Michelob Ultra Open identifies LPGA’s elite
The PGA Tour holds its so-called “fifth major” this week, The Players Championship. If there is such a thing on the LPGA Tour, it’s the Michelob Ultra Open, which runs Thursday through Sunday in Williamsburg.
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In only in its seventh year, few tournaments on the women’s circuit have as distinguished a list of champions. Grace Park (2003), Se Ri Pak (2004), Cristie Kerr (2005), Karrie Webb (2006), Suzann Pettersen (2007) and Annika Sorenstam (2008) — major championship winners all — have triumphed at the River Course at Kingsmill.
So it is no surprise that the Michelob, voted by players as the “Best Overall Event” on tour last year, has attracted an ultra-competitive field. All but one of the top 43 players on the LPGA money list will tee it up today, including Lorena Ochoa, Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis, and Brittany Lincicome, along with past champions Pak, Kerr, Webb and Pettersen.
“The tournament is really well run,” said Wie, who recently completed her freshman year at Stanford. “If you look at the past winners, it’s all Hall of Famers. You definitely have to bring your A Game here. I’m just going to try to play my hardest here to hopefully join them.”
Why have only the elite women’s golfers won the Michelob? Players credit the course, which was designed by Pete Dye, and formerly hosted a PGA Tour event.
On the banks of the James River, Kingsmill is known for its elevated greens and serene setting.
“It’s just a great golf course. It’s a great place to be. It’s a great little town,” said Lincicome. “We love coming and seeing the fireworks show and going to Busch Gardens, and the purse obviously is a huge factor for us to come. I would never miss this tournament for anything.”
After winning her first major, the Kraft Nabisco, last month, Lincicome has the pedigree to win the $330,000 first-place check, one of the largest on the LPGA tour. After coming undone in other majors, Lincicome won the Kraft with a clutch iron shot on the 72nd hole.
“It was a huge mental boost,” said Lincicome. “Just to know I can do that on a Sunday, under pressure, to be able to pull off a shot like that and to be able to make that little putt, inside it made me feel really good.”
