Thursday 3 August 2017
Major Golf comes to Kingsbarns
Contributors Matt Hooper (on site at Kingsbarns)
Photo Credits Matt Hooper/St Andrews Magazine, LET/Tristan Jones
Design and production Matt Hooper
Publisher Matt Hooper
Director Matt Hooper
ŠSt Andrews Magazine Ltd. 2017
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Matt Hooper standrewsmagazine@gmail.com Mailing address: St Andrews Magazine Ltd. Chestney House, 149 Market Street, St Andrews, Fife Scotland KY16 9PF
NEWS FROM THE R&A HOSTS WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IN ST ANDREWS
GOLF SPECTATING COULD BENEFIT HEALTH, NEW STUDY SHOWS
St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A will host a women’s leadership summit, this week, ahead of the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns, near St Andrews.
St Andrews, Scotland: The University of Edinburgh in conjunction with the Golf & Health Project have released new research into the health benefits of golf spectating, showing those who attend golf events could potentially gain benefits similar to those playing in them.
A group of 21 women from the worlds of business, finance, sport, education and the media will meet in the clubhouse of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The summit, conceived and organised by Sky Golf presenter and businesswoman, Sarah Stirk, is designed as a pathfinder for a larger event next year. Keynote sessions on the art of confidence and the perception of ambition, the rise of female representation in the boardroom and what sport must learn from business for a sustainable future will be debated and will help shape the agenda for the summit planned for 2018. Session leaders include Caroline Hyde, Bloomberg Technology news anchor, Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, Glasgow Life Chief Executive, and Jane Booth, Head of Research at Women Ahead. Sarah Stirk said, “Major sport has the power to bring people together from all walks of life. It takes them out of the workplace and provides an inspiring forum for debate for those who occupy leadership positions in their own organisations. Our aim this week is to move forward with an equality and diversity agenda for a full-scale summit in 12 months’ time at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.”
The summit is supported by The R&A and Ricoh Europe PLC. The R&A merged with the Ladies’ Golf Union on 1 January 2017 and now has responsibility for running a series of elite women’s amateur championships and international matches as well as supporting the development of women’s and girls’ golf around the world.
The study, released at the beginning of the RICOH Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns Golf Links, Scotland, is the first to assess spectator physical activity while watching golf, showing that of the 339 spectators surveyed, 82.9% met the recommended daily step-count levels achieving on average 11,589 steps. Conducted at the European Tour’s 2016 Paul Lawrie Match Play, the study suggests that golf spectating can provide health enhancing physical activity; whilst also allowing spectators to spend time in green space, socialise with friends and family, and watch their sporting heroes compete in real life. Surveyed spectators rated obtaining exercise/physical activity as an important reason for attending golf events, equal to their rating of seeing star players, being part of the ‘atmosphere’ around an event, and getting fresh air. 60% also said they would like to be more physically active after the tournament. These benefits and reasons for attending events could have benefits for event promoters in terms of engagement with spectators, local communities and funding organisations, along with wider public health implications in encouraging people to be more active more often. The studies, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and BMJ Open Sports and Exercise Medicine are part of the Golf & Health Project, which is led by the World Golf Foundation. The initiative aims to increase the understanding of golf in health and wellbeing.
GOLF SPECTATING COULD BENEFIT HEALTH continued Researcher, Dr Andrew Murray, from the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh, urges golf chiefs to emphasise the physical benefits of golf spectating: “Walking is one of the best things you can do for you health, adding years to life, and increasing health and happiness. These pilot findings show that golf spectators can gain physical activity that could benefit their health - while watching top quality sport at close quarters. This is something that could have huge implications in terms of event attendance and encouraging more people to get interested in the sport.” Further research could include assessing how best to provide physical activity information to spectators at events, larger and more representative samples allowing for a better estimation of accrued physical activity and potential gender and age differences, along with whether golf events could be used as ‘teachable moments’ to help educate and inform people on the benefits of physical activity in general. Golf playing and spectating is particularly popular in middle aged and older adults in North America, Europe and Asia. This demographic typically has lower levels of physical activity compared with younger adults and children. Anecdotal evidence found that spectators at the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles collectively walked a distance equal to four times around the world, while fans at China’s Shenzhen International in 2016 collectively walked the equivalent length of the Great Wall seven times. The health benefits for spectators at tournaments may vary depending on weather conditions, culture, types of tournament and golf course terrain.
