U.S. Women Favored, But Prepare for Wild, Unpredictable Week at LPGA International Crown
SAN FRANCISCO — After a COVID-19 break, the LPGA Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown is back this week at TPC Harding Park with the U.S. team as the No. 1 seed, but not necessarily the favorite.
The team has experience in Lexi Thompson, firepower with Nelly Korda and a newly minted major-winner in Lilia Vu, who won the Chevron Championship two weeks ago in a one-hole playoff over fellow American Angel Yin.
Yet Korda isn’t sure the moniker of "favorite" is appropriate for the Americans.
“I don't think we feel like favorites, we have the home game, right, we're in the U.S. we'll get the local support,” the world No. 1 said Wednesday. “We're playing China the first round; they've been playing amazing.”
Korda discussed the match-play format, calling it a different ballgame from stroke play.
“If you look at it, let's say I'm speaking of Solheim Cup, on paper let's say the past couple years the U.S. has been stronger,” Korda said. “But we've lost the last two times.”
Korda is right on both counts. The U.S. had been favorites on paper going into the Solheim Cups at Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2019 and Inverness Club, outside of Toledo in 2021, losing close matches. Match play is golf’s great equalizer, especially over 18 holes, which makes this week outside of San Francisco more difficult to predict.
Thompson has played in the previous three Crowns including the lone U.S. win, by one point over South Korea in 2016 at the Merit Club.
“I think the big thing about team events is just being there for each other and feeding off each other's energy and each other's games and personalities,” Thompson said. “Which we've all played a lot of golf together and we all get along very well, so that's always helpful.”
The Korean team, seeded second and still the defending Crown champion after their win in 2018 at home, were also uncomfortable with the favorite label.
“I believe we can win again,” said Jin Young Ko, the team's lone veteran.
While not a resolute endorsement of her team, Ko, like most, knows that at this level any player or team can get hot and ride that to a win.
And then you factor in the golf course that will play at 6,550 yards and in wet conditions, which will make par a good score over the four days.
“I'm not sure if it's going to be a birdie-fest out there, so I think just having—especially the first three days, having two solid scores going at the same time is going to be key,” Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom said. “I think making pars is going to be good, and then throw some birdies in there.”