worst week to get it,” Lee said Thursday. “I was really looking forward to playing Champions (in Houston). I’ve played there before a long time ago and was really looking forward to it. it happens. There’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve just got to hope that your health is good, and that you’re ready to go for the next one.”

Lee could not be cleared to play either day of the pro-am at the CME Group Tour Championship, and flew in Wednesday night, then played the first round Thursday. She shot a 1-under 71.

“I’m pretty satisfied with that honestly because I haven’t hit a ball in like 10 or 11 days,” said Lee, who had said she had mild symptoms. “I’ve just been stuck in my room trying to putt. I kind of went out there and trusted my caddie (Andrew Dearden) because he’s seen the course many times, so that was helpful.

“… I’m honestly glad that I’m just even here playing, even though I didn’t have any prep.”

In the field with just enough notice

Knowing she would have to go through the coronavirus testing protocol turned out to be a good thing for Robynn Ree. She saw she was first alternate, so decided to make the trip to Naples, because if she’d have to be tested and cleared in case she got in the field. So Ree flew in on the red eye, got tested, and went to play a practice round.

Wednesday afternoon she found out that Mi Hyang Lee had withdrawn, putting her into the tournament.

“I’m just really grateful to be play one more tournament before the season’s over,” said Ree, who shot a 2-over 74.

Masson with the eagle

Caroline Masson was playing steadily, sitting at 1 under through 12 holes. But the 13th ended up being lucky for her. She hit a 9-iron on the short par-4, and it went in for an eagle.

“It was pretty cool,” she said. “I had a pretty good number for a 9-iron, a little downwind, and kind of hit the shot I wanted and it pitched on top and just released a little bit. I kind of wasn’t really looking anymore because I thought it was good, but I didn’t realize it would go in.

“There were a couple people up by the green, which was nice. Started cheering and, yeah, definitely obviously a great bonus. It was a good shot, so nice to see something like that go in. You can never expect it.”

Masson also holed out during the pro-am Tuesday.

“So I’m hoping that they come in three this week,” she said.

Henderson bounces back

Brooke Henderson, who has a condo at Miromar Lakes, had an inauspicious start at home. She made a triple bogey on No. 2, but Henderson was able to come back enough to get to 1 over.

After the double, Henderson played the next 14 holes at 2 under, and bogeyed No. 17, but came back with a birdie on No. 18.

Kang birdies for St. Jude

Danielle Kang was moved during her media session Wednesday by an interaction with childhood cancer survivor Mary Browder, 17, who was at this tournament a year ago and beat Hodgkins lymphoma.

Kang pledged to donate $1,000 per birdie this week in Browder’s honor. She made four in Thursday’s first round.

CME Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy said a flat $500,000 donation for its season-long hole-in-one program will be made to St. Jude this year due to the abbreviated LPGA Tour schedule.

TV talent

Terry Gannon is back for his second straight week at Tiburón. He did play-by-play for the PGA Tour’s QBE Shootout that ended Sunday, and he’ll do play-by-play for the CME Group Tour Championship through Sunday. Judy Rankin will be the analyst, with Tom Abbott in the tower, and Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples as on-course analysts, and Damon Hack doing interviews. Foltz also was here for QBE coverage.

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Sei Young Kim leads by two at Women’s PGA, with a trio of major winners on her heels

The petite South Korean with an aggressive game leads the third major of the season by two strokes after a third-round 67.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Sei Young Kim came into the flash area of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship wearing a broad smile. She’d bogeyed the 18th hole, but you sure couldn’t tell it.

The petite South Korean with an aggressive game leads the third major of the season by two strokes after a third-round 67. Her 7-under total puts her two strokes ahead of Anna Nordqvist and Brooke Henderson, both past champions of this event.

A 10-time winner on the LPGA, Kim took home a $1.5 million check at the season-ending event in Naples, Florida, last November. It was the largest payday in LPGA history. No, she hasn’t yet splurged on anything. And while that victory was certainly momentous, it wasn’t a major.

That’s the next step in Kim’s decorated career, one that surely feels even more pressing given the number of South Koreans who have won majors in recent years. No one on tour is more overdue for a major than Kim.

“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous,” she said through an interpreter, “but I’m also excited about going into the final day. I just want to take each shot at a time and just keep focus, and the results will follow.”

