LPGA at Pelican Heats Up in Round 2

LPGA Players Came to Play

Maria Fassi’s 62 in Round 1 set the tone for the tournament. Round 2 lived up to the test and did not disappoint.

Fassi held her ground among the top competitors to stay in the upper echelon of the leaderboard. She sits 1stroke back from the lead behind Allisen Corpuz. Fassi is currently tied for second place at -9 with Lexi Thompson and Maja Stark.

The second round of the Pelican Women’s Championship was filled with highlights. Maja Stark had the best showing of all players in the field with the top score of 63 at seven under for the round. Lydia Ko showed her skills with a remarkable recovery from under a tree. Nelly Korda swept up sand from the greenside bunker and sent her ball sailing right near the hole. Yet, Corpuz dazzled with her 65 on her scorecard.

Rookie Corpuz Takes the Lead

LPGA rookie Allisen Corpuz made a great showing in Round 2. Her 65 showed her LPGA competitors that she could compete and contend for a potential championship victory. Currently ranked at 51st on the LPGA money list, the 24-year old Corpuz has a CME ranking at 44th. Despite her being a product of USC, I can see her skills on display throughout the tournament thus far.

As the field enters into Round 3, the LPGA rookie currently has a 1 stroke lead. Not far in the distance, Nelly Korda is 2 strokes behind along with Carlota Ciganda.

Impressive Early Rounds Intensify Round 3

Round 3 seems to be fueled with intensity. In a golf season that has seen 11 first-time winners, Corpuz and Fassi seem to be making a push for a potential #12 first-time winner on the tour. The Pelican Women’s Championship could foster a star-studded competition for the victory.

Nelly Korda wants to defend her title that had her fighting vigorously against Lexi Thompson last year. So far Maja Stark has 1 top 10 finish and a single victory on the LPGA Tour this year.

No matter how you look at it this field is on fire and full of potential highlights.

62 for Fassi in LPGA Event

Lowering my score is the goal. I’m here to show how I am getting there on my journey to breaking 90 on a consistent basis.

It takes practice to get there. It calls for focus. I have to improve my fitness. Also, I’m constantly seeking ways to motivate myself to improve at a higher level.

I had recently posted about Fred Couples hitting a 60, but I’ve got to say that I’m a little bit more impressed with Mexico’s Maria Fassi scoring a 62. I’ve got my reasons, believe me.

Motivation via Maria Fassi

Motivation comes from all over.

Maria Fassi just pulled a 62 as an LPGA player. The 24-year old female golfer from Mexico had her career-best score in the LPGA’s Pelican Women’s Championship. This 8-under scorecard earned Fassi a two-shot lead in the event.

Currently ranked number 72, Fassi scored her lowest score of her career at an appropriate time. Only the top 60 players qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship. Fassi is on the hunt for her first LPGA victory. So, playing bogey-free golf is definitely one way to get there.

Something to See

I play a lot of golf with a woman who can keep up with and even outdrive quite a few men off the tee. She’s an avid golfer and plays some of her best golf when facing the chauvinistic assumptions of some golfers when we meet at the first hole to be paired up. She’ll play from the whites or even the black tees if need be. I play with her because playing with her makes my game better and motivates me to give it my best while we’re having fun.

Maria Fassi has a picturesque golf swing off the tee. The slow motion view of her technique is masterful. It is like a master class in motion. Her balance and torque combine along with fully-extended swing to bring about some big results.

Fassi’s drive averages just under 280 yards. Most weekend golfers would kill for that. I’d take a consistent 250 yards without any Advil, please.

Even so, Fassi has just 4 top 10 finishes and 0 victories. At 24, she’s got a Rolex ranking of 130 and her CME ranking is 72. Two of her 4 top 10 finishes came this year.

Her play in this most recent round was exquisite. It was a something to see.

Something to be Said

We don’t talk about LPGA players enough.

Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson are two of my favorite players to watch tackle a course. They play the course and the conditions, approaching key shots along the way with a form of confidence any golfer could respect and admire.

What Maria Fassi did with her 62 speaks volumes about what is possible for any duffer with determination. Take out the cameras and the gallery following along. Just focus on the gamesmanship, the style of play at hand. Shot selection and self-confidence are all mixed in with a rhythm that just seems to flow.

Have you ever had that round where everything seemed to just click rightly?

That’s the type of motivation that keeps guys like me coming back for more. I’m not a glutton for punishment and defeat. I’m determined to conquer the challenges offered by the game of golf. This is part of the formula for growing the game.

And what Maria Fassi just showed us is that facing the challenge is part of winning at the game.

Play on!

You can watch more of Fassi and the Pelican Women’s Championship.

Feedback for My Flaws

Since posting how my recent golf outing showed signs of much needed improvement, I’ve reflected on things a bit and shared my thoughts on the whole thing. It was good to get it off my chest and just put it out there.

