Sybase Classic Preview

The Tour makes its annual trek to the New York City metropolitan area this week for the 20^th annual Sybase Classic.  Upper Montclair Country Club will be the site for the third consecutive year after the first 17 editions were contested at Wykagyl Country Club.  I always have to spell out "Wykagyl" at least once a year to keep it correct in my memory.  So there - you have it twice.

Two of the last three Sybase Classics have been rain-shortened.  Last year's tournament lost Friday to the rainy weather and the way the Tour handled the situation raised my ire.  This week's forecast has some rain in it (Friday and Sunday look the worst) so the gallery may get shortchanged again.  The wet weather helped lower the scoring last year but I'm sure the players would exchange that for four completed rounds.

Would you believe that Sybase has the strongest field of the year so far (even better than KNC) and the best since the British Open?  The injured Jeong Jang is the only player in my Top 40 not in the field.  Thanks apparently to a percocet prescription from her doctor, Jane Park is still listed despite her back issues which knocked her out at Kingsmill.  UPDATE:  Jane withdrew Wed night.  Via Twitter, she says she will also miss next week at Corning and will return at the State Farm the first week of June.  As Phil commented yesterday, the original Priority list is still being used for some reason - despite the fact that the posted document at LPGA.com says that the week 7 changes should be in effect for event #9, which is Sybase.  I will have more to say on this subject soon.

Would you look at that - two straight weeks picking the winner!  And a Pakpicker victory to boot.  All this success is making me giddy!  Lorena Ochoa is going for the four-peat this weekend and it would be very tough to pass up on her to win.  She won two weeks ago and had two stellar rounds last Thursday and Friday but followed that with two of the worst rounds we've ever seen her play.  So should I flip a coin?

I did, and it came up heads.