2010 DFT - Riviera Nayarit Classic

[greentee]

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Across the boarder down Mexico way. The number two DFT event in 2010, the Riviera Nayarit Challenge gets underway March 26 to 28.

Some links for the event.

(1) A nice long article from the DFT website, on the Mexican players.

Duramed FUTURES Tour - News Room

(2) The Players - 11 of them are 2010 LPGA Rookies, so between the Kia event and this Riviera event most all the Rookies well play this weekend. They are Mallory Blackwelder, Tanya Dergal, Gerna Mendoza, Paola Moreno, Dewi Claire Schreefel, Nannette Hill, Cindy LaCrosse, Christine Song, Whitney Wade, Alison Walshe, and Adrienne White.

http://www.duramedfuturestour.com/20...artaRoster.asp

(3) Link to the Riviera main website - where you can find the course map and description of each hole, (though you can not go full screen here, but by increasing your zoom level to 150% gives a better view). You can also get a good Leader Board here.

http://www.rivieranayaritchallenge.com/campo.html

(4) This link fair same as above, but here you can get photos that blow up larger, and video that you can go full screen.

http://www.eltigregolf.com/photo-gallery.html

Heh, I wonder if Tiffany Joh is a bit mift they pulled her out of hot Mexico, to play in cooler California.... nah. :-)

[greentee]

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Link to second day article of leader Jennie Lee.

Duramed FUTURES Tour - The LPGA's Developmental Tour

[greentee]

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Third day final, and Jennie Lee could not hang on to the lead. With a final bogey, that put her out of a playoff with Cindy LaCrosse, (a 2010 LPGA Rookie) Jennie, (who has played two years on the DFT, and has not had a win), well have to try an other day to gain that elusive win.

As for Cindy LaCrosse who is a new 2010 LPGA Rooki, this is a great win for her as she only had a Priority Status of 20. Now she should be able to get into more LPGA events then she would have. I do not know allot about Cindy, except what I and BKB have posted her in the Rookie folder, (a link to it below). Now though I think we well all get to learn some more about this young golf player, as the year unfolds. :-)

http://duramedfuturesrealtime.com/20...taRealTime.asp

[Blue]

Going out on a limb, I'm going to say there will be no Korean winners on the DFT this year. Only two Koreans won last year (one player twice) and there are fewer Korean players on the DFT this year than in any year in recent memory. There are also fewer new players on the LPGA from Korea. Only one player from Korea came through Q-School with full priority 11 status, out of 20 players (Il Hee Lee). Two, if you count Lucy Kim who is from Korea but was listed on the roster as being from Kansas. Looking down the priority list through categories 16 and 20, there is only additional Korean player from among the 20 players there -- Jeehae Lee.

I believe with the Jiyai Shin (IK Kim, Song Hee Kim, Ji Young Oh, etc.) generation we are now seeing the peak of the Korean surge on the LPGA that started with Se Ri Pak coming to the Tour in 1998. After them the numbers will decline. The numbers are definitely diminishing in the developmental ranks. This does not mean the Tour is becoming less international. The international contingent seems to be less dominated by one country, however.

I think this is notable but whether it's a good thing or bad thing is debatable.

[greentee]

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Maybe they are starting to live and go to college in the USA now, and taking out American citizenship...

I see possible 12 now present player on DFT (well last event the Riviera) who's last name has definite roots to Korea or Asia, yet they are American... and most of them are like on the first page (of three) for the last day of that event. Like top players.

Maybe the Korean rush is now an American rush? Or has their families been in the USA a very long time. Anyways the Asian aspect seems to still be there in the DFT.... but that just my quick observation. ;-)

[Blue]

Originally Posted by greentee

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Maybe they are starting to live and go to college in the USA now, and taking out American citizenship...

I see possible 12 now present player on DFT (well last event the Riviera) who's last name has definite roots to Korea or Asia, yet they are American... and most of them are like on the first page (of three) for the last day of that event. Like top players.

Maybe the Korean rush is now an American rush? Or has their families been in the USA a very long time. Anyways the Asian aspect seems to still be there in the DFT.... but that just my quick observation. ;-)

I'm not seeing that. I'm talking about Korean-Koreans. Not other Asians, and not people whose parents or grandparents are Korean or from another Asian country. I mean kids who were born and raised in Korea and decided to become golfers on the LPGA Tour. They simply are not being fed to the LPGA through Q-school or DFT (the two primary paths to the LPGA) like they were five years ago.

For a while it seemed like Koreans were going to dominate women's golf for decades to come. All of a sudden it looks like the peak has been reached and the developmental ranks are almost devoid of players from Korea.

[greentee]

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Blue - you could be right with you conclusions.

Though one has to keep in mind that Golf in Asia is rising fast as a popular sport, and more sponsors over their are coming on-board to increase the prize structure.

Knowing that, if your a Korean parent, why take the high cost road to get your child to the LPGA, when a good living can be obtained near home.

Before the first influx of Korean player over here, there was little other choices for them. That has all changed, and is still changing very fast as we speak.

One thing for sure though... is Asian players, (or just Asian root players), well always now be in the LPGA.... as well as the rest of the world's nation players. The flow as you say has slowed on the LPGA.... for sure.... but it well never be pre-dominate USA players again.... winners maybe, overall no.

Begs the question - well there be champions from the USA again soon, (in the LPGA or world)?

So far in four tours and thirteen events in 2010, I see only two ladies from the States to win.... those being Angela Oh, and Cindy LaCrosse, and Oh has Asian roots. Yet I believe it is just a matter of time, and the American players well finally have caught up with their game level. And we well see them dominate the LPGA, and LET tours once again.... at lest in winners circles.

Patience though is hard to come by in this fast paced world. ;-)

[dangerbob]

Originally Posted by Blue

I'm not seeing that. I'm talking about Korean-Koreans. Not other Asians, and not people whose parents or grandparents are Korean or from another Asian country. I mean kids who were born and raised in Korea and decided to become golfers on the LPGA Tour. They simply are not being fed to the LPGA through Q-school or DFT (the two primary paths to the LPGA) like they were five years ago.

For a while it seemed like Koreans were going to dominate women's golf for decades to come. All of a sudden it looks like the peak has been reached and the developmental ranks are almost devoid of players from Korea.

It might be the U.S. Immigration quota. There is a certain quota in each "visa classification" from every country who are allowed to come to the U.S., and if that classification is full...unless those who are holding those visa give them up they have to wait for their turn. Because of the influx of the Korean golfers in the U.S., maybe it's getting harder for them to get work visa. JMHO.

[NTB]

Originally Posted by greentee

.So far in four tours and thirteen events in 2010, I see only two ladies from the States to win.... those being Angela Oh, and Cindy LaCrosse, and Oh has Asian roots. Yet I believe it is just a matter of time, and the American players well finally have caught up with their game level. And we well see them dominate the LPGA, and LET tours once again.... at lest in winners circles.

Patience though is hard to come by in this fast paced world. ;-)

Greentee.. I don't think America will ever again dominate the LPGA.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by dangerbob

It might be the U.S. Immigration quota. There is a certain quota in each "visa classification" from every country who are allowed to come to the U.S., and if that classification is full...unless those who are holding those visa give them up they have to wait for their turn. Because of the influx of the Korean golfers in the U.S., maybe it's getting harder for them to get work visa. JMHO.

Interesting. I hadn't heard anything about Korean players who wanted to play in the US having trouble getting visas.,, but I don't really know how this works. Do they need a US work visa if the tournament is outside the US? So if the Futures Tour is in Mexico do they need a US work visa? Do they need a work visa to go to Q-school? I'm just trying to learn about this.