Here’s what I did to help improve things:

Help me with my flaws. On my quest to break 90, I’ve done it when I’ve made the right adjustments. I just need to get to the point where I can do it on a consistent basis.

I need the feedback to fix my flaws. Help a golfer out if you would be so kind.

My 99 in Hindsight

Scorecards don’t lie.

They’re an indicator of how well or how poorly we played a round of golf on a certain course at a certain time on a certain day.

My recent round of 99 was an indicator of what was right about my game as well as what was so wrong about my game.

Driving Distance and Fairway Play

I will be the first to admit it. My fairways hit usually are limited to 2 maybe 3 per round. I tend to veer to the right and then adjust and start going too far to left. I’m not hitting as many fairways as I would like with my woods, especially the driver- my TaylorMade Burner Superfast Driver.

This round I actually hit 7 fairways. I will take that. I need to get it up to 9, but I haven’t played in ages. Distance was not a problem off the tee.

Great to Just Get Out

I loved playing with my cousin Robert from Texas and PGA Tour Champions caddie and Monday qualifier Mark Teran. Along with Mark’s brother, I was completely surrounded by Austin, Texas, and they let me know it and not forget it.

Mark Teran owns Piped Golf and caddies for some well-known senior PGA players. He’s definitely got his eyes set on swinging on tour making his rounds and taking his shot at Monday qualifiers. Beyond being a superb caddie with great reviews, Mark is a mean with a dream and a pure swing.

Fix and Focus

I need to fix my swing flaws as i mentioned earlier. i need to find my rhythm and get there with my swing. On the par 5 8th hole, I hit trees on one side of the course and chipped it short of the green by about 8 yards or even closer. That’s what needs to fixed and quickly.

I need to focus on my fitness, and then I need to focus on my par 3s and playing from the rough. I’ve come up short too many times leaving myself with par shots at best. If I do this right, I can see more fairways hit, a few greens in regulation, and lower numbers of putts.

My Breaking 90 Goal Broke Down Today

Not Today

I’ve got way more that I could say about this round today.

I’m just going to go ahead and just leave this pic here for you to soak it in.

In summation, it was not my greatest outing and despite some good moments it just wasn’t happening for me today.

When the wheels came off, they broke the whole darn thing down to pretty much a crawl.

Not Ready Yet

Like many things in life, we’re not ready to talk about this one yet. I’m going to need a healthy does of time and space. I’d say at least 24 hours. I think I can regroup and break down where I broke down and need to fix some things.

Currently, I’m rethinking my retention of the wisdom of Brian Penn’s post on swing thoughts. I am reeling on my heels and tiptoes at what the Grateful Golfer shared in a past post about our work to get things done.

In the meantime, check out the Instagram page of Piped Golf with Mark Teran. I did have the pleasure of playing a round with Mark and his brother as my cousin and I ventured out to Cottonwood Golf Club today. Mark’s got an extraordinary story to tell and I hope to give you more of his story in another format on another day.

I’m regrouping. I’m recharging. I’m hitting reset right here and it’s right up someone else’s alley. I’m going to have to make a fitness turnaround within this equation, though. That can cause more delays in fixing my game, but the benefits will outweigh those delayed opportunities.

For now, just know that I am not ready to talk about today’s round like folks watch Disney movies and agree to not talk about Bruno anymore.

Golf Getaway Destination Poll

Sometimes, you just want to getaway and go play golf. There are plenty of luxurious and relaxing stay-and-play golf offers out there.

People save up for golf stay-and-play packages that they want to experience for themselves. They plan for years. They budget their dollars and they save up as much as needed to getaway and play. Some even sacrifice coffee runs to Starbucks for the sake of getting away to go play golf.

Plenty of people have such a golf getaway on their bucket list. They want the ultimate golf experience. For some, they see it as a major part of their entire life’s journey as a golfer.

The pandemic sure didn’t help things any. Many have been awaiting an opportunity to get out and just go away to go play.

Where do you see as your ultimate golf destination?

Golf Season Never Ends

Chip & pitch practice at Cottonwood Golf Club

Golf season never ends.

No, don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about the PGA Tour or LIV Golf. The PGA Tour ends and cycles back around with the West Coast Swing until the cycle ends again.

Even where some of you live makes it hard to hit balls amid snow and heavy rainy seasons. Your season has to end at some point.

I’m talking about my personal golf season. I’m talking about my ability to get up and go out to play golf throughout the year. That never ends for me.

Location Matters

I live in the San Diego area. The locale’s weather is consistently warm and sunny with a handful of rainy days. There are plenty of golf courses to choose from on a regular basis.

I love living in such an area. I love being able to play golf at so many different types of courses with different layouts and designs. I love having a neverending golf season in such a place as San Diego.