SCORES: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Henderson’s 65 matched rookie Bianca Pagdanganan’s effort as the best round of the day. The 23-year-old Henderson won the Women’s PGA at Sahalee four years ago in a playoff against Lydia Ko. She has won at least once each season on the LPGA since 2015 and looks to keep that streak alive this week.

Henderson, who lost in a playoff last month at the ANA Inspiration to Mirim Lee, finished in the top six at the KPMG Women’s PGA in her first four appearances at the event. She described the victory at Sahalee as life-changing.

“Eighteen years old and it was only my second win on tour,” she said, “so it was really a huge highlight for me and still is. Just sometimes it’s hard to believe that I’m a major champion, but definitely in times like this it gives me a little bit of confidence, and I’m excited to try to do it again tomorrow.”

The final group of Kim, Nordqvist and Henderson tees off at 8:49 a.m. ET due to a 2 p.m. finish on NBC. What’s even rarer about Sunday’s tee times at the KPMG is that six groups will go off after the leaders – three on each side.

Kim said she’ll make sure to have her hand warmers ready.

Sei Young Kim of Korea plays a shot on the tenth hole during the third round of the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on October 10, 2020, in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Lurking three shots back of Kim is LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park, who carded a 66. Park looks to become only the second player in history to win four Women’s PGA titles, joining Mickey Wright (1958, 1960, 1961, 1963). Park won this championship three years in a row from 2013 to 2015.

Going into Saturday’s round, Park thought that anything within four of the lead would have a good chance on Sunday. Only 10 players are under par after three rounds.

“The course is getting firmer and faster,” she said, “so it’s getting tougher, and there are a lot of pins that we can’t go at. … It’s great fun.”

Sunday’s forecast, however, does call for rain.

Pagdanganan, playing in her first major championship, carded a second consecutive 65 to vault into solo fifth. The LPGA rookie helped Arizona win the 2018 NCAA Championship and made her first start to the 2020 season after the tour’s 166-day break. She tied for 28th in July at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Inverness, which like Aronimink is a Donald Ross design. The KPMG marks her fifth LPGA start as a pro. She’s currently ranked 712th in the world. Sophia Popov was 304th when she won the AIG Women’s British Open in August at Royal Troon.

“It’s just overwhelming the support that I’m receiving,” said Pagdanganan of the number of messages she has received from the Philippines.

Imagine what Sunday might bring.

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Mel Reid in front at Shoprite LPGA Classic after three rounds

Mel Reid leads the Shoprite LPGA Classic after 3 rounds at 15 under. Jennifer Kupcho and Jennifer Song are T-2 at 14 under.

With one more round to go in the Shoprite LPGA Classic, they’re all chasing Mel Reid.

The 33-year old was consistent throughout the day at Seaview Resort in Galloway, New Jersey, but arguably her finest moment came at the halfway point. A 3-wood into the par-5 ninth hit the edge of the green and rolled several feet toward the hole, setting up an eagle. Three additional birdies propelled Reid to a 5-under 66 and 15 under par: one shot clear of second place.

England’s Reid tied for seventh at the ANA Inspiration and tied for fifth at the Cambia Portland Classic. A win at the Seaview this week would be her first career victory on the LPGA Tour.

Jennifer Kupcho and Jennifer Song may have something to say about that, though.

ShopRite LPGA Classic: Leaderboard

Kupcho, a former NCAA Division I champion with Wake Forest, carded a 6-under 65 to put herself into a tie for second. The 23-year old from Littleton, Colorado, dealt with pain in her upper back throughout the third round and still managed six birdies.

“Yeah, I mean, the golf course is definitely tricky,” said Kupcho. “I think it really actually makes me focus a lot more just because some of the holes you have to like hit right on the spot going into the greens. I’ve played through a lot of things in my career.”

Song equaled Kupcho with a 65 of her own. The 30-year old dual citizen of the U.S. and South Korea remained clean and finished strong, holing the last of her six birdies on No. 18.

“I love it,” Song said about her performance. “First and third round it was bogey-free, and I just want keep that going and have the same momentum going into tomorrow. I’m not going to change a lot of things. I think just focus on my rhythm and be aggressive out there.”

The top of the leaderboard remains fairly crowded, with a number of other contenders lurking. Fourth-place Nasa Hataoka of Japan finds herself within striking distance at 12 under. Malaysia’s Kelly Tan and California’s Ryann O’Toole are T-5 at 11 under, while Canadian Brooke Henderson is also in the hunt at 10 under, which leave her in seventh place.

