Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
The tenth annual Meijer Simply Give was unpredictable and drama filled. Grace Kim had a five shot lead over five golfers but it evaporated quicker than a rabbit into a magicians hat.
Kim had a four shot lead in Los Angeles earlier this season but like LA, things unraveled quickly in round four before she righted her ship and ended up in a 3 way playoff.
Grace Kim is a better chaser than the one to be chased (One Up)
Kim watched a movie before the third round and played an outstanding round. Watching the same movie again was not the sequel she wanted. Sunday saw Kim open with consecutive bogeys and a third on nine sandwiched between her only two birdies on Sunday. Her five shot lead evaporated before she entered the 3 way playoff. Kim went toe to toe with both Thompson and Vu but her putt on the third playoff failed to fall.
Kim is learning how to win on a big stage
She finished in a two way tie for second. Kim goes through her emotions playing 18 three straight times. “I don’t know if I sighed externally but I definitely sighed internally. Obviously we all had to birdie and it was a birdieable opportunity. Yeah, it was nerve-wracking for sure to be in that atmosphere with the two greatest player of all-time and to be around these crowds. I think these crowds definitely make it for sure this week. Again, I’ve said it about how times already. Even on the shuttle ride back to the clubhouse they were all cheering for me even though I didn’t make it. Yeah, that meant a lot.” Its only a matter of time for GK.
Lexi almost ended it on 18 (Two-Up)
Thompson was just off the green on 18 and her chip was perfect. The ball was about a dimple short and she tapped in for birdie instead of chipped in for an eagle. Her 4 under 68 put this 11 time champion into the playoff. Thompson bogeyed the par 5 sixth, then punished the back nine with birdies on 10,12,14, and 18. Thompson had a clutch chip on the first playoff hole that she nearly holed for the win. She had a clutch putt on the second. LT could not stay out of the rough on her final two playoff holes and she had to scramble. Thompson had a final takeaway on the 2024 Meijer tournament. “It was an amazing day out there. You know, the golf is one thing, but just to be able to play in front of all amazing fans, especially coming down the stretch and on the playoff holes. I don’t think I’ve heard cheers like that unless it’s like Solheim Cup, which is just an amazing feeling. I got chills every time. And the other girls played some amazing golf and Lilia played amazing and just well-deserved win. So many positives to take from the week, so just going to build on that.”
Vu Punished the par 5’s in Round 4 Wins on 3rd Playoff Hole (Three-Up)
Lilia Vu fired a seven under 65 and the former No. 1 player in the world birdied four of five par fives. Her 65 was the lowest round of the day by two strokes over the entire field. She had trouble on the first playoff hole playing out of the rough on both her tee shot and eagle attempts. Vu had a clutch putt on the second playoff hole and made her birdie putt on the third hole to end the playoff. When you are seven shots back entering the final round, you are not thinking about winning. I was thinking about shooting 8-under to make top 10. I feel like it can get scorable out here but I think it’s just my kind of delusional mind where I’m like okay everybody is probably making a million birdies.
I was just on my own journey. This is the one day I was playing really well.”
She could not defend her US Open title, but wins $450,000 as the winner in Grand Rapids.
Late bogeys sink Ewing
Ally Ewing wanted this tournament bad. She strung five birdies together on the front nine before three bogeys tempered her effort and she finished with a 69. Ewing fought all week long. Ewing talks about her near playoff appearance. “I had a chance to make a putt on the last hole to potentially force a playoff, which now we know would’ve forced a playoff. And at the end of the day that’s what you compete for, a
chance to win the golf tournament. I’ve got a lot of the really good positives to take away this week, and I see my game in a really good places; handling pressure down the stretch.”
| 70 | 63 | 71 | 69 | 273 |
No Sunday Magic (Two-Down)
Anna Nordqvist came out strong. Her birdie on one got her going. She bogeyed two of the five par fives and that is where Nordqvist saw her chance to win the Meijer Simply Give LPGA event fall just short. She had a very good tournament. Anna had eight birdies on Saturday and only three on Sunday.
The LPGA plays a major next week. <<< LPGA Schedule
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Sahalee Country Club
Sammamish, WA
Purse: $10,000,000
Race to the CME Globe: 650 Points
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net
