Tennis Update: Ai Miyazato takes the crown at Safeway Classic 2010
All hail the queen! Ai Miyazato claimed the number 1 title in Rolex ranking after winning the 5th LPGA event of the season with a two-shot victory in the Safeway Classic 2010.
The event which was sponsored by Coco Cola was taking place at the 72 par Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club's Ghost Creek course outside Portland and in the last round, Miyazato was going through severe jitters. Apparently, the Japanese looked calm and composed but after bogeying the 2nd and the 7th hole of the front nine, she asked for a chilled Coke. This stress continued till the 9th hole, where she put an end to the anxiety pangs by making a birdie at a par 5 hole. Rest of the journey throughout the back nine was serene and she finished with an 11 under par.
According to the analysts, it was a big day for the 25-year-old therefore, she looked nervous throughout the day. Her front nine was a disaster thanks to the appetite for anxiety; however, the back nine were a bit serene after she kicked off a birdie at the 10th hole. This birdie not only broke ice but also gave her confidence which she carried on till the end of the tournament.
Moreover, with this swooshing victory, Ai Miyazato has reclaimed the peak of the world rankings, and has swiped away the title away from Cristie Kerr. A little about the former number 1, she finished 2 strokes behind Yeon Choi, who made a 1under in the final round and a net total of 9 under 207. Although it was merely a lead of 1 stroke but Cristie Kerr in real put in a lot of effort in chasing the Ai Miyazato around till the par-4 18th hole, when her shot came face to face with a water hazard and she had to finish at 70.
After this head to head victory, Ai Miyazato will remain No. 1 till the starting of the next season, although this is not the first time for the Japanese to earn this title as she had the same title in June and then in July. This strange tug of war game is continuing ever since Lorana Ochao took a retirement this year. Therefore, there is constant shuffling in the top 5 list of Ai Miyazato, Cristie Kerr, Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng.
According to Ai Miyazato, she planned to be the player of the year right from the start in fact it was more like a resolution for her and ultimately she achieved it, which is a big sense of achievement for her. At the same time, she is not worried of losing the title, as she knows that the top of the list is crowed and any time the twist of a putter and fate can snatch the title away from her.
Moving forward, a disqualification took place at the 2nd edition of Safeway Classic, and the player who got disqualified for breaching a rule was Juli Inkster a veteran. This issue was addressed seriously, as the fact remains that she is not a rookie that she was unaware of the rules and regulations of the game. Juli Inkster became a rookie in 1984 and that is long time back. As for the allegation which she is facing is that she used weighted training aid on her club to stay light for around 30 minutes, which meant breaking the rule number 14-3 according to which no gadget or manual help can be taken during the tournament that can support the player in lifting or swing the club.
This is it for the 2nd edition of the Safeway Classic 2010 and the winner is Ai Miyazato, followed by Nai Yeon Choi and Cristie Kerr in the second spot. However, the interesting part of the news is that Miyazato has claimed the title of number 1 according to the Rolex rankings and will retain it till some equal contender comes and takes it away.
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