“Yeah, first two days I didn’t really score as well as I felt like I was actually hitting it,” said Henderson, who achieved seven birdies and one bogey. “Today I kind of made some putts that I wasn’t expecting to make, so it was a little bit of a bonus. Evens out, but hopefully tomorrow I can continue to make all those putts that I made today.”

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At last! Sunday at the ANA poised to deliver long-awaited star-studded showdown

Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson are all in contention at the ANA Inspiration entering the final round.

As LPGA stars cranked up the heat midway through the second round of the ANA Inspiration, technical difficulties brought the desert party to a screeching halt. Golf Channel viewers were suddenly forced to watch reruns of the second round.

Nancy Lopez spoke for all of us when she tweeted: “Ridiculous!”

Mercifully, live golf came back after 20-plus minutes, and when the dust settled in the desert, the board at the ANA was a commissioner’s dream. Three of the most popular players in the women’s game are duking it out at the top: Brooke Henderson, Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson.

“I think this is exactly what everyone has been waiting to see,” said Golf Channel’s Karen Stupples.

No doubt.

LEADERBOARD: ANA Inspiration

The first major of the year delivered an unforgettable Cinderella Story with Sophia Popov’s unlikely victory at Royal Troon. (Regrettably, she wasn’t invited this week.)

Now the storylines shift from longshot to long-awaited, with co-leader Nelly Korda looking to break through for her first major title. She’ll be in a comfortable pairing alongside Brooke Henderson, a friend since junior golf. The winningest Canadian golfer won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship four years ago, and most would’ve predicted that she’d have a second by now.

Lurking two shots back in the penultimate group is Lexi Thompson, the 2014 ANA winner who still seeks vindication from that four-stroke penalty fiasco in 2017 at Dinah’s Place. As 1976 winner Judy Rankin says, “it’s like she owns this course.”

With brother Curtis leading on the Korn Ferry Tour, it could be a sensational Sunday for the Thompson crew.

Lexi recently went back to her childhood swing instructor, Jim McLean, and they spent time looking at old swing footage – the library goes back to around age 11. Thompson decided to stop fighting how she’s always naturally played: aim it up the right and draw it back.

Lexi Thompson during the third round of the 2020 ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Golf Club. (Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)

“Basically what I saw is a lot of people always notice my foot movement and how I get off the ground,” Thompson, “and when I was little it might have been even more than it is now. There was no restriction, I just hit it hard and got off the ground and I knew it was going up the right and turning back … that confidence is what I’ve kind of changed.”

Korda will have dinner with her parents on Saturday night, as they always do, and she predicted that they’ll talk about everything but golf.

While her father, Petr, owns a Grand Slam tennis title, winning the big ones is no one-size-fits-all proposition, she said. They’ll remind her to take deep breaths and use her sun umbrella to stay out of the heat.

“Honestly, it’s just about experience and going through it yourself,” she said.

Karrie Webb owns the largest come-from-behind victory at the ANA. She holed out for eagle on the 72nd hole in 2006 and ultimately won in a playoff against Lorena Ochoa. Webb started the day seven back.

Among the notable chasers this year are No. 2 Danielle Kang, a two-time winner since the tour restarted its season. She trails by five. Stacy Lewis, the 2011 champion who recently won in Scotland, sits four back alongside 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang.

Katherine Kirk and Mirim Lee, two veterans looking for their first major title, are two back.

The only thing that seems certain about Sunday at the Dinah’s Place is that the giant blue wall that’s on the back of the island green on No. 18 will most assuredly be a factor. The forward tee is traditionally used in the final round, and with this year’s structure taking up a tremendous amount of space, players will bomb it at the wall like a backboard and hope for the best.

“Hopefully it doesn’t affect tomorrow’s outcome,” said Stacy Lewis.

One can only hope.

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ANA Inspiration: Canada’s Brooke Henderson is red hot

Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda share the lead at 12 under headed into the final round of the LPGA’s ANA Inspiration at Dinah Shore.

For much of the day Saturday at the ANA Inspiration, it was impossible not to expect Canadian flags to start waving from homes at Mission Hills Country Club or to hear the cheers of “Brooke! Brooke! Brooke!”

But the irony of Canadian star Brooke Henderson’s run up the leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration, a tournament where she is wildly popular, is that no spectators were on the golf course and most if not all of the Canadian snowbirds who live in the desert and root for Henderson aren’t present to support their favorite golfer this year.

