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By Jugjet Singh
LEXI Thompson of the United States upstaged an illustrious field to lay her hands of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
title with a super four stroke victory at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club yesterday,
The 18-year-old lanky golfer only had two-under 69 in the final round, but her hard work in the earlier three rounds
saw her win with a whopping 19-under 265 total for a purse of US300,000.
Coming in a distant second was Feng Shenshen of China who had a final round of four-under 67, for a total of 15-
under 269 and pocketed US186,577. Her blemish free round had birdies on the first, sixth, 16th and 18th.
Lexi is no stranger to pulling of surprises, as in 2011 and only 16-years-old, she won the Navistar Classic LPGA
event as a non-member. She turned pro in 2010.
So, officially, the LPGA Malaysia is her first victory as a card-carrying member.
She also set a record for winning score at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia with 19-under-par 265. Previous best
was 15-unders set by South Koreans' Park Inbee (2012) and Choi Na Yeon (2011).
In a nutshell, this year she played in 19 events, made 16 cuts, won one, and had five top-10s for an earning of
$944,631,
"Words can't describe my feeling now, as walking up the 18th tee and knowing that I had already won the title was
really sweet. I worked hard on my short game over the year and Im really happy with my improvement, and its me to
keeep on trying to improve and win more tournaments.
"It took me a long time (two years) to win my second title, but it is really special as this tournament, which is one
of the best run around, and with the best players in the fray, this one is really special," said Lexi.
And what is she going to do witht the money?
"I think I will go shopping for a new car, and the Skyline (Nissan GTR) I saw at the KLGCC parking lot looks like a
good buy," said the American.
Shenshen summed up the feeling of the field, when she declared that finishing second behind such a young
player has made the entire field look like a bunch oldis.
"Lexi is only 18 and looking at her swing for the last four days, without a hint of being tired, has made me and the
others look like a bunch of oldies," said the China ace who is only 24 herself.
Shenshen had a final round of four-under 67, for a final total of 15-under 269. Her blemish free round had birdies
on the first, sixth, 16th and 18th.
But seriously, said Shenshen, the win is going to open the door wider to more teenagers from the United States to
turn pro at an earlier age.
"On the brigh side, Lexi's win will inspire more youth to turn pro, especially in the United States. And this only
means that the 'older' players need to work harder if they want to win tournaments," said Shenshen.
No stranger to victories, she entered the tournament with a win in the Reignwood LPGA Classic, and has 28 top-
ten with a total earning of more than US$3million.
Speaking impeccable English, she moved to the US in 2007 to enhance her golfing career.
"Finishing 19 under in this tournament is no easy feat, and even though many players here had more experience
than Lexi, they just could not match her drive, and her putting is simply amazing.
"But I also enjoyed myself here in Malaysia, as the food was delicious, and the people and shopping really good.
I always enjoy myself here in Kuala Lumpur as it is a nice city," said Shenshen.
And on the LPGA site, she listed one of the five things that she would like to do is 'meet Yao Ming and teach him golf'.
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Lexi Thompson's putter was on fire on a cloudy evening when she grabbed the lead with a
five-under 66 for a 17-under 196 in the LPGA Sime Darby Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club
yesterday.
The United States' teenager dethroned two-round leader Lee II Hee, who is now three strokes adrift, after the
South Korean returned only a one-under 70 for a 14-under 199 total.
II Hee cut her own lead, when she had two bogies and three birdies when push-came-to-shove.
And tied-third were Suzann Petersen of Norway and Feng Shenshen of China, who had 11-under 202 totals.
"I played with some great players today (yesterday with Shenshen and II He) but there was no pressure at all as I
played my own game and kept the focus on the greens," was her simple answer to a super day at the office.
Pink Panther would have been at home at the KLGCC yesterday, as all he golfers wore pink to support breast
cancer awareness day with the motto -- Breast Friend's For Ever (BFF).
And Lexi was as smooth as a panther, as she tipped-toed herself to the top of the leaderboard with a bogey free
round of five birdies on the fourth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 13th.
"The pin placements were definately much more difficult than the previous two rounds as they placed it right at
the edges and one had to shoot the centre of greens to avoid run-offs.
"And so I played safe on many of the greens and tried for birdies where possible. I expect the same in the final
round, and will have to be cautious as well as brave as I know there are some really great players out there who
would shoot low scores to try and lay their hands on the title," said the teenager.
Il He was just glad that that her bad round did not come in the final day.
"Every golfer knows that there is bound to be one bad day, and I am just glad that mine was today (yesterday)
and I can still recover my game in the next round.
She started with a bogey on the par four second, even though it was a three-foot putt for par.
"That was really frustrating as I think I tried too hard and even from three feet away, the ball just swayed. That
was complimented with a last-hole birdie which made my day going into the final.
"I enjoyed most of the holes yesterday, and I aim to enjoy the entire course tomorrow (today) and have some fun
out there," said II He.
China's top golfer Shenshen is another lady who aims to have fun in the final round: "I hit one-under only, but I'm
still happy as its not a bad score considering the difficult pin positions, and also windy conditions out there. The
one stroke is still keeping me with a chance in the final and that makes it a happy outing," said the portly Chinese.
Defending champion Park Inbee of South Korea returned a two-under 69 and is tied 28th with a three-under 210 score.
SOUTH Korean Lee Ilhee maintained her charge in the Sime Darby LPGA Malayaia when she posted a six-under 65 second round for a 13-under 129 lead at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and country club yesterday.
And the fans are wondering is Korea is going to produce the fourth winner at the KLGCC after Kang Jimin 9-under 204 (2010), Choi Na Yeon 15-under 269 (2011) and Park Inbee also 15-under 269, lifted three consecutive titles at the KLGCC.
