[tonyj5]

After a very exciting start to the season, the LPGA will be staging its first major championship this week with the playing of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

This will be the first of five major championships this year. The United States will be trying to break Asia's streak of seven consecutive major championship victories. For more on that see my blog on Asian dominance.

Winning a major championship can go a long way towards achieving the LPGA's most prestigious awards at season's end. Player of the Year points and Rookie of the Year points are doubled for major championships.

This will be tournament number 6 of 28 on this year's schedule.

Here are the key details:

TONY'S LPGA REPORT: Kraft Nabisco Championship Preview & Pairings

[tonyj5]

Here are the leaders after round 1.

1 Na Yeon Choi -4 F
1 Suzann Pettersen -4 F
1 Jodi Ewart Shadoff -4 F
4 Amy Yang -3 F
4 Anna Nordqvist -3 F
6 Inbee Park -2 F
6 Giulia Sergas -2 F
6 Angela Stanford -2 F
6 Jane Park -2 F
6 Jacqui Concolino -2 F
6 Caroline Masson -2 F
6 Lizette Salas -2 F
6 Moriya Jutanugarn -2 F
6 Jessica Korda -2 F
6 Jiyai Shin -2 F
6 Hee Young Park -2 F

[nitehawk]

Michelle Wie --- odds to win (before start) 150 to 1 "get a job"

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Amy Alcott is playing? Really? Is this the same Amy Alcott who was one of the all time greats many, many, many years ago?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by nitehawk

Michelle Wie --- odds to win (before start) 150 to 1 "get a job"

That's a bit harsh.
I agree that she hasn't lived to to the absurd expectations that were placed upon her young head, but who could have. Her father did a job on her and created a mess. It's to her credit that she's still playing and not in an insane asylum.
She shot 72 yesterday. Not too bad. Four shots off the lead.
Why don't you check the odds on the rest of the field? I would bet that there are a lot of players whose odds are 150 to 1 to win.

[tonyj5]

The second round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship saw the best of the LPGA's players rise to the top of the leader board. Inbee Park, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Na-Yeon Choi, Stacy Lewis, Jiyai Shin and Ai Miyazato are all within striking distance of the lead.

Here is the full story:

TONY'S LPGA REPORT: Big Names Rise to the Top in Second Round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship

[tonyj5]

Will anyone be able to catch Inbee Park? Inbee extended her Kraft Nabisco Championship lead to three shots, shooting her second consecutive 67 for a three day total of 12 under par. Lizette Salas, who shot a 69, is her closest pursuer 3 shots back.

Read full story:

TONY'S LPGA REPORT: Inbee Park Extends lead in 3rd Round of Kraft Nabisco Championship

[tonyj5]

Before the 2013 season started I posted my top 30 predictions for LPGA Player of the Year.
My pick as winner was none other than Inbee Park. Inbee is making me look very good now, winning her second tournament already this year.

Inbee won this season's first major championship quite easily, with a 4 stroke victory over So Yeon Ryu.
The issue was never in doubt. Starting the day with a 3 stroke lead over Lizette Salas, and a 6 stroke lead over six other golfers, Inbee put an end to this championship very early. Inbee birdied the first hole while Salas would record a double bogey, and the three stroke lead became six very quickly. From there on in everyone else would be playing for second place. The only question was how many strokes ahead of the field she would be when she jumped into Poppie's Pond.

For full story:

TONY'S LPGA REPORT: Inbee Park Eases Her Way to Kraft Nabisco Championship Victory