On March 31, the LPGA's first annual Grand Slam Chevron Championship, with a total prize fund of up to $5 million, will kick off at Mission Hill Golf Club in California. The lineup of this tournament is strong, Chinese mainland two players Lin Xiyu and Liu Yu will both play!
This year, Lin Xiyu is in good shape. Two weeks ago at the Honda LPGA Thailand competition, she finished runner-up, creating her best result in the LPGA. Coming to the Grand Slam arena with this good form, she maintained her confidence while setting a very specific goal, "This course is very different from the type of game last week, and the greens, fairways, grass seeds in the long grass area and the speed of the greens need to be adapted as soon as possible." I want to be able to play at the level I deserve and get close to the championship. The biggest goal is to try to be in the top 10 in every game. ”
This week's Grand Slam tournaments are full of prize money, bringing together defending champion Lee Min-chi, Gao Baojing, Lacey Thompson and other nine former champions, Sasabi Yuhua, Arya Juta Nugang and other Grand Slam champions, nine of the world's top ten players participated! The gathering of tournament masters is a challenge for the participating players, but also a tempering. After a long time in the battlefield, Lin Xiyu admitted that she liked the atmosphere of the Grand Slam arena, "The Grand Slam stadium is very well maintained, I like this fast green, and I also like to play against the best players in the world on challenging courses!" ”
After entering the LPGA for many years, Lin Xiyu is now making plans around the Grand Slam, she will choose to participate in the competition, and she will also give herself a holiday to rest to maintain a good state.
Another Chinese girl, Liu Yu, is also actively adjusting and preparing for the arrival of the Grand Slam this week. Coming to mission hill, where she had played many times, she replaced herself with a new caddy and hoped to have a new start. "I haven't been in great shape lately, especially if I'm not handling some of the shorts, but it's motivating me to work harder and adapt to the new technology as quickly as possible!" Liu Yu's mentality is very upward.
She also shared her strategy for the pitch: "In this pitch, first of all, you need to pay attention to the long grass, its fairways are not very wide, there is long grass on both sides, so you need to be accurate in the kick-off! If there is wind, it is not very good to get on the fairway. Secondly, the hardness of the green will be relatively hard, which is more demanding for the goal of the green, and you need to calculate it when choosing a pole. In Liu Yu's view, Mission Hill has been the first Grand Slam of the year for many years, and there are many difficulties, so it is necessary for all aspects of the player's technical skills to be in a better position to play well, so it is very important to maintain a stable and good attitude!
From March 31 to April 3, the tournament will officially open at the California Mission Hill Club. In October 2021, Chevron and the LPGA announced a six-year partnership and increased the prize money by 60% to $5 million. Ana Air, the original title sponsor of the event, will remain the event partner in 2022.