IIhee, who has a seven under first round, is already 13-under and looks like she is in love with the course.
She again sank seven birdies on the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, 11th and 13th and her only blemish was on the 16th.
"As I said after the first round, my target in this tournament is to shoot three-under in every round. On Thursday I did seven, and today (yesterday) six-under but it still does not change my taget of three-under for the remaining rounds. We will see how it goes," was IIhee's modest reply of her leading the stellar pack.
Not one to say much, IIhee loves uh-huh, yeah and fine for answers to most questions, but did say that her putter was the one that has been saving birdies for her.
"Yeah, he grain is very difficult here on the greens, so reading the greens are very difficult. But yeah, putting was good and the iron shots were also good for me."
And on her lone bogey on the 16th: "I pulled a driver, so I chipped out. It was OK, but I pushed the third shot," said IIhee.
Also alone on the second spot and just one stroke adrift is Lexi Thompson of the United States, who had a marvellous eight-under 63, for a 12-under 130 total.
However, her 63 was shattered by Amy Young of South Korea, who played a par-71 first round, but went nine-under 62 yesterday for a 134 total to be tied sixth.
Shanshan Fang of China is also alone on third, after she made six-under 65 for a 10-under 132 total. The Chinese stole the thunder when she watched a monitor lizzard (on television at the press room) crawling around the KLGCC greens.
"Oh! my god is that an alligator?" and when someone corrected her, she was at her best again.
"Oh, but do they like go up and charge and grab at people?"
Another explanation was made, and the China star was again at home with the course.
"Well it turned out to be kind of an interesting day, because I was again paired with IK (Kim, of South Korea), and when I saw her caddy Johnny this morning (yesterday) I told him lets meet at 10-under so we can play together again and now we do have a chance to play together for the third time in a row in the third round," said Shanshan.
IK Kim is tied fourth on 9-under 133.
However, it was not a great day for World No 1 and defending champion Park Inbee of South Korea who ended tied 39th after managing only a par-71 for a one-under 141 total.
It was also a bad day at office for World No 2 Suzann Pettersen of Sweden, who returned a three-under 68 for a seven-under 135 which left her adrift at tied-eighth.
By Jugjet Singh
ILHEE LEE of South Korea grabbed the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) by its horns when she returned seven under par 64 to lead after day one of the LPGA Malaysian Sime Darby yesterday.
It was hot and humid, but the Korean belle was even hotter starting on the first hole when she avoided the bogies, and picked up birdies on the first, seventh, ninth, 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th.
And she was only trying to play a three-under game: "My goal coming into this tournament was to play three-under ever day, and looks like I overdid myself with seven."
The Korean finished joint-16th last year, and is no stranger to the course.
"Now that I have the lead, and also overdid my target for each day, I feel much more relaxed and it might just turn out to be a wondeful tournament for me if I keep up the momentum," said Ilhee.
Brittany Lang of the United States was heading for a tie with the leader, but bogied the last hole to finish six-under 65.
The lanky lady started on the 10th tee by sinking four birdies in a row, and then nailed another three on the 15th, 16th and first. The only blemish was on the final hole of the day.
"I went out and enjoyed myself and I also like this course very much because if you hit the fairway regularly, the score will follow.
"And after starting with four birdies, I had a wonderful time on the course, but pushed too hard in the final and lost a shot.
"But I'm not too disturbed by that (bogey) and after a good night's rest, I think I need to take in more fluids in the second round as it was really humid out there," said Brittany.
Standing at 5'8" Brittany has hit three holes-in-one in her career. Her first was a 7-iron from 106 yards off her very first golf tournament when she was 10. She won the tournament because she was the only female competing.
The leaderboard is cluttered with four golfers tied at joint-third on five-under 66, making the second round a much more challenging day.
Beatriz Recari of Spain, Paula Creamer of the US, Jodi Ewart of Scotland and Ji Eun-Hee of South Korea share the clutterd joint third.
Rolex Rankings No 2 Suzann Pettersen was adrift on tied-seventh on four-under 67 with seven other ladies.
World No 1 Inbee Park of South Korea, seeking to defend a title for the first time in her career, had a disappointing one-under 70 to be joint 28th. The 72-hole tournament does not have a cut.
MALAYSIA will open accounts against New Zealand in the Junior World Cup in New Delhi on Dec 6, after a small reshuffle in the groupings.
Earlier, Malaysia had Pakistan, England and South Africa for company in Group D, but Pakistan were moved to Group A, while New Zealand were the new replacements.
"We received the new fixtures from FIH (International Hockey Federation) and the only change in our Group was that New Zealand came to our Group, and Pakistan were moved to Group A," said national Juniors team manager Mirnawan Nawawi.
After opening accounts against the Kiwis, Malaysia next play South Africa on Dec 7, and wrap up the Group fixtures against England on Dec 9.
The top-two teams from each group advances to the quarter-finals, and if Malaysia make the cut, they will play against Group C opponents which are likely either
Netherlands or hosts India. The other team in Group C are South Korea and Canada.
"Going by form, in the quarter-finals we are likely to meet India or Netherlands and this would be tough encounters either way.
"But we are prepared to finish among the top-five, and so have to beat even the hosts if it comes to that," said Mirnawan.
Malaysia drew 3-3 with India in the pool stages of the recent Sultan of Johor Cup, but were whipped 3-0 in the final.
But first, the Malaysian players need to beat all three teams in their group to top the standings, before planning for either India or Netherlands in the knock-out stage.
GROUP A -- Germany, Pakistan, Belgium, Egypt.
GROUP B --Australia, Spain, Argentina, France.
GROUP C -- Netherlands, India, South Korea, Canada.
GROUP D -- Malaysia, England, South Africa, New Zealand.
