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Top golfers at HSBC Women's World Championship still seek improvements in 2019

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, the world No. 1 women’s golfer, during a media conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)
Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, the world No. 1 women’s golfer, during a media conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)

A year can make a huge difference for competitors at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, be it the reigning world No. 1, the defending champion or the first-time Major winner.

Some of the world’s top female golfers, who will be lighting up this year’s competition, testified to this during a media conference at the Sentosa Golf Club on Tuesday (26 February).

For Ariya Jutanugarn, even though she is the world’s top golfer and last year’s LPGA Player of the Year, she is looking further back in order to progress this year – back to 2016, in fact.

The 23-year-old Thai, who won her second Major at the US Women’s Open in 2018, believes that she played better golf three years ago, even though she had more successful outcomes last year. And she wants to get back to playing “fun and happy” like she did back in 2016, when she won her first three LPGA titles in consecutive tournaments, as well as her first Major at the 2016 Women’s British Open.

When I played golf in 2016, I had so much fun. I was so happy to be on the golf course,” she told reporters. “But I don’t have that feeling for two years already. I just feel like I want to go back to how I played in 2016 – with no fear, and without worrying about the outcome.”

Known for her gung-ho approach to the game, Ariya has risen quickly to the top of women’s golf, even as she endured a mid-season slump in 2017. And she has been working with renowned short-game coach Gareth Raflewski to refine her techniques in a bid for more success.

“I had too much wrist movement in my short game, so he was trying to help me stop using the wrists. I’m getting a lot better,” she said.

“What I have to focus is the process – to stick with it and on the things you can control. Because even you play very well, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win the tournament if other players play better than you. So I just have to really focus on being in control.”

Wie aims to return to winning ways after wrist surgery

Defending HSBC Women’s champion Michelle Wie has also been working on her technique, but for an entirely different reason than Ariya’s.

The 29-year-old, once hailed as a teen prodigy but whose career has been blighted by injuries, underwent surgery last October in a bid to alleviate pain on her wrists due to arthritis. The surgery put an early end to a season in which she clinched her fifth LPGA title, coming from five strokes behind for an exhilarating victory at Sentosa’s Tanjong Course last year.

Michelle Wie speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)
Michelle Wie speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)

“Every time I go through an injury, my swing does change because I have to work around it,” she said during the media conference. “(Coach) David (Leadbetter) came when I started hitting golf balls, and we’re just trying to create a swing that’s easier on me so I can play healthier and longer.”

Despite modifying her swing, the 14-year Tour veteran remains focused on winning this year, with the five annual Majors a key target.

I still want to win golf tournaments, I want to win Majors. The goals are still the same,” said Wie. “I guess, as an old person now, a veteran out on Tour, physiotherapy and recovery is key for me.”

Maiden win hasn’t sunk in yet for Hall

For Georgia Hall, the reigning Women’s British Open champion, the fact that she hit the proverbial jackpot in her very first professional triumph still has not sunk in yet.

The 22-year-old world No. 10 said, “I still don’t believe I have won. It was my dream to win the Open – my only dream growing up. It’s still strange.

“So because of that, if I am playing bad on a hole or I’m struggling, I do say to myself, like, ‘Georgia, you won the British Open, you can do this.’ I know I have it in me to adapt myself.”

Georgia Hall of England speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)
Georgia Hall of England speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on February 26, 2019. (PHOTO: Lionel Ng/Getty Images)

Armed with that confidence, the Briton is hoping to find some consistency at the Tanjong Course this week, as she has yet to string four days of solid golf early in this season.

“Not throwing a bad round in there is going to be important this week, because it’s a tough golf course,” she said. “I’ve worked on putting quite a bit. I think it’s important to have small goals, not just simply focus on the end goal.”

The HSBC Women’s World Championship takes place at Sentosa Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday. More information can be found at the tournament website.

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