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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 20 June 2019
Women ready to add to their history at Hazeltine

By DOUG FERGUSON people are familiar with this
AP Golf Writer golf course," Stacy Lewis
CHASKA, Minn. (AP) — The said. "But it's a property ...
LPGA Tour gets its crack you drive here and it feels
at Hazeltine National, the big, from the clubhouse to
course with a recent history the range to the practice
of surprising outcomes. areas. It feels like a major
This is where Rich Beem, a championship, and that's
former car stereo salesman, ultimately what we wanted
held off a charge by Tiger to do."
Woods in the 2002 PGA When this LPGA Tour and
Championship. It's where PGA of America relation-
Y.E. Yang became the only ship began, the major was
player to come from be- taken to Westchester, Sa-
hind and beat Woods in halee, Olympia Fields and
the final round of a major Kemper Lakes, all courses
at the 2009 PGA Champi- known to the golfing pub-
onship. lic from men's majors or big
It's where the Americans events. Next up is Aronim-
actually won a Ryder Cup ink and Congressional, two
in 2016. more storied courses that
Hazeltine also is an exam- In this June 2, 2019, file photo, Jeongeun Lee6, of South Korea, chips to the 16th green during the add to the cachet.
ple of how much the sec- final round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament, in Charleston, S.C. "I think like any major
ond-oldest major in wom- Associated Press championship, it's going to
en's golf has risen in stature test everything that you've
since the LPGA Tour and course. 'Oh, you're going to that extends into a lake — world. Among the speakers got mentally and physically
PGA of America became play Hazeltine.' They talk it at 240 yards as a reach- this year was former Secre- — shot making, everything
partners to stage what is up so much." able par 4. tary of State Condoleezza — especially around here,"
now the KPMG Women's And now it's time to play it. "I think it's actually harder as Rice, soccer star Mia Hamm said Brooke Henderson,
PGA Championship. The field is the strongest of a drivable par 4 because and executives from Target whose victory last week
"The magnitude of this the year for the LPGA, with you're putting the water and Bank of America. in the LPGA Meijer Clas-
event has gone up so high, 99 of the top 100 on the into play a bit more on the It sets up as a big week in sic gave her a record nine
and it's neck and neck with money list. Sung Hyun Park right side," Nelly Korda said. a big year for the LPGA LPGA titles by a Canadian.
the USGA and U.S. Open," won last year at Kemper "So I think that's going to Tour, with the Solheim Cup Lately, the LPGA majors
said Danielle Kang, who Lakes (where Payne Stew- be a really cool hole and scheduled for Scotland in have been more wide
won the Women's PGA art won the PGA Champi- see how people play that September. open regardless of where
two years ago at Olympia onship in 1989). The PGA down the stretch on Sun- And being at Hazeltine they're played. Ten women
Fields, the course south of America has set it up at day." makes it feel bigger. have won the last 10 majors
of Chicago where Walter 6,741 yards on the card — For the fifth straight year, "The name is obviously a dating to Kang's victory in
Hagen and Jim Furyk won long by LPGA standards — KPMG staged a women's big deal, I think more from the Women's PGA at Olym-
majors. "It's just when you with plans at least once this leadership summit de- a fan perspective and the pia Fields. Ko and Hender-
get here and people talk week to play the signature signed to inspire young attention of it that the guys son are the only multiple
so much about the golf 16th hole — with a green women in the corporate have played here and winners this season.q

Sister act: 1st WTA meeting of identical twins ends in upset

BIRMINGHAM, England head record in competitive same person. I'm still the
(AP) — The first meeting matches. same Ash Barty and I try
of identical twins in WTA The match was decided and prepare the same
Tour history ended with an by a third-set tiebreaker in way.
upset as Kristyna Pliskova which both of the 27-year- "I feel like, if anything, it's
overcame a ranking gap old sisters made untimely taken the pressure off. I can
of more than 100 places to double faults. just go out and enjoy it."
beat Karolina at the grass- Karolina fell behind 6-5 with Barty could face Venus Wil-
court Birmingham Classic a double fault, but Kristyna liams in the quarterfinals,
on Wednesday. replied with one of her own after the American marked
Kristyna, ranked No. 112, to make it. At 7-7, Karolina her debut at the tourna-
won 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7) against once again double faulted ment with a 6-3, 6-4 win
her No. 3-ranked sister from to give Kristyna another over Aliaksandra Sasnov-
the Czech Republic. match point and this time ich.
It was their first match the left-handed player Kristyna Pliskova returns the ball to Karolina Pliskova during the It is only the second time
grass-court Birmingham Classic tennis tournament, Wednesday,
against each other in the didn't waste it to wrap up June 19, 2019 at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, Eng- in 20 years that Williams
main draw of a WTA event, the match in just under two land. has played a Wimbledon
and the 10th meeting of sis- hours. Associated Press warm-up event.
ters on the tour. Ashleigh Barty won her Jelena Ostapenko won
Kristyna won their first-ever first match since captur- any extra pressure with her tennis that we had without back-to-back matches for
meeting, at the Malta ITF ing her first grand slam at new status. a doubt and some of the only the second time this
junior tournament as 14 the French Open, beating "For me, nothing changes," best memories of my ca- season, knocking out home
year olds, and has edged Donna Vekic 6-3, 6-4. the Australian said. "It was reer will come from those favorite Johanna Konta
ahead 6-5 in their head-to- Barty said she does not feel an incredible fortnight of two weeks. But I'm still the 6-3, 6-4.q