NBC SPORTS GROUP TO AIR 28 LIVE HOURS OF THE RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN, MOST IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY Seven Continuous Hours of Live Tournament Action Daily Thursday-Sunday on Golf Channel and NBC, Aug. 3-6; Weekend Coverage to Conclude on NBC Golf Channel to Air Coverage of 2017 Solheim Cup Team Announcements and Captains’ Picks, Sunday, Aug. 6 Following Tournament Play St Andrews, Scotland: Historic Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland sets the stage this week for the women’s fourth major championship of 2017, the RICOH Women’s British Open. Golf Channel and NBC will combine for 28 hours of live tournament coverage, the most number of live hours in the tournament’s history. Taking place Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 3-6, the international field will feature each of the top-25 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings – led by World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu, No. 2 Lexi Thompson and No. 3 / defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn – along with each of the top-50 on the 2017 LPGA Tour money list. 28 LIVE HOURS, MOST EVER: Thursday-Sunday, Golf Channel and NBC will combine to air seven continuous hours of live tournament coverage each day, the most in tournament history. Golf Channel will air live from 6 a.m.-1 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday. Saturday, Golf Channel and NBC will combine to air third round coverage (7-11 a.m. ET on Golf Channel; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on NBC.); and on Sunday, coverage will begin on Golf Channel at 7:30 a.m. ET and continue on NBC at 11:30 a.m. ET until the tournament’s conclusion. COMPREHENSIVE WRAPAROUND NEWS COVERAGE – Golf Channel’s franchise news programs Morning Drive and Golf Central – will provide wraparound coverage from Golf Channel’s network studios in Orlando and on-site from Kingsbarns. Cara Robinson will report on-site for Morning Drive and Golf Central.
DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE Golf Channel Digital will feature expanded editorial content during RICOH Women’s British Open week, with GolfChannel.com senior writer Randall Mell reporting on-site from Kingsbarns with columns and daily blogs. Golf Channel’s social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – will provide expanded social coverage throughout the week.
NBC SPORTS GROUP TO AIR 28 LIVE HOURS OF THE RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN, MOST IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY continued News and tournament action surrounding the RICOH Women’s British Open can be accessed at any time on any mobile device and online via Golf Channel Digital. Fans also can stream NBC Sports’ coverage of live golf via NBC Sports.com and the NBC Sports app. BROADCAST TEAM: Rich Lerner and Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin will call the action from the 18th hole broadcast booth. Tom Abbott will report from a tower position, with Jerry Foltz and 2004 Women’s British Open champion Karen Stupples on the course. Scott Walker also joins the broadcast team as studio host, and Robinson will conduct interviews. 2017 SOLHEIM CUP TEAMS ANNOUNCEMENT – SUNDAY, AUG. 6: The RICOH Women’s British Open also will be the final event in determining the U.S. and European Solheim Cup Teams. On Sunday, Aug. 6, approximately one-hour following play, U.S. Team Captain Juli Inkster and Europe Team Captain Annika Sorenstam will announce their full roster of players, including captains’ picks. Golf Channel will air highlights of the press conference within Golf Central Sunday night, and GolfChannel.com will provide coverage of the press conference and the picks. The 2017 Solheim Cup will take place Friday-Sunday, Aug. 18-20 in Des Moines, Iowa, with complete coverage on Golf Channel and NBC. RICOH Women’s British Open Tournament Airtimes Thursday, Aug. 3
6 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Golf Channel
Friday, Aug. 4
6 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Golf Channel
Saturday, Aug. 5
7-11 a.m.
Golf Channel
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
NBC
7:30-11:30 a.m.
Golf Channel
11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
NBC
Sunday, Aug. 6
NBC EXPOSURE ENORMOUS FOR KINGSBARNS AND GOLF IN FIFE St Andrews, Scotland: 2017 will see the greatest amount of coverage in the history of the Women’s British Open, with Sky Sports Golf and NBC/Golf Channel providing nearly 30 hours of live coverage and much more in ancillary programming to their audiences across the UK and USA respectively. This is a huge change from the last RICOH Women’s British Open to be played in Fife, in 2013 at the Old Course in St Andrews, when BBC provided just three hours per day, with much of the coverage delayed and behind the red button. For the first time in history, a Major Championship will be played in Fife, outside St Andrews, with Kingsbarns on the truly world stage for the first time. The course has been part of the Dunhill rotation since the tournament became a three-course, pro-am event in 2001, but has always been in the shadow of St Andrews, with only one full day of coverage from the course. Now the venue, 6 miles from the home of golf, plays host to the whole thing. It is a golden opportunity to show its capabilities as a host of a significant golf event, and with it, gain even more fame around the world.
