Players to Watch

Sung Hyun Park – The Rolex Rankings world No. 1 player headlines the field at this week’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup. Park reclaimed the top spot following her win at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. She returns to action after the Tour’s two-week break, looking to continue the momentum she found in Singapore where she captured her sixth LPGA Tour title.

Ariya Jutanugarn – The world No. 2 in the Rolex Rankings is off to a slow start in 2019 with just one top-10 in four starts. Jutanugarn’s record at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup mirrors the consistency she shows week in and week out – she hasn’t missed a cut in her previous four appearances and has three top-17 results including runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2017.

Minjee Lee – After missing the cut in the ISPS Handa Vic Open, the world No. 3 has rallied with two runner-up finishes. Lee, who finished the 2018 season with a career-best 13 top 10s, including two victories, will be eager to earn her first win in 2019.

Inbee Park Fist Pump After Sealing Founders Cup TitleBack to Defend
Defending champion Inbee Park returns to Arizona looking to successfully defend her title and pick up her first win on Tour since capturing the Bank of Hope Founders Cup title last season. Park carded a bogey-free 5-under, 67 to claim her 19th LPGA Tour victory. She finished the week at 19-under, five shots clear of second.

Also in the field this week are former champions Anna Nordqvist (2017), Sei Young Kim (2016), Hyo Joo Kim (2015), Stacy Lewis (2013) and Yani Tseng (2012).

Quotable

“The reason that I am competing and playing is because I want to win and because I want to contend in golf tournaments. This week definitely proved to me that I can win,” Inbee Park said last year after picking up her 19th career victory.

The stories were endless and hilarious.

A group of a dozen media members covering the Bank of Hope Founders Cup were invited to a breakfast with LPGA Founders Marilynn Smith and Shirley Spork, and LPGA Girls Golf founder Sandy LaBauve.

Smith and Spork are still so sharp, even at 88 and 90 years old respectively. LaBauve is a major reason why LPGA*USGA Girls Golf has grown leaps and bounds.

As I walked in, Smith gave me her patented fist-pound to say hello and signed her “Have Clubs, Will Travel” book. She wrote “Fore! Bret, your friend in golf Marilynn Smith”.

Spork said hello and handed me her book “From Green to Tee."

Then, we were off.

They explained the beginnings. There were 13 tournaments and they played for a total of $50,000. How times have changed, right? The LPGA is playing 34 times in 2018 for a total purse of over $68 million.

Marilynn told a classic story about the early days and how they used to promote the tournaments. One time, they went to a boxing match in the town they played. Smith is queasy when it comes to blood, but Spork doesn’t mind. So, after the fight, she went into the ring and grabbed the microphone to talk about the U.S. Open that was coming to Prince George’s Golf Course.

Another time, Spork went to a circus and got in a car with midgets in order to spread the word about the LPGA.

“We ran meetings, wrote thank you letters, carried a typewriter and had our own committees to run the tournaments,” explained Smith. “We would go to a pay phone and call the AP and other media outlets and hope would get in the newspaper.”

“We blew our own horn,” said Spork.

Tuesday, Paula Creamer withdrew from the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. Creamer posted a brief statement on Instagram announcing her decision to withdraw from the event. She didn’t share a reason for missing this week’s tournament, but was optimistic about making a quick return to the Tour.

"Unfortunately I have had to withdraw from The Founders Tournament this week," Creamer said on social media. "I am optimistic that I will return to competitive play soon. I want to thank everyone for all the words of encouragement and support."

Twelve months ago, Creamer made her return to competitive golf at the Founders Cup after undergoing wrist surgery during the off-season. In 2018, the 10-time LPGA champion struggled to record a single top 10 on the year. The veteran has made three starts in 2019, her best finish coming in a T68 at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

On the 73rd hole of the inaugural SKYiGOLF Championship, Alana Uriell (Carlsbad, California) hit her second shot from the fairway to 10 feet and proceeded to bury the eagle putt to win a sudden-death playoff against Lauren Coughlin (Charlottesville, Virginia) and Julieta Granada (Asuncion, Paraguay).

Trailing by one shot entering the final round of her professional debut, Uriell fired a 5-under par 67 this afternoon to get to 12-under overall. The rest is history.

“I’m going to remember making that eagle putt for a long time,” said Uriell. “I was definitely nervous, but really the best part was that I embraced the nerves, visualized the shot and it turned out really good. If you told me this before the week started, I wouldn’t believe you. It feels really good and it was such an honor to play in this tournament.”

The win means a lot more to Uriell than receiving a trophy in her first start as a pro. When she was 14 years old, the University of Arkansas alumna lost her mom, Barbara, to breast cancer. This victory was for the woman who raised her and there’s no doubt an angel was on Uriell’s side today.

“She was really the person that encouraged me to play golf and inspired me,” Uriell said. “Standing here today, it’s safe to say that I made her proud and that makes me really happy.”

Come Out to Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia for Demo Day on Saturday, March 23rd!

Saturday, March 23rd | 9:00am to 1:00pm

Prime golf season is here, and it's time to update your gear to improve your scores!

Join us on Saturday, March 23rd from 9:00am to 1:00pm on the Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia Practice Facility, for a Demo Day with PING and TaylorMade Golf!

Come check out the latest and greatest technology, and let the professionals make the recommendations to improve your game. Both Vistancia's professional team members and manufacturer representatives will be here to answer your questions and show you the new equipment.

If you'd like to schedule a fitting with the TaylorMade reps, you can do so online, here.

We'll see you on March 23rd at Trilogy!