Kapalua LPGA Classic Preview

The LPGA plays its third Hawaiian event of 2008 this week, using the Islands as a stepping stone to its autumn Asian swing.  Kapalua hosted the PGA's Mercedes-Benz Championship this past January on its Plantation Course.  The Bay Course was co-designed by Arnold Palmer in 1975.  Its two stand-out holes are the par-4 16^th, with a tee shot over water that must land between a creek on the left side and bunkers on the right, and the par-5 18^th.  I always like par-5 closing holes - the larger variety of scores on par-5s make the possibilities more interesting at the end of the day Sunday.

The field is pretty solid, missing only Paula Creamer, Inbee Park, Na Yeon Choi and Ji-Yai Shin from my Top 10.  Being the final full-field event of 2008, many players are making a last-ditch effort to improve their priority for 2009 by making the Top 80 or 100 of the money list.  I'll be following those players this weekend as well as the leaders.  We are entering the final stretch of events for Annika Sorenstam.  Her Hall of Fame career will be over before you know it, and we should savor the appearances she has left.

Tournaments in Hawaii always have the advantage of getting their TV coverage live in prime time but for yours truly, it will be a drawback.  On Sunday nights at 11pm I've usually been asleep for a couple of hours (5am alarm for my day job).  I'll give it my best shot if the result is in doubt but don't count on that recap until Monday morning.

One thing you can count on - I'm picking Lorena Ochoa (again) to win this week.  Yani Tseng and Angela Stanford are my CYAs.

Stats:  Winners 6-28 (10-28 with CYAs), Top Tens 38-84.