The International Crown stage is set — the LOTTE Championship — Must-click women’s golf links
By Addie Parker
The IX: Golf Thursday with Addie Parker, Apr. 13, 2022
Making its return after being postponed by COVID for the last three years, the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown is just 21 days away. The International Crown debuted in 2014 to set out and showcase the best female golfers worldwide. Whereas the Solheim Cup solely features the best players from the US and Europe, this biannual match-play event is more inclusive of the global talent in women’s golf.
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The final countries were determined by the combined Rolex rankings of the top four players from each country as of November 2022, immediately following the CME Group Tour Championship. The final country seedings and qualified players were confirmed by the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as of April 3, 2023, following the completion of the DIO Implant LA Open.
Each player from each country and their rank are as follows:
| 1 | UNITED STATES |
|---|---|
| Player | 34 (team ranking average) |
| Nelly Korda | 2 |
| Lexi Thompson | 6 |
| Lilia Vu | 12 |
| Danielle Kang | 14 |
| 2 | REPUBLIC OF KOREA |
| Player | 48 (team ranking average) |
| Jin Young Ko | 3 |
| Hyo-Joo Kim | 9 |
| In Gee Chun | 11 |
| Hye Jin Choi | 25 |
| 3 | JAPAN |
| Player | 100 (team ranking average) |
| Nasa Hataoka | 13 |
| Ayaka Furue | 19 |
| Yuka Saso | 30 |
| Hinako Shibuno | 38 |
| 4 | SWEDEN |
| Player | 111 (team ranking average) |
| Linn Grant | 22 |
| Maja Stark | 27 |
| Madelene Sagstrom | 28 |
| Anna Nordqvist | 34 |
| 5 | ENGLAND |
| Player | 174 (team ranking average) |
| Georgia Hall | 10 |
| Charley Hull | 16 |
| Jodi Ewart Shadoff | 45 |
| Bronte Law | 103 |
| 6 | THAILAND |
| Player | 213 (team ranking average) |
| Atthaya Thitikul | 4 |
| Patty Tavatanakit | 57 |
| Moriya Jutanugarn | 71 |
| Ariya Jutanugarn | 81 |
| 7 | AUSTRALIA |
| Player | 309 (team ranking average) |
| Minjee Lee | 5 |
| Hannah Green | 23 |
| Stephanie Kyriacou | 107 |
| Sarah Kemp | 174 |
| 8 | PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA |
| Player | 481 (team ranking average) |
| Xiyu Lin | 17 |
| Ruoning Yin | 32 |
| Yu Liu | 181 |
| Ruixin Liu | 251 |
Don’t let these rankings fool you, the level of talent in this field is astonishing and as we all know, anything goes in match play! Georgia Hall and Charley Hull of England are hitting hot streaks and making noise on leaderboards this season.
Lillia Vu is 54-under par in 16 LPGA rounds this season while having four consecutive top-20 finishes including a win in Thailand.
Other notable players like world No. 3 Jin Young Ko, and young star Atthaya Thitikul (world No. 4) are also in the mix and have the potential to best just about anybody.
This is a can’t-miss event as TPC Harding Park was the host site for the men’s 2020 PGA Championship and this is the first time the venue will host an elite women’s competition. Tickets are still available and start at around $60!
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This week in women’s golf
If you have links you wish to share for Golf Thursday, sources for golf news, or want to talk about anything at all, you can email me at addieparker25@gmail.com ! Discussion of any kind is always welcome…I mean it…MESSAGE ME!
LPGA News
WATCH: Drive On LPGA All Access episode 2 is here
Breanna Gill, an Australian trans golfer, won an event and is now receiving death threats
LET News
PODCAST: The rookie special with Alex Försterling and Alessandra Fanali
The LET launched their mini-documentary series on their site!! Watch episode one now
Putting leaders on the LET so far
Epson Tour News
These Epson players qualified for the LOTTE Championship
NCAA News
This HBCU women’s golf team is now more mobile thanks to the Players Championship
The road to Greyhawk…conference championships are here!
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Five at The IX: Live from the LOTTE Championship
Last week during coverage of The Masters, players like Rory McIlroy, Max Homa and Justin Thomas were “mic’d up” and interviewed in the middle of their rounds. It’s a fun, new way of engaging with players and gaining insight while they play instead of after.
This week, the LPGA is trying a similar method, and I love it! Mel Reid has her wife Carly on the bag this week and they had an awesome moment. Here are some round-up moments from round one of the LOTTE Championship.
More Lotte Championship, Round 1 Highlights!
| Mondays: Soccer |
| By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer |
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| By: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer |
| Wednesdays: Basketball |
| By: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The Next |
| Thursdays: Golf |
| By: Addie Parker, @addie_parker, The IX |
| Fridays: Hockey |
| By: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden |
| Saturdays: Gymnastics |
| By: Lela Moore, @runlelarun, Freelance Writer |
