Inbee Park, the most decorated player in the LPGA field at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, is rather fond of opening her 16th season on tour alongside celebrities. There’s less pressure this week, she said, than typical tour events. The seven-time major winner considers it the “perfect” warmup.
“This tournament is a very fun format,” said Park, “so we’re enjoying the different atmosphere and meeting a lot of people. Watching them play is enjoyable.”
Park, who is four strokes back of leader Nelly Korda through two rounds, is one of 29 LPGA players in the field. Winners from the past two seasons are invited to the opener at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. Among the 50 players in the celebrity division is Annika Sorenstam, the greatest player in the modern era who retired from the LPGA in 2008. Park and Sorenstam aren’t competing against each other. The celebrities vie for a purse of $500,000 and use a modified Stableford scoring format.
Former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe leads Mark Mulder and Sorenstam by one point heading into the weekend.
“I think it’s a little bit more relaxing watching them getting more nervous,” said Park.
See what some of the celebrities in the field had to say about the best female golfers on the planet:
“We all watch the LPGA and the PGA on TV, but you don’t really like – you don’t get to see how good they are until you’re right next to them.
“That girl (Ariya Jutanugarn) is so amazing, and she doesn’t carry a driver. She just hits 3-wood. I hit the ball pretty far. She outdrove me almost every hole with a 3-wood. That was a nice Wells, come back down to earth; you’re not very good at this game.
“But like the thing that separates these women from everything is how pinpoint accurate they are from long range. That’s the difference between the weekend warriors and these guys is they can hit 6- and 5-irons to five feet. Seeing that is just bonkers. So much fun to witness.”
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 18: Actor Jack Wagner plays his shot from the seventh tee during the third round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando on January 18, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“Well, you know, I’m great friends with Jerry West, which is (Michelle Wie West’s) father-in-law, and Jonnie West, her husband I’ve known for years, since he was a boy.
“I’ve always been a fan of Michelle Wie’s game. She doesn’t play much anymore, but it was great to watch her play. She didn’t score that well today but we’re buddies now, and just to watch her swing and just some golf stories to share about her baby now, her being a mother, was very cool.”
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 24: Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish poses with the trophy after winning the celebrity division of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club on January 24, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
“I’m constantly sort of watching what they do and watching how they play and how they go about each hole. Celine (Boutier) today, second time playing with her, and she didn’t miss one. I don’t think she’s missed a fairway since I’ve played with her two full rounds.
“Just incredible. They’re so good and it’s fun to kind of hack it around next to them.”
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 23: Bret Baier of Fox News and Jessica Korda walk down the fourth hole during the third round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament Of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club on January 23, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
“I’m a two handicap, but I’m a giving two. I’m a walking wallet usually, and so about two holes ago my brain left me and I had some doubles there, and then I came back with a birdie, which helped a lot.
“But I had a good a lot of fun today. Patty (Tavatanakit) was so fun to watch. All of these LPGA players are just so smooth, their tempo so beautiful. I think it helped me today in how I played.”
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA – JULY 12: Former MLB pitcher Derek Lowe plays a tee shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe South course on July 12, 2020 in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“Yeah, (Nelly Korda) is No. 1 in the world for a reason. It’s just quality, the strike, the way she manages working her way around the course.
“For me it’s – having to know her, it’s a very comfortable pairing. She’s easy to talk to. We both play extremely fast. So, yeah, very happy with the start, to be honest with you.”
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA – SEPTEMBER 11: Colt Ford smiles as he waits to hit putt on the 16th hole during the first round of the Sanford International at Minnehaha Country Club on September 11, 2020 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
“The girls are so good. I’m friends with a lot of them. Nasa (Hataoka), who I played with today, she’s 22 years old. Bless her heart. I got two kids older than she is.
“Their rhythm is so good. It’s just unbelievable. They never try to do anything more than what they can do. They don’t change their game.”
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