When Dinah Shore created the ANA Inspiration in 1972, she thrust it into the spotlight with celebrity friends like Sinatra, Hope and Crosby. On Sunday, no outside help will be needed as LPGA standouts like Henderson, Korda and Thompson litter a star-studded leaderboard.
A five-month delay, the absence of fans and blistering summertime heat all faded into the California desert on Saturday, overwhelmed by three days of great golf that have made this a major championship well worth the wait.
When the winner takes her plunge into Poppie’s Pond under the watchful wave of Dinah’s statue it will be welcome relief from triple-digit heat and the end of a remarkable week of innovation and adaptability by players, sponsors, staff and volunteers.
But most off all, it will be the triumph of talent.
On Saturday, Rolex Rankings No. 9 Brooke Henderson, who went out in a record-tying 30, blistered the Championship Course at Mission Hills in 65 strokes, the low round of the week, to finish 54 holes at 12-under-par 204.
That put her in a tie going into the final round with Rolex No. 3 Nelly Korda, who was nearly flawless the first two days but showed a different kind of greatness of Saturday when she bounced back from a bogey and double bogey in a front-nine 38 to grind out a 71.
Two strokes back at 206 are 2014 ANA Inspiration winner Lexi Thompson, Katherine Kirk and Mirim Lee. Carlota Ciganda is at 207 with 2011 ANA champ Stacy Lewis at 208 as are Mel Reid, Maria Fernanda Torres and 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur champ Rose Zhang.
Talk about Inspiration!
“It was definitely a solid start to my day and after that, made a bunch of birdies,” Henderson said about kick-starting her round with an eagle on the par-5 second hole.
“Nice to make the turn that many under par,” she said. “Would have liked to get a few more on the back nine but maybe tomorrow.”
Henderson, who turned 23 on Thursday, started the day six strokes behind Korda but quickly made her presence felt.
“Being moving day, I was just trying to move up as much as I could, make a lot of birdies,” Henderson said. “Trying to get into double digits under par. That was a big one. Just trying to put myself in great position going into tomorrow.”
That she has done.
Korda, 22, dominated the first two days in a way that made it seem her first major loomed on the horizon, opening 66-67 for a two-stroke lead. But the way she gutted out an under-par third round when she did not have her A game was impressive. She turned a 75 into a 71 and that’s what champions do.
“It was a disappointing front nine, but I was really proud of the way I fought on the back nine,” Korda said. “Never gave up and there’s still 18 more holes to be played, so much golf.”
Korda, 22, has already won three times on the LPGA but protecting the lead in a major championship is new territory for her.
“It was different for sure, but good,” she said. “It’s a different excitement. But hopefully I’ll get enough sleep tonight.”
Thompson has an intense history at the ANA Inspiration, winning in 2014 as a teenager and finishing second in a playoff to So Yeon Ryu in 2017 after a four-stroke penalty that led to a USGA rules change. In all, she has five top-seven finishes at the ANA, including third last year.
“It was definitely an up-and-down day,” Thompson said. “Got off to a good start on the front nine with three birdies in my first five holes. Just struggled a bit with the putter on the back nine. Gave myself a bunch of good looks. Hitting it well. Just need to keep giving myself chances and I will have a chance tomorrow.”
The 2014 ANA is the only major among the 11 LPGA wins for Thompson. That’s a part of her resume she’d like to fatten.
“It would mean the world to me to win another major, especially on this golf course as it’s one of my favorites we play all year,” Thompson said. “Just going to go out tomorrow and keep hitting good shots and hopefully a few more putts will fall on the back nine.
As if present-day star power isn’t enough, the women’s game also gave a glimpse of its future as Rose Zhang and Gabi Ruffels, who staged a memorable 38-hole duel last month in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, not only made the cut but made appearances on the leaderboard.
Zhang, a 17-year-old Californian, outlasted Ruffels in the Women’s Am and on Saturday shot 68 to be at 208, just four strokes off the lead. Ruffels, a 20-year-old Australian who plays college golf at the University of Southern California, is T-14 at 210.
“In 2018, I played the ANA Inspiration, too, because I won ANA Junior Inspiration,” said Zhang, one of the six amateur invitees who are part of the identity of the tournament.
“There were a lot of crowds out there cheering for me,” she said about 2018. “This year is obviously different because of COVID, but honestly, I’ve been receiving so many messages, so I’m really blessed.”
Golf fans have been blessed this week. Only through determination, hard work and dedication did this tournament happen. Now the stage is set for what could be an epic finish. It’s been – well – an inspiration.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