Up until now the course has been a bucket-list course for tourists to play whilst visiting St Andrews, but with many hours of major broadcasting to a worldwide audience, the course can be showcased for its true qualities, such as the magnificent risk-reward par fives, and the stunning par three holes, all of which will play a crucial role in the championship this week. The increased exposure will also show Scotland as a welcoming, inclusive country, with the world’s best golfers playing on a public course in a Major Championship. Still, the Women’s Open lags the men’s version in terms of the wall-to-wall coverage it receives, but surely a full broadcast from start to finish is not too far away, especially if the championship is well received by its international audience this week.
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PLAYERS LOOK AHEAD TO IT’S ALL IN THE PREPARATION FOR PARK Kingsbarns, Scotland: Inbee Park may well have already won a RICOH Women’s British Open but that doesn’t mean she leaves anything to chance in her preparation for the fourth major of the year. The 7-time Major Champion and former world number one knows exactly what it takes to overcome the elements and lift the title on the links.
“I played the Scottish Open last week and the weather was pretty bad there as well. This is the kind of weather we are expecting coming to Scotland, any ways” the Korean said. “We are getting four seasons in one day. That’s what we’re prepared for coming out here. The wind on this course can make such a difference and there are many different strategies needed, for how to putt different and how to stroke with the wind, It’s a very wind dependent course. The greens are huge and you have to be on the right part here.” Park has conquered links golf and has won half the battle before she starts this week, by having the right attitude. “It is very complicated and it is very challenging, but I think that is the
point for the links golf, and I enjoy doing that”. “I think it’s just the mind-set. I think you just have to be prepared; prepared to be frustrated and prepared that you get the sunny conditions for the first nine and you get the wind, rain and everything on the back nine.” With the Korean resurgence continuing at last month’s US Open, Park will certainly be gunning to follow up and win a second RICOH Women’s British Open this week.
IT’S A FAMILY OUTING AT KINGSBARNS Kingsbarns, Scotland: Inbee Park poses for a photo on the second tee with her family alongside her at the RICOH Women’s British Open. So Yeon Ryu stands in as family photographer.
2016 CHAMPION JUTANUGARN READY FOR TOUGH DEFENCE Kingsbarns, Scotland: Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn has plenty of great memories from 2016 including her victory at Woburn in the RICOH Women’s British Open, but she knows that positive images of her success 12 months ago will not, alone, be enough to spur her to a repeat success at Kingsbarns this week. “I
have great memories of last year, but I mean, this week is going to be totally different, it is a different course and you know, the weather we can get” said the 21-year-old. “I really like the course, it is really challenging, I think it’s going to be a tough one and depending on the wind, it could be very hard.” The youngster with maturity beyond her years will once again tackle the RICOH Women’s British Open without a driver. “I didn’t use one last year and not this year” Ariya said. Jutanugarn comes to Kingsbarns with an injured shoulder, but she isn’t letting it deter her ambition from defending the title. “My shoulder is getting better, but last week it started to hurt and I hit a lot of bad shots. I have my personal physio with me.” The 2017 RICOH Women’s British Open is Ariya’s first visit to St Andrews, and she is of course in awe of the place. “We went on Sunday to the Old Course and I walked 17 and 18 with my sister
and got a picture on the Swilcan Bridge, it’s very special and really cool to be there.”
KO SEARCHING FOR CONSISTENCY AS SHE AIMS FOR THIRD MAJOR TITLE Kingsbarns, Scotland: 2017 has been a difficult year for Lydia Ko, rewind a year and the world of women’s golf was at her mercy, having won the ANA Inspiration and seemingly heading towards domination of the game. Since then she has recorded just two more wins on the LPGA and slipped from world number one to five, failing to finish in the top ten in any of the last five major championships. It is more success in the majors rather than a return to world number one which drives on Ko to return to and get better than the level she attained 12 months ago. “To me it is more important to put myself in position, week-in-week-out, and when you keep doing that consistently and have a few top 10’s here there, those things are going to lead to having a better world ranking. So I’m not really focusing on the rankings and thinking, hey I need to get back to number one. For me it is more important to get the confidence back and be more consistent. I think that’s the bigger picture rather than thinking about the ranking” said the Kiwi. “My goal is to be more consistent in my long game.” Ko, like many of the top players in the game right now, appreciates and doesn’t shirk from the challenge of playing links golf. “I think to be the British Open champion or to play this event, there is a huge experience factor, and I think I love the challenge of playing here.”
