It’s the shoes
Suzann Pettersen has been trying out a new pair of Nike shoes that she has been wearing around the house and while practicing the past few months.
"But I got the green light to put them on in a tournament this week," said Pettersen, who is alone in second after a stellar 7-under 65 in Wednesday’s opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.
"Feels like I’m right at home. Very, very good shoes. It’s the female version of the Tiger Woods shoes."
Don’t run out and try to buy them just yet. They have not been released. But Pettersen credits them with helping her card nine birdies for her opening round.
"I must say, I actually feel the greens a lot better because the foot is fitting a lot better in the shoe," Pettersen said. "Very, very happy with that."
Park No. 1, barely
Inbee Park’s claim on the No. 1 spot in this week’s Rolex World Rankings is tenuous. Stacy Lewis and Yani Tseng could overtake her this week.
Tseng has to win to return to No. 1, with Park finishing solo ninth or worse and Lewis solo fourth or worse. Lewis can finish sixth or better to regain No. 1, if a few other results go her way. A win guarantees Lewis will move back to No. 1. Even if Park misses the cut, she will remain No. 1 if Lewis finishes seventh or worse and Tseng second or worse.
Recari has language art
Amid the sponsor logos for golf equipment, clothing, resorts and beverages that dot hats, shirts and bags on the LPGA Tour, Beatriz Recari has one that might be unique: the Language Training Center.
With the 25-year-old native of Spain, however, it apparently isn’t just a business decision, it also fits her interests.
Recari, who studied economics at University of Navarra before giving up college for a full-time shot at golf, speaks four languages: Spanish, English, French and Norwegian and is currently studying another, Japanese.
Bloodied but not bowed
This daughter and mother have a good working relationship, but it was put to the test in a Monday practice round after Rebecca Lee-Bentham hit her mom in the head with a golf ball.
She smacked her second shot over the green at the par-4 18th, but unfortunately, her mom wasn’t watching. She wound up with a bump on her head, but thanks to a hat she was wearing, it didn’t do as much damage.
"It’s never happened before," Lee-Bentham said. "She stands there to help out, and just one of those freak accidents. I’m just so glad and relieved that right now she’s fine."
Lee-Bentham had a nice opening round after missing the cut at the Kia Classic. The Canadian opened with a 5-under 67 on Wednesday and is tied for sixth.
"I just told myself to be patient," Lee-Bentham said after opening with nine straight pars. "My putts weren’t going in on the front nine. So I knew if I kept making pars, the birdies would come. Overall it was a good round — bogey free."
Inside the numbers
The scoring average for the first round was a solid 71.487, with the par-4 10th listed as the hardest hole with a scoring average of 4.333. Michelle Wie hit her drive in the water on this hole and had one of the 38 bogeys carded during the round. There were only 13 birdies, 83 pars, eight double bogeys and two of the dreaded "others."
The easiest holes were the par-5 first and 14th, with scoring averages of 4.667. At the 14th, there were two eagles — one by first-round leader Ariya Jutanugarn — 51 birdies, 84 pars and seven bogeys. The opening hole surrendered no eagles, but there were 55 birdies, 83 pars, five bogeys and one double bogey.
There were 26 rounds in the 60s and 96 golfers shot even par or better.
