English golfers Charley Hull and Georgia Hall withdrew from the LPGA International Crown tournament that took place from October 22-25 in Ohio due to illness and injury, respectively. They were replaced by Alice Hewson and Liz Young, who were drafted in at the last minute. The tournament was a team event featuring round-robin group stages, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the semi-finals. The event saw a total prize money of $1.6m up for grabs. England, ranked fifth, faced stiff competition from the US, Sweden, and China in Group A. The event commenced with two four-ball matches against the other three countries in their pool, with the semi-finals and final featuring two singles ties, and one four-ball match.
Hull, who is ranked 18th in the world, had been ill with stomach problems for several weeks, and Hall was struggling with a foot injury. Their absence disappointed their England teammates. However, the pair’s lack of communication about their COVID-related issues did not go down well with fellow golfers, leading to criticism since they pulled out over a week ago, but their reasons were not made public until the tournament began. Alice Hewson and Liz Young replaced them, and both received text messages at the weekend to confirm their selection.
The International Crown event was back on the LPGA Tour calendar after a five-year hiatus, and eight countries competed in the event. The first three days of the event featured round-robin four-ball format before the top two in each group progressed to the semi-finals, where they played a combination of singles and four-ball matches on Sunday to determine the winner.
In a separate event, Charley Hull withdrew from this year’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play in Las Vegas for personal reasons, giving way to two young players from England, 25-year-old Bronte Law and 24-year-old Alice Hewson. Although Hull had spent the majority of her playing career in the US, she expressed her pride in representing England. This match-play competition, being held for the fourth time, saw the LPGA players take on each other. Hewson and Young arrived in Las Vegas on Monday, and the tournament took place from May 26-30.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese golfer Pei Yun Chien led the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s Chevron Championship on Thursday in a blemish-free performance with five birdies to finish a shot ahead of Marina Alex. Golfers from South Korea, Japan, the United States, and Australia finished with a score of four-under par on the day. The Chevron Championship, taking place from November 11-14, is a multi-round tournament featuring the top female golfers.
In terms of LPGA Tour statistics, Nelly Korda emerged as the leader in rounds under par and birdies, while Georgia Hall closely followed Korda in rounds under par. Other players like Jennifer Kupcho, A Lim Kim, Atthaya Thitikul, and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap placed in the top three in greens in regulation. Maddie Szeryk topped the putts per GIR category with Yaeeun Hong and Atthaya Thitikul following closely behind. The eagles category saw Korda and Frida Kinhult tied for the first place, with Georgia Hall, Moriya Jutanugarn, Jennifer Kupcho, and Maja Stark trailing closely behind. Celine Boutier and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap were among the top players in the sand save percentage category, followed by Grace Kim, Peiyun Chien, and Annie Park.
In conclusion, Hull’s and Hall’s withdrawals come as a setback for their English teammates who competed in the LPGA International Crown tournament, but Hewson and Young did well to step in at the last minute and fill the void. The tournament provided an opportunity for golfers from different countries to compete in a team format, showcasing their skills and team spirit. The Chevron Championship saw some intense matches, with golfers from different countries putting in their best performance to win the coveted trophy. The LPGA Tour statistics provided an insight into players’ performances, highlighting the areas they excelled in and the areas they needed to improve.