WORLD NUMBER ONE SO YEON RYU IS FOCUSED ON MORE WINS Kingsbarns, Scotland: So Yeon Ryu comes to Kingsbarns looking for the third leg of the career grand slam after her success in the ANA Inspiration in April, and the recently crowned world number one feels she can lift the title on Sunday at the RICOH Women’s British Open.
“I’ve been playing well at all the Major Championships this year and I always want to win big tournaments no matter what. Since I started playing in this tournament I always felt like it was the one I someday wanted to win” said the 27-year-old South Korean. Ryu is the third Korean to hold the world number one spot after Jiyai Shin and Inbee Park, and she says it felt “weird” once she had achieved the milestone. “I had always dreamed of becoming
number one, but once I achieved it I felt, ‘alright’ – I felt like all my hard work had paid off, but after that I just felt normal. You cannot really feel any different. Yeah, maybe I have had to do more interviews and there is more focus on me from other people, but everything is still the same.” The title is still the focus for this driven individual.
OOPS! Kingsbarns, Scotland: That's why they call it practice day! Emily K Pedersen hits a less than accurate chip on 14, much to the amusement of Suzann Pettersen and her caddie.
KEY TEE-TIMES FIFE FAVOURITE TO GET THE RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN UNDERWAY ELIE’S SALLY WATSON WILL HIT FIRST TEE SHOT Kingsbarns, Scotland: As if qualifying via a 14-woman playoff at the Castle Course wasn’t enough to make this week memorable for Sally Watson, the 25-year-old from Elie will be even more thrilled at having the honour of hitting the first tee-shot on Thursday morning. She will become the first player to play a competitive shot on the modified routing of Kingsbarns, at the 165-yard par three first. Watson will be accompanied by Cydney Clanton of the USA and Christine Wolf of Austria at 0630. Sally turned professional in 2013, gaining her tour card for the 2014 European Tour at the first attempt at qualifying school in the autumn of 2013. For the last two years she has been playing on the Ladies European Tour and the Symetra Tour in the United States.
THE FULL DRAW IS AVAILABLE AT www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com
She has recorded 6 top ten finishes on the Ladies European Tour and this will be her 60th start on the tour.
Our featured groups will form the bulk of our coverage across the first two days, with photos and updates across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, interviews on Soundcloud and a full report and story in our daily newsletters on Friday and Saturday morning.
0736
0820
MICHELLE WIE, BROOKE HENDERSON & LYDIA KO
CARLY BOOTH, YUKARI NISHIYAMA & AZAHARA MUNOZ
1227
1249
CHARLEY HULL, SHANSHAN FENG & MO MARTIN
AMY YANG, STACY LEWIS & KLARA SPILKOVA
©IGF/Tristan Jones
©LET/Tristan Jones
THE WEATHER
Scattered morning showers with a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Light winds expected in the morning, increasing from the west at 12-18mph by the afternoon
KINGSBARNS’ By Matt Hooper
KINGSBARNS OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 2000 AND HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC AND MUST PLAY COURSES IN SCOTLAND IN THE 17 YEARS SINCE. IT GAINED WORLDWIDE ATTENTION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2001 WHEN IT WAS FIRST INCLUDED ON THE ROTA OF COURSES FOR THE ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP. NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME THE KYLE PHILLIPS’ DESIGNED LINKS ON THE CAMBO ESTATE PLAYS HOST TO A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP. KINGSBARNS WAS USED AS A FINAL QUALIFYING VENUE FOR THE 2013 RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN WHEN THE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS PLAYED ON THE OLD COURSE IN ST ANDREWS. THE COURSE IS NOTED FOR ITS FAIR BUT CHALLENGING LAYOUT, AND WILL PROVIDE A FUN TEST FOR THE BEST FEMALE GOLFERS IN THE WORLD. WHEN IT WAS FIRST SUGGESTED TO ME LAST SUMMER THAT THE COURSE WAS GOING TO BE PLAYED WITH THE SECOND AS THE FIRST AND THE FIRST AS THE EIGHTEENTH MY INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE, HOWEVER SEEING THE COURSE AS IT IS THIS WEEK THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT IT WORKS. KINGSBARNS IS ABOUT TO BE UNVEILED TO THE WORLD AS A TRULY WORLD CLASS TOURNAMENT VENUE.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF PLAYING HOST TO A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP AND EVERYTHING WHICH GOES WITH IT, THE COURSE WILL START AT THE USUAL PAR THREE SECOND HOLE AND FINISH AT THE USUAL PAR FOUR FIRST. THIS MEANS KINGSBARNS WILL GET OFF TO A SPECTACULAR START WITH VIEWS UP THE COAST TO ST ANDREWS AND BIRDIE CHANCES AT THE FIRST AND SECOND, A 511-YARD PAR FIVE, THE FRONT NINE OFFERS UP MANY BIRDIE CHANCES AND CAN FORM THE BASE OF A GOOD SCORE. BUT FORGET THE SCORE, EVERYONE WHO PLAYS THIS WEEK WILL HAVE THEIR BREATH TAKEN AWAY BY THE OUTSTANDING VIEWS AT EVERY TURN. THE USUAL NINTH HOLE IS A SPECTACULAR PAR FIVE WHICH WAS MADE FAMOUS BY LEE WESTWOOD’S ALBATROSS TWO IN THE 2003 ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP, THIS WILL PLAY AS THE EIGHTH HOLE.
