Chinese New Year at Ria & Bintan Lagoon
Clear blue skies greeted us as we decided to spend some time in Indonesia's arguably best golf course (and voted as such), Ria Bintan. We took the ocean course the first day and then the forest / ocean course the next.
Although I wasn't in top form, my friends were, and to me, it really didn't matter as the course is so beautiful and it's just awesome to be outside surveying God's creation and wonders.
We saw a deer and were wondering why there was one in Indonesia when we realized that the deer is the logo of Ria Bintan. They apparently have a family there and a doe just gave birth recently, increasing the local population from 6 to 7 for 2012. I guess it's also a dragon baby :D.
Wishing for Tiger’s Return
... but only after he sincerely acknowledges and regrets what he had done. And that doesn't seem to be the case as we still have the same 'ol Tiger Woods prowling the greens, still spewing out the same garbage of saying a lot of things but saying nothing at the the same time.
Everyone I know thinks he will never become no.1 again but I still think he can. But only when he finds peace and that means he has to learn from his mistakes, which he obviously has not given the exact same demeanor on the green. Why are we so obsessed with him truly repenting? Simply because golf is a mental game more than anything else. Concentration does not come from Buddha or meditative practices. The ability to focus comes from possessing peace.
Until then ... golf is not going to be as interesting with several players making the round robins up on top. I don't know, somehow, when no one person/team dominates a sport, it's just not as interesting. I'm personally rooting for McIlroy to be no.1 but am uncertain about his ability to fend off the rest of the very talented gang.
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
From October 13-16, seventy two (72) LPGA players will be gunning to be the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia champion. It will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Michelle Wie, Cristie Kerr and Natalie Gulbis are some big names expected at the relatively small event where the total purse is US$1.9 million and there will be no cut.
Tickets are RM20-30 per day or you can get a season pass for RM65 and you can get tickets via ticketpro.com.my.
Children under 16 get free entry so bring along the little ones.
World no. 1 Luke Donald on the Hunt
TURNBERRY, SCOTLAND - JULY 14: during a practice round prior to the 138th Open Championship on the Ailsa Course, Turnberry Golf Club on July 14, 2009 in Turnberry, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Ever since Tiger Woods' pride saw his fall, the position for no. 1 has been see-sawing among a few players. Currently, the most consistent player is UK born Luke Donald (a US resident) with mainly top 10 finishes on tournaments lining both sides of the Atlantic. In this picture by Getty Images, Luke Donald is at the 138th British Open, or simply "the Open" as I have been corrected many a time by a Briton, showing top form.
Women’s British Open 2011
And so Germany’s Caroline Masson shot a four-under-par 68 in the third round to extend her lead to two shots heading into the final round of the Ricoh Women’ British Open being held at Carnoustie in Scotland. Caroline Masson is all smiles after shooting a 68 on Saturday at the Women's British Open. / ANDREW YATES/Getty Images
The 22 year old said she was inspired by fellow German Martin Kaymer’s major triumph at the 2010 PGA championship. They share a coach in Günther Kessler, the former men’s world number one.
Should Masson win on Sunday, she would become the third player in history to make the Ricoh Women’s British Open her first victory since the event became a major in 2001. Former first time winners (on the LPGA Tour) were Jeong Jang in 2005 and Jiyai Shin in 2008.
Not far behind though is Taiwanese Yani Tseng, also 22, who is poised two shots behind and trying to become the youngest player in history to win five majors. “I played really good today. They had some really tough pins out there, but I played really smart and I hit my irons very well,” Tseng said. But it wasn't enough (yet!) to get to first as Masson made three birdies on the front nine and three on the back to hold off a late charge from Tseng.