LPGA TOUR MOVES DOWN UNDER FOR ISPS HANDA VIC OPEN

Staged at 13th Beach Golf Links on Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula, men and women play on the same courses, at the same time, for equal prize money.

The ISPS Handa Vic Open, jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the ALPG, the European Tour and the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, will see 156 women and 156 men take to the Beach and Creek Courses at 13th Beach Golf Links. While this is the first time the ISPS Handa Vic Open is an official LPGA Tour event, the tournament has been conducted jointly with the men’s competition since 2012.

The women’s field is headlined by Rolex Rankings No. 7 Minjee Lee¸ the world’s top-ranked Australian golfer and the defending ISPS Handa Vic Open champion. She is joined in Barwon Heads by 2018 major champions Georgia Hall and Pernilla Lindberg, as well as Australian golf icon Karrie Webb. Hall has also tasted success at Barwon Heads, taking the 2016 Vic Open title for her first professional victory.

LEE AIMING FOR VIC OPEN THREE-PEAT

In 2014, a 17-year-old Minjee Lee catapulted to the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings thanks to a six-stroke win at the ISPS Handa Vic Open, then called the Oates Victorian Women’s Open. Fast forward five years and not only has Lee become one of the world’s best golfers, but the tournament, now an official stop on the LPGA Tour, has become one of the leading examples of gender equality in the sports world.

“I've come here for many years and to see the tournament grow and obviously the players who are taking interest in the tournament is really great,” said Lee, who added a second Vic Open title to her resume in 2018. “I think it's fantastic how we merge two such great tours and I think it's just going to grow from here, I mean even more than it has.”

For the second consecutive year, Lee kicks off her season with a trip to 13th Beach Golf Links. But this marks the first time that Lee will open the year as the highest ranked Australian golfer, male or female. That honor was particularly underlined when Lee received the 2018 Greg Norman Medal, which is bestowed on the year’s best performing Australian golfer. It was the first time a female golfer earned the prestigious honor, with Lee joining PGA Tour stars Jason Day (2015, 2016) and Marc Leishman (2017).

“I don't know if I'm technically better than all of them, but it's pretty cool to have the honor of being the Greg Norman medalist,” said Lee with a laugh. “I know those guys are really great athletes as well, so it's cool to be among their names.”

WHIRLWIND THREE WEEKS FOR NEWLYWED LINDBERG

Please excuse Pernilla Lindberg if she’s not quite sure what time it is. The last three weeks took the 32-year-old Swede almost completely around the world.

After competing in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Florida, Lindberg made a quick trip back home to Sweden, where she was nominated for Achievement of the Year at the annual Swedish Sports Award Show. The 2018 ANA Inspiration champion then made the trip of a lifetime to Queenstown, New Zealand, where on Jan. 31, she wed her long-time partner and former caddie Daniel Taylor in a "heli-wedding" atop Coromandel Peak.

“Going into this week I have to say I'm not sure where my form is really at,” said Lindberg, who will have Taylor back on the bag for a one-week “honeymoon” stint before he goes back to work for Ariya Jutanugarn at next week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. “I have my coach with me here this week, so hopefully I can get some good practice in over just a couple days and I'll be ready to go by Thursday again.”

This is Lindberg’s third consecutive Vic Open appearance, finishing fifth in 2018. After experiencing the week’s fun atmosphere – men and women next to each other on the range and on the course; no course ropes; an equal purse – Lindberg was extra excited to see the event join the LPGA Tour schedule.

“I've been telling girls the last few years what a cool experience it is. It's just different,” said Lindberg. “Every day you're out there, you look up and guys in the group in front of you and guys in the group behind you. It just is nice to show other big tours in the world that it's possible to do an event like this.”

NOTABLE FIRST-ROUND GROUPINGS

Defending ISPS Handa Vic Open champion Minjee Lee opens her 2019 season at 8:10 a.m. on the 10th tee of the Creek Course, playing alongside Charley Hull and Brittany Lang

A trio of major champions tee off at 7:50 a.m. on the 10th tee of the Creek Course – Karrie Webb, Georgia Hall and Pernilla Lindberg

RACE TO THE CME GLOBE UPDATE

Heading into the second week of the 2019 Race to the GME Globe, Eun-Hee Ji, who won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, leads the standings with 500 points. Mirim Lee sit in second with 300 points, followed by Nelly Korda (190 points), Shanshan Feng (135 points) and Moriya Jutanugarn (135 points).

The 2019 season brings a fresh face to the Race to the CME Globe. LPGA Members will accumulate points at each official LPGA Tour event leading up to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 60 points earners and ties will then earn a spot in the CME Group Tour Championship, with the entire field competing for the $5 million purse and the $1.5 million winner’s check, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf.