The LPGA’s Asia swing enters its fifth week at the seventh edition of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia at TPC Kuala Lumpur.
TPC Kuala Lumpur will play host to the LPGA’s finest a week after hosting the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic. The LPGA players will compete on the East Course, where they have competed since the inception of the event, while the PGA TOUR played the West Course.
In 2015, Jessica Korda posted four consecutive sub-70 rounds, including back-to-back 65’s on the weekend, to win the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia for the fourth win of her career. Korda was able to hold off a Sunday charge from Lydia Ko and Shanshan Feng, who both posted 66, to win by four strokes at 18-under par, the second lowest winning score in tournament history.
Korda will look to follow the lead of Justin Thomas who repeated as CIMB Classic champion last week.
WHO’S IN THE FIELD
Past Champions (3):
Jessica Korda (2015), Shanshan Feng (2014), Na Yeon Choi (2011)
Malaysians (9):
Aretha Pan, Nur Durriyah Damian, Ashley Lau, Winnie Ng, Kelly Tan, Michelle Koh, Ainil Bakar, Jean Chua, Natasha Oon
Amateurs (3):
Ashley Lau, Winnie Ng, Natasha Oon
FIELD STRENGTH
LPGA Money List
7/10
14/20
Rolex Rankings
6/10
14/20
2016 LPGA LEADERS
Wins - 54 (Ldia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn)
No. of Top-10s - 15 (Brooke Henderson)
Top 10 Finishes % - 62% (Lydia Ko)
Money List - $2,439,878 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
Race to CME Globe - 4,416 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
Scoring Average - 69.578 (Lydia Ko)
Rolex Player of the Year - 260 (Ariya Jutanugarn)
SIME DARBY LPGA CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
The seventh edition of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia will once again see the tournament collaborate with ground-breaking cancer research organization, Cancer Research Malaysia, in line with the tournament falling at the end of the official Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The collaboration has had a direct impact on the improvement in outcome for Malaysian cancer patients, with RM 2.5 million raised over the years, of which over 90% has been channeled directly into cancer research.
To help raise awareness, the event will once again hold its Pink Saturday where all players, officials and fans are encouraged to wear pink to raise support for breast cancer awareness.
SIME DARBY LPGA MALAYSIA FIELD FEATURES RECORD NUMBER OF MALAYSIAN PLAYERS
Providing opportunities for up-and-coming Malaysian golfers is another top priority for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and the tournament has accomplished this through their Sime Darby LPGA Development Programme.
The programme, which has been around every year of the event, is designed to help grow the game of golf in Malaysia and prepare the country’s best female players.
This season a record nine “Malaysian Angels”, as they’re called, are in the field led by their two Olympians – Kelly Tan and Michelle Koh – who both came through the programme.
RACE TO CME GLOBE ENTERS THE HOME STRETCH
The Race to CME Globe is entering its home stretch with three events left to decide who will be competing for the $1 million dollar first prize at the CME Group Tour Championship.
The top 72 LPGA Members and those tied for 72nd on the Race to the CME Globe Points Standings, ranked in the order of their position on the standings at the conclusion of the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Aeromexico and Delta will have earned their way into field at CME.
Once the players have qualified for the event the points will reset. After the reset, the players in the top-3 positions on the Race to the CME Globe Points Standings control their own destiny and with a win at the Tour Championship can take home the Race to the CME Globe prize. Additionally, the players in the top-9 positions will have a mathematical chance to win the race based on various scenarios.
The battle for the top-3 and top-9 as it stands coming down the stretch:
RACE TO CME GLOBE BATTLES
Top-4
1. Ariya Jutanugarn - 4,416
2. Lydia Ko - 4,300
3. Brooke Henderson - 3,186
4. Sei Young Kim - 2,753
8, 9, 10, 11
8. Anna Nordqvist - 2,250
9. Amy Yang - 2,043
10. Stacy Lewis - 1,996
11. Carlota Ciganda - 1,723
)
)
)
)