ARGUABLY THE BEST PART OF KINGSBARNS IS ITS CONSTANT RISK-REWARD NATURE. PAR THREE’S RANGING FROM 135 TO 190 YARDS, PAR FOURS RANGING 320 TO 455 YARDS AND FOUR MAGNIFICENT PAR FIVES RANGING FROM 511 TO 566 YARDS. UNDOUBEDTLY THE MOST OUTSTANDING OF THESE IS THE 566-YARD TWELFTH, WHICH WILL PLAY AS THE ELEVENTH DURING THE WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN. THE HOLE SWEEPS AROUND THE BAY AND FINISHES WITH A WIDE AND SHALLOW GREEN SITTING UNDER THE DUNES. THE VIEWS ARE SPLENDID AND THE RISK IS WORTH THE REWARD ON THIS HOLE GIVEN IT IS TWO THIRDS THROUGH THE ROUND. THE PLAYER WHICH TAKES THE TIGHT LINE UP THE LEFT WILL BE LEFT WITH THE SHORTEST SECOND INTO THE GREEN.
KINGSBARNS HAS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING COLLECTIONS OF PAR THREE HOLES IN SCOTLAND, BEGINNING WITH THE 190-YARD FIRST, WHICH PLAYS DOWNHILL AND GIVES YOU A FIRST VIEW OF THE SEA. EACH PAR THREE ON THE COURSE IS WELL PROTECTED BY TRADITIONAL POT BUNKERS AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF LENGTHS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF THESE OUTSTANDING LINKS. ARGUABLY THE MOST ICONIC PAR THREE HOLES ON THE LINKS IS THE 185-YARDFOURTEENTH WHICH IS PLAYED ACROSS THE SEA TO A WIDE, BUT SHALLOW GREEN. THE FIFTEENTH BRINGS YOU CLOSE TO THE CAMBO ESTATE, WHICH WE WILL BE FEATURING IN OUR LAUNCH EDITION. THE FOURTEENTH WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DECIDING THE CHAMPION ON SUNDAY.
WITH THE ROUTING OF THE COURSE SLIGHTLY ALTERING FOR THE WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN THE TRADITIONAL 18 TH AT KINGSBARNS WILL NOW PLAY A DIFFERENT ROLE AS THE 17TH AND WITH THE PRESSURE ON COULD SCUPPER THE HOPES OF THE CONTENDERS ON SUNDAY WITH ITS TOUGH TEE SHOT AND APPROACH TO A TRICKY GREEN. THE ‘CUNDIE’ IN FRONT OF THE GREEN (FROM THE 1700S) WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE FOUND BY ANY SHOT WHICH FINISHES SHORT OF THE GREEN. THE PENULTIMATE GREEN, WITH ADDED PRESSURE COULD ALSO PROVE TRICKY WITH A SEVERE SLOPE BETWEEN THE TIERS, AND PIN POSITION WILL BE PIVOTAL. THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL CONCLUDE ON THE 405-YARD PAR FOUR 18TH (USUALLY THE FIRST), WHICH DOGLEGS SLIGHTLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND ENDS WITH A TABLE TOP GREEN AND SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF THE SEA AND BACK TOWARDS THE CLUBHOUSE.
THIS WEEK’S RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN IS THE FIRST IN THE EVENT’S HISTORY TO BE RUN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NEWLY MERGED LGU AND R&A
Complete Coverage of the 2017 RICOH Women’s British Open