“It’s definitely really noticeable,” Henderson said after a 7-under 65 that gave her a share of the 54-hole lead in the LPGA major championship. “But the thing about this place is there’s so much tradition and history here, it’s really special. Even without the fans that we miss a lot, it’s still a great place to be.”

LEADERBOARD: ANA Inspiration

Whether the Canadian fans are back in their home country avoiding the 100-degree temperatures of a desert summer or stuck at home in the desert not able to be on the spectator-less course, they certainly were cheering for Henderson’s best run at the ANA title.

A quick start featuring an eagle on the par-5 second hole and four more birdies on the front nine allowed Henderson to reach 12-under 204. She is tied with Nelly Korda entering the final round of the 49th tournament on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

Korda, who held sole possession of the lead after the first and second rounds, stumbled early Saturday with a double bogey on the par-4 sixth hole but rallied on the back nine for a 71 to maintain a share of the lead.

Korda and Henderson will tee off with Katherine Kirk on Sunday in the chase for the major title. Kirk is one of three players at 10-under par, having shot 67 on a hot but windless day at Mission Hills on Saturday. Also at 10 under are 2014 ANA Inspiration winner Lexi Thompson, who shot 69 on Saturday, and South Korea’s Mirim Lee, who shot a 71 while looking for her first major win.

Brooke Henderson during the third round of the 2020 ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Scoring pace slows down

After two days of relatively low scoring on the Shore course with Korda reaching 11 under through 36 holes, the players chasing Korda continued to make birdies and eagles early in the third round.

Korda let those players see the top of the leaderboard when she bogeyed the par-3 fifth hole, then dumped her second shot in the lake in front of the green on the par-4 sixth hole on the way to a double bogey. That dropped Korda back to 9 under, while Henderson was completing a 6-under 30 on the front nine to take the lead.

“I actually missed a short birdie putt on 1, so I was a little bit upset about that,” Henderson said. “I thought I could have a nice eagle opportunity on 2 if I hit a good drive and second, which I was able to do. I just had about maybe 12, 15 feet for eagle and was able to make it.”

Henderson followed that with four more birdies on the front nine, including a birdie on the par-5 ninth just as Korda was making her double bogey.

“You always have to take some time to cool down and process everything, but there’s still so much time, or so much golf to be played,” Korda said of rebounding from the double bogey. “So I mean, I was just thinking one shot at a time.”

While other players slowed down the scoring barrage on the back nine – Henderson had two birdies but one bogey on the closing nine – Korda moved back up the leader board with birdies on the 11th, 12th and 15th holes.

Lee grabbed a share of the lead with Henderson on the back nine, but consecutive bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes dropped her back. Thompson reached 11 under through the front nine, but bogeyed the 10th hole. She then made eight consecutive pars, including a scrambling par at the 13th and a par on the 18th hole where she was one of the few golfers to reach the island green in two from the 525-yard tees for the day.

Nelly Korda during the third round of the 2020 ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Beating the desert heat

Korda’s back-nine run came as the temperature in the desert was hitting its highest point of the day, creeping over 100 degrees. But Korda said she didn’t mind the heat too much.

“I’ve been actually very impressed with myself. I’m drinking a lot of water out here. Mixing a little Gatorade in it, though,” she said.

Like Lee and Kirk, Korda will be looking for her first major championship Sunday, while Henderson and Thompson will each be trying for a second major title. Thompson is looking for a second win at Mission Hills.

“There are some leaderboards out there on the back, and I did take a quick glance a few times,” said Kirk after her 67. “But this golf course is not easy, and you have to hit fairways to have a chance, really, of making any birdies. That was the quickest way to get me back into the game plan and focus was to realize, hey, I’ve got tough shots ahead of me. I’ve got to go hit good shots and forget about the leaderboard and just go play golf.”

All the contenders will finish the tournament on the 18th hole without the event’s typical closing atmosphere, though there will still be a leap into Poppie’s Pond by the winner.

“It’s probably most noticeable walking up 18, having the fans there for high-fives and their support coming down the stretch,” Henderson said. “Like you said, it’s still a great place, and it’s still a lot of fun to be here.”

Larry Bohannan is The Desert Sun golf writer. He can be reached at (760) 778-4633 or larry.bohannan@desertsun.com. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at Sun.@Larry_Bohannan. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Desert Sun.

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Golf Canada CEO urges golfers to stay home during pandemic

While many U.S. courses are taking precautions and remaining open, Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum advised all of Canada to stay home.

To play or not to play?

