The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahamian Raquel Riley missed the cut and won’t get the opportunity to join Bahamian Georgette Rolle in the 2017 Pure Silk/Bahamas LPGA Classic this week at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island.

Riley, a teaching professional at Baker’s Bay Golf Club in Abaco, had a chance to get one of the two spots out of the qualifying round yesterday after the delay to allow the heavy winds to subside.

But her round of 81 playing in the threesome with Americans Jessy Tang and Christina Yang was not enough to enable her to play along with Rolle in the field of 108 of the world’s best female golfers when the tournament gets underway on Thursday.

Rolle, by the way, was awarded the Bahamas’ exemption into the classic after winning the Bahamas Golf Federation’s qualifier over Riley last month at the same course. Four of the top 10 players in the current Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are entered as well as 10 of the top 20 on the 2016 LPGA Money List.

“I think my performance was pretty good, but I had a lot of problems with the wind,” Riley told The Tribune. “There were a couple of holes where the wind was really blowing hard and it was hard to control the ball.

“I know all of the players in my group had a difficult time controlling the ball. I’m pretty sure everyone else in the other groups had the same type of problem, especially in the holes that were close to the ocean. It was kind of difficult to control the ball.”

Riley was attempting to get into the classic for the second time after earning the Bahamian exemption in 2015 against Rolle. However, during the preliminary round, Riley experienced an irksome ailment and fatigue and she had to withdraw.

“Mentally, I was better prepared,” said Riley, comparing her appearances. “I was better prepared. I just got a few swing changes in the past couple of weeks and that really affected me in a positive way and also in a not-so positive way. I had to compete with the change in my swing and it wasn’t something that I had a couple of weeks or months to get used to. I kind of got into it right away. It was a great change, but I just wasn’t 100 per cent used to it.”

Although she didn’t get in, Riley said she’s confident that she can play with the best female players in the world. “I definitely have to get in better shape physically and play more,” she said.

Looking at the level of competition exhibited during the qualifying round, Riley said it was a good indication of what to expect when the classic gets underway.

“The girls who I played with in my group struck the ball very well,” she said. “The competition was pretty good. We stayed neck and neck until the last few holes. It was pretty good. I enjoyed competing with those girls. It made me see that I’m not that too far of from competing with them on a daily basis.”

The 34-year-old Riley, who used Frisco Wells as her caddie, said the atmosphere was one that she will take away from the classic as she look at improving and coming back better next year than she was this year.

“The comradery was good and I had a really good time,” she stated. “The tournament is very well put together. I enjoyed playing with the girls in my group and watching some of the others compete. I hope they enjoy it too, especially our culture.”

For Rolle, who is preparing to be the first Bahamian to make the cut during the first two days of competition on Thursday and Friday to play in the two rounds of the live television final on Saturday and Sunday, Riley encouraged her to be herself.

“I know she can do it. I know she will do well. She just have to stay focused on all 18 holes,” Riley advised. “But she’s playing well, so I’m confident that she will perform very well.”

Riley, a former winner of the Sun Coast Ladies Tour, said she intend to go back to the drawing board and hopefully try to get into some of the LPGA events once she can get into a qualifier and that she help to push her to play even better when the classic return in 2018.

Last year, Hyo Joo Kim, 20, of South Korea, broke a 10-month winless drought with a two-stroke victory over Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist and defending champion Sei Young Kim. Hyo Joo Kim shot a closing 7-under-par 66 to complete 72 holes in 18-under 274.

There are 13 major championship winners in the field for the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic with a total of 25 major titles:

Paula Creamer (1) – 2010 U.S. Women’s Open; Brooke Henderson (1) – KPMG Women’s PGA Championship; Juli Inkster (7) – 1984 Nabisco Dinah Shore, 1984 Du Maurier Classic, 1989 Nabisco Dinah Shore, 1999 U.S. Women’s Open, 1999 McDonald’s LPGA Championship, 2000 LPGA Championship, 2002 U.S. Women’s Open; Ariya Jutanugarn (1) – RICOH Women’s British Open; Hyo Joo Kim (1) – 2014 Evian Championship; Brittany Lang (1) – U.S. Women’s Open; Stacy Lewis (2) – 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship, 2013 RICOH Women’s British Open; Brittany Lincicome (2) – 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship, 2015 Kraft Nabisco; Mo Martin (1) – 2014 RICOH Women’s British Open; Morgan Pressel (1) – 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship

Lexi Thompson (1) – 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship; Yani Tseng (5) – 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Championship, 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship, 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open, 2011 Wegman’s LPGA Championship, 2011 Ricoh Women’s British Open and Michelle Wie (1) – 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

Admission to the tournament is free.