Cautious Choi says Ocean Course may prove tricky
South Korean Na Yeon Choi is expected to capitalise on the crowd support at the upcoming LPGA Hana Bank Championship 2012, but she says that the course will be much tougher this year.
Choi, who is no stranger to nerve-jangling battles on the course, displayed a better-than-expected performance at the last edition of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament as she took the second spot against the winner Yani Tseng.
The 2012 edition is going to be staged at the same course—Sky 72 Golf Club, Ocean Course, Incheon, South Korea—as the last year, but Choi has her reasons to be cautious.
Sharing her thoughts during her pre-tournament interview at Incheon, Choi said that she was happy after her stellar performance at the 2011 edition of the tournament, but this year, she has to be a bit more careful.
She said that, last year, the weather conditions were better than players had anticipated, which helped every contender in the roster.
“We are going to the Ocean Course this time, and all the 18 holes on this Ocean Course are all difficult, but last year we got the great weather and good weather, so that's why we could lower the score. That's why we had a good score,” said Choi who has become the top golfer in South Korea following her rise to the third position in world rankings.
Choi went on to say that there are some holes that can get tricky even with the slightest change in weather conditions, as the pressure of winds is going to make a major difference.
“And as for the last day in this last event, especially on hole No.15, we got 260 yards to go to the front, so that was totally unexpected. Actually hole 15 is a par 4 hole, but it got shorter, so that's why Yani made hers on, and I did a bunker shot,” she said.
Since most of the players are coming off much calmer weather conditions they enjoyed at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2012, held last week at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, American and European contenders will have to adjust to the environment at Incheon as quick as possible.
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