As the COVID-19 pandemic brings much of the world to a standstill, the golf industry continues to debate the safety of remaining open for play. While many courses in the U.S. are taking extra precautions and remaining open, Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum has advised all of Canada to stay home.

“I think it’s really a normal thought to see golf as a great activity with regards to some of the social distancing guidelines that were given, but I would give further thought to the fact that it’s a lot more interactive than you may think at the outset,” Applebaum told The Canadian Press. “Everyone has to do their duty to not come into contact with others.

“So we’ll refer to the experts who are giving these guidelines and give Canada a chance to really plank the curve, not just flatten it.”

It’s still early season in Canada and while many public courses have closed, operators at private clubs will be making decisions in the coming days and weeks.

“I will tell you that the overwhelming majority are thinking about the health and wellness of their staff, and of their overall memberships, and so the majority of them have closed their doors until further notice,” said Applebaum.

“It’s on a club-by-club basis and we’ve been providing the guidance of wanting to have everyone think about what (public health officials) have told us are the best things we can to be safe, be healthy, and to try and do all the right things to eradicate the coronavirus.”

On Sunday evening, Team Canada announced that they will not be sending any Olympic or Paralympic athletes to Tokyo if the are held as planned this summer. The Canadian committees urged the IOC to postpone by one year.

That means that if the Games continue as scheduled, Canada’s beloved star, Brooke Henderson, will not be competing. Henderson is the winningest player in Canadian history – male or female – with nine LPGA titles. She’s the highest-ranked Canadian golfer at No. 7 in the world. Adam Hadwin is the highest-ranked male at No. 25.

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Canada won’t send its Olympic team to Tokyo if Games are held this summer

Brooke Henderson won’t be able to compete in the women’s Olympic golf tournament if the Games are held as planned beginning in July.

The International Olympic Committee announced Sunday that it is considering the possibility of postponing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and will make a final decision over the next four weeks.

The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees decided they did not want to wait.

In a dramatic move Sunday night, Team Canada said it would not send Olympic or Paralympic athletes to the Games if they are held as planned this summer, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The country’s Olympic and Paralympic Committees also urged the IOC and International Paralympic Committee to postpone their respective Games by one year.

While other national Olympic committees have released statements calling on the IOC to postpone, Canada is the first nation to threaten not to send a delegation if the Games go on as scheduled.

This means that Brooke Henderson won’t be competing when the women’s golf tournament in Tokyo begins July 30. At No. 7 in the Olympic rankings, she’s the highest-ranked Canadian golfer. On the men’s side, Adam Hadwin comes in at No. 25.

“This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health,” Team Canada said in its statement. “With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow.”

The Canadians’ statement came hours after IOC president Thomas Bach sent a letter to athletes, explaining that he did not believe it was time to call for a postponement but also indicating that the IOC is ramping up its scenario-planning. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to begin July 24.

 

Chatter at LPGA’s TOC turns to cheating in golf, stealing signs in baseball

Celebrities like Smoltz, Justin Verlander, Grant Hill, Brian Urlacher and Roger Clemens help bring new fans to the LPGA’s season opener.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Brooke Henderson begins the 2020 season on Thursday alongside MLB’s John Smoltz and Josh Donaldson and, of course, she’ll try to crush the ball.

“I’ll try to hit it just as far,” said a smiling Henderson. “I’ll be a little short, but I’ll try to crank it out there too. You know, just to make some birdies with them and have some fun.”

Fun is the over-arching theme of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Particularly for those paired with Larry the Cable Guy.

But they want to win too. Henderson’s determined to extend her streak of two-wins seasons, which dates back to 2016. Smoltz won his first golf title last year at the Diamond Resorts, and the MLB Hall of Famer is thirsty for more.

Celebrities like Smoltz, Justin Verlander, Grant Hill, Brian Urlacher and Roger Clemens help bring new fans to the LPGA. Even Smoltz addressing the Astros cheating scandal during the pre-tournament press conference helps to generate buzz outside of normal golf circles.

“It’s not the only team,” said Smoltz, “but it’s going to be the team that’s been made an example of because they have the most evidence of what was happening. It’s irrefutable. …

“What makes golf unique is that it’s up to the integrity of each person to determine whether they want to apply the rules as they’re meant, and that’s why golf has always been known as the gentleman’s game. But it’s frowned upon, and we all know enough people and play with enough people at our clubs that just can’t help themselves by getting an advantage and an edge because they want to compete, and they want to be successful. That bothers me, but it’s not immune from anywhere.”

