Inbee Park, the most decorated player in the LPGA field at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, is rather fond of opening her 16th season on tour alongside celebrities. There’s less pressure this week, she said, than typical tour events. The seven-time major winner considers it the “perfect” warmup.
“This tournament is a very fun format,” said Park, “so we’re enjoying the different atmosphere and meeting a lot of people. Watching them play is enjoyable.”
Park, who is four strokes back of leader Nelly Korda through two rounds, is one of 29 LPGA players in the field. Winners from the past two seasons are invited to the opener at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. Among the 50 players in the celebrity division is Annika Sorenstam, the greatest player in the modern era who retired from the LPGA in 2008. Park and Sorenstam aren’t competing against each other. The celebrities vie for a purse of $500,000 and use a modified Stableford scoring format.
Former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe leads Mark Mulder and Sorenstam by one point heading into the weekend.
“I think it’s a little bit more relaxing watching them getting more nervous,” said Park.
See what some of the celebrities in the field had to say about the best female golfers on the planet: