The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AMERICAN Stacy Lewis is hoping that her third trip to the Bahamas for the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic will be the charm for her.

Lewis, who will celebrate her 30th birthday on February 16, will be on the greens at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island with the view of improving on her runner-up finish last year to Jessica Korda when the $1.3 million tournament is played this weekend with a field of 120 players entered.

After the qualifying round was held on Monday, the players went through a practice round yesterday and will be participating in a Pro-Am today, starting at 7am. The main draw will begin on Thursday and continue on Friday. The final two rounds will be contested on Saturday and Sunday.

Lewis, along with Australian Lydia Ko, American Cristie Kerr and Korean Eun-Hee Ji, were among the list of players The Tribune got a chance to interview following their practice sessions yesterday.

“It’s fun coming back when you get as close (to winning) as I did last year,” said Lewis about her return here. “You want to come back to the place because you love the golf course. It’s a little tougher than last year, so there’s more challenge for me to try and win it, but the course here is in great shape.”

After her appearance here last year, Lewis went on to make the cut in all 27 other tournaments, captured three victories with her most recent coming at the 2014 Walmart NW Arkansas Championships in Roger, Arkansas and became the first American to sweep the LPGA’s three most prestigious season honours - Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy and Money list title.

With so much expectations for this year, Lewis said she can’t wait to get back on the greens on Thursday.

“I love playing in the wind, so I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “I love coming to the Bahamas. You can’t complain about this weather this time of the year. It’s just really cool and it’s good to see how this event has grown over the past few years and hopefully we can keep coming back for many more years.”

But Lewis said there would be no better gratification for her than to add the Pure Silk-Bahamas title to her résumé that has 11 LPGA career victories attached to it. She also claimed the No.1 spot in the Rolex World Golf Rankings from Inbee Park on June 2 with a win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Ko, last year’s Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and the 2014 Race to the CME Globe Final Point standings winner over Lewis, Michelle Wie, Park and So Yeon Ryu (the top five finishers in respective order) comes back for her second consecutive appearance here.

After finishing tied for seventh last year, Ko too is hoping that she can pick up where she left off in 2014, winning five LPGA titles, including two as an amateur before she made her pro debut. The resident of Orlando, Florida is coming off her season-ending victory at the CME Group Tour Championships in Naples, Florida in November.

“It’s nice. I think it’s a little cooler compared to last year, so I think it’s good,” said Ko, who intends to make sure that she takes in all of the amenities that Atlantis has to offer during her free time this year. “I think that’s what we’re going to have pretty much every year, but it’s nice to be back.”

Ko, the youngest male or female player at age 17 to be ranked No.1 in the world, admitted that she anticipates that the competition will be extremely tough at this year’s tournament because of the field of competitors.

“I just have to take one hole at a time, one shot at a time and hopefully it will be sufficient for me to come out on top,” she stated. “But it’s a great field here. So in order to win, you have to be able to execute your game and I think I’m prepared to do that. I’m really looking forward to competing here this weekend.”

Kerr, one of the veterans in the field at age 37, is back for her second appearance. She remembered when she came for the initial tournament in 2013 and the rain wreaked havoc on the facility, forcing officials to resume play with just 12 holes.

“My game is in shape. I love the golf course. The golf course is fantastic and the island is great. I really enjoyed my time here,” said Kerr, who had a season’s best showing as runner-up at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic and a tie for second at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year.

“I hope to get back in the winner’s circle. This is a great place to do it. This is a really nice place to be, the people are really nice, it’s very relaxed and this is one of the best golf courses we play all year so it’s great. It’s very expensive here, but it’s great. We have a very deep field here, but I feel very good about my game.”

And Ji, coming off her season-best finish with a tie for fifth at both the RICOH Women’s British Open and the Portland Classic last year, is looking for her third LPGA career victory. The 30-year-old who resides in Lowell, Massachusetts, was the 2009 US Women’s Open champion.

Back after missing last year’s tournament, Ji said it was difficult to play in the rainy conditions, although she enjoyed herself.

“Coming back here this week and this year, I can see every hole, so it’s like a totally different course,” she said. “It’s really nice here and the Bahamas is so nice. At the other golf courses, there is more pressure, but here, it feels like vacation and there’s not that much pressure.”

If there is any pressure experienced, Ji said it will come from the field of competitors lined up to compete this weekend.

“I am training hard because I really want to do well here,” she said. “My game is coming pretty well. I’m trying to do something and if I do that, I should have a very good tournament. I should be able to win, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I will just go out there and play.”

The tournament is free of charge with parking provided at the Hurricane Hole where free bus shuttles will be running consistently to and from the Ocean Club from Thursday to Sunday.