Schedule of Play

I can set up a tee time during my off days as well as during the hours when I’m not working for those twilight discounts. The level of flexibility that my schedule allows will provide me with opportunities to play golf and train frequently.

I do not find it difficult to get a tee time at different times, especially with tee times offered online. Plus, life happens for people and plenty of folks fall off and free up slots at local courses. I advise calling the pro shop ahead of arrival and seeing if there’s room for a single or pair to jump in. Otherwise, I say just show up at the course and hit a bucket of balls while you wait for an open tee time.

Swing It!!

For me, based upon my schedule and locale, golf season never ends. It just keeps rolling on endlessly.

And guess what?

I love it.

A 60 for Couples

Fred Couples is literally a living golf legend.

Shooting a 60, even on the PGA Tour Champions for the SAS Championship, is a big deal.

Heck! Even pumping out 12 birdies is nothing to sneeze at for senior players like Couples.

But that he did all that after going without a single win in the last five years in PGA Tour Champions competition speaks volumes.

Beating His Own Age

Fred Couples is 63. He just shot 60 to win the 2022 SAS Championship. He beat his own age by 3 strokes. That’s a major feat for plenty of golfers, even some top PGA golfers playing today.

At 63, he’s showing how well he can still play and compete. He finished with a 4-stroke lead (-12) over the second top spot on the leaderboard held by New Zealand’s Steven Alker (-8). The 3rd and 4th place spots went to Jerry Kelly (-5) and Rocco Mediate (-4). Couples hitting a 60 kept his competition at bay.

A Long Time Coming

A 5-year winless streak seems unheard of when it comes to a name like Fred Couples. The beloved three-time Presidents Cup captain showed that he still has it despite such an extended dry spell without a win. Playing birdie golf for 12 out of the 18 holes made this victory even sweeter for Couples.

With this victory notched for him, Couples could go on a streak or simply play out this year without another win. It’s simply a toss-up with the growing level of competition on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Couples faces heavy competition from renowned names in golf worldwide including Miguel Jimenez and Steve Stricker to name a few. Once Lefty gets back to swinging regularly with the senior players, there might be some competition like their golden days on the PGA Tour. That is if these two pros can lay aside their differences on the business of the LIV Golf Tour. Otherwise, we’ll have to watch these two duke it out on social media and in the golf press with a war of words on the topics like LIV Golf and other things unrelated to their play on the course.

The Messy Business of Golf

Back in August, I talked about some thoughts on LIV Golf vs the PGA Tour. It’s still raging as a firestorm and causing a divide in the golf community as well as among the tour pros.

I cannot expect this thing to end any day soon.

Both parties just seemed entrenched in it.

Messy Media Coverage Doesn’t Help

The Wall Street Journal is known for its business and financial coverage. It also covers the business aspects of sports. Its latest article on PGA Tour executive jet usage as a sign of potential corporate corruption has a sensationalized title that will definitely draw in readers with some interest.

When the media coverage from even the top level journalism platforms seem to drift into the mess, it can get really messy.

The media spin on this rivalry is the makings of a reality TV fiasco before production has even launched. It most probably won’t be played out on the Golf Channel. It most assuredly will continue for a while and with no immediate end in sight.

Rooting for Rory

On Twitter their present with handles like @RoryMcllroyFans or @RoryTrackr, even @RoryStats. They’re on there. And they’re big fans of golf’s 3-time FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy.

Admittedly, I am a fan of Rory. I root for Rory usually at every turn with the exception of when he goes up against a fan fave like Rickie, Tiger, or Kevin Na. (Tiger, well, he’s in a realm all his own.) Other than that, I can see Rory swinging with power and looking to shave strokes all of the time.

Bubba takes it over the trees with SW

Let’s be real, though. Rory isn’t the type of big personality like John Daly. He’s not going to win you over with Southern charm like Bubba. ( I can’t lie. I will always come back to Bubba shutting up a fan with a pure shot to the green over some trees.) No dangling locks like Pat Perez or Tommy Fleetwood. That’s not Rory.

Seeing Rory do his thing is something to behold. The natural flow of his swing is stunning. The amount and degree of torque he generates drawing the club back is superhuman. The yardage he registers time and time again is feat of pure power unleashed. I really enjoy seeing Rory take on the major courses.

When you root for Rory, you want to swing it like Rory 100% of the time.

Oh, that 1 footer at the BMW?

Oh yeah. That one kind of stung a little bit I bet. It was hard enough to watch. I can only imagine what that must have been like for him after such a stellar FedEx Cup run.

Well, I have to admit we all have been there at some point. I’ve had my head down with my eyes on the ball but my head just wasn’t in it. It happens and we move on. That’s just part of the game.

So maybe it’s not 100% of the time. Let’s say 98% of the time.

Needless to say, that 1 foot flub isn’t stopping anyone from rooting for Rory.