Asked to weigh in on Patrick Reed’s recent run-in with the rules, Smoltz said that technology made Reed’s actions in the bunker look particularly egregious.

“The live (feed) is more up for interpretation,” he said.

But between the two sports, Smoltz continued, baseball players rely on teammates to get information. They’re constantly reading things, taking advantage of what another player is giving.

Golf is more straightforward.

“Baseball has a little bit more of a way to govern itself … ” said Smoltz. “That doesn’t happen as much anymore.

“In other words, if Jack (Wagner) was at the plate and he was peeking, and he was peeking at the catcher, it’s within his right to peek at the catcher to see what signs are, but then it’s within my right to give him a bruise on his derriere with a baseball. That’s what would happen 25 years ago. That doesn’t happen so much anymore.”

Jack Wagner, an actor who was taking part in the early-week presser alongside Smoltz, didn’t miss a beat.

“Just don’t hit the face,” he said.

Only a handful of celebrities have the game to hang with the likes of Wagner and Smoltz. They’ll play for a $500,000 purse, with the winner receiving $100,000.

While the LPGA field is missing a number of heavy hitters, including the top two players in the world, Jin Young Ko and Sung Hyun Park, Henderson is among the favorites this week, having played in the Diamond event before it became an LPGA stop. The purse for the LPGA pros is $1.2 million, with a winner’s portion of $180,000.

After the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, Henderson stayed back in Naples, Florida, where she makes her second home, for a month soaking up the sun. Then she went home to Canada for two weeks with sister, Brittany, where temperatures dipped to minus 30. She’s ready to get 2020 started.

“I think a key thing for me is scoring average and keeping it below 70,” said the Canadian star, “which I did again last year.”

Henderson is the all-time winningest Canadian player – male or female. Smoltz said the pressure of trying to win a golf tournament compared to a World Series is “night and day.” He’d rather have the bases loaded, nobody out and a 3-2 count on every hitter.

“I think that’s what I was primed to do,” he said. “I know what my strengths were in that sport. This intuitively is all self-pressure, and there’s a lot of doubt. Golf exposes your doubt really quickly. So you may have a weakness and you try to hide it for a couple of days, it will show up.”

Smoltz mastered the ability to get amnesia about mistakes on the mound. In golf, he’s still working on it.

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Top 10 LPGA moments in 2019: Storied career ends and a real-life Cinderella emerges

The LPGA is full of fairy-tale moments. Some are on the grandest stages involving the game’s biggest stars and some come out of nowhere.

There’s never a shortage of fairy tale moments on the LPGA. Some of them happen on the grandest of stages from the game’s biggest stars. Others come hurtling out of nowhere.

Breaking a record held by 15-time major champion Tiger Woods usually fast-tracks a player to this type of year-end list. There were grab-a-tissue moments and “are you kidding me?!” putts. A real-life Cinderella who just couldn’t stop smiling and a one-time villain who flipped the script on how she’ll be remembered in this game with one sensational Sunday.

So here they are, the top 10 moments on the LPGA in 2019:

Related: 10 best LPGA players of the decade

10. Dream team

Teammates Cydney Clanton (right) and Jasmine Suwannapura celebrate on the 18th green after winning the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. (Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

A caddie brought Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura together for the inaugural Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, but Clanton believes it was more of a divine plan. One year ago, Clanton missed out on her full card by $8. After a closing 59, the Auburn grad had a two-year exemption and a spot in the Evian Championship and AIG Women’s British Open. Suwannapura’s invitation proved life-changing for her partner, who’d spent most of the year on the Symetra Tour.

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10 best LPGA players of the decade

Suzann Peterson? Lydia Ko? Ariya Jutanugarn? Golfweek reveals the best 10 LPGA players of the decade.

After Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa left the game to focus on family, youth mostly dominated the next decade on the LPGA.

A dozen players took a turn at No. 1 after Lorena Ochoa ended her streak of 158 weeks in May 2010.

The global nature of the tour exploded, with players like Shanshan Feng, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lydia Ko blazing trails from all corners of the world.

Golfweek takes a look back on the 10 best players of the past 10 years.

Brooke Henderson at the Meijer LPA Classic. (Al Goldis, AP)

10. Brooke Henderson

A two-time winner in each of the past four seasons, Canada’s darling has been a top-10 machine in her time on tour. With nine total victories, she’s the winningest player in Canadian golf history – male or female. Won an LPGA major at age 18.

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