Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia - Epilogue

Jimin Kang has done time on my Fluke Victory list, primarily because she played through a series of injuries in 2006 and 2007 and missed a lot of cuts.  She removed herself from my most recent list thanks to the occasional Top 10 finish and a reduction of MCs.  This year she's been a Top 40 player - although her only Top 10 before today was a T7 at the LPGA Championship, Jimin had only missed two cuts (albeit both came in her last four starts).  She finished T15 in her last start at CVS which was her previous best of the year.  One thing's for sure - a second career victory pounds any "Fluke" considerations for Kang into submission.

As expected, the famous Jimin Grin was on display for the cameras; it was evident after she ripped her tee shot at 18 down the middle and again moments after her fist-pumping birdie putt.  As she made her way towards the scoring tent, Kang faked a high-five with a cardboard cut-out of Cristie Kerr.  That one made my day.  In case you were wondering, Jimin wins this week's Big Surprise Award.  I could have let Beatriz Recari have it for a second straight week (Bea finished T9) but....I have to go with the faux high-fiver.

Beth Daniel was 46 years, 8 months and 29 days old when she won the 2003 Canadian Open.  Since mid-March of 2007, Juli Inkster has been qualified (so to speak) to take that title of oldest winner in LPGA history.  Before today, Juli had several excellent chances to earn that distinction:

You have to admit, Inkster keeps coming close.  After a less-than-spectacular 2009, giving herself three decent chances in 2010 to earn that record-breaking victory is certainly amazing.  I hope somewhere along the line Juli gets it done.  If she doesn't - and given the early starts in careers these days, somebody else getting a shot at it is slim - Beth Daniel may hold that record for good.

2010 was turning into a lost season for Maria Hjorth.  I mentioned her four straight missed cuts coming into Malaysia but she had missed eight cuts since her last Top 10 (T7 at Tres Marias).  Hjorth ranked 23^rd in my system last year but had fallen to #45.  She couldn't hold her two-shot lead down the stretch but Maria should still feel good about the performance.  It was also good to see Natalie Gulbis back in the thick of things.  A triple-bogey 8 ruined her final round but the T12 finish was Natalie's best since the 2009 Safeway Classic.

Yani Tseng opened with a 75 and never got on track, finishing T41.  She wins the Big Disappointment Award by a nose over Michelle Wie (T32).