Webb weaves magic to usher in golf golden generation

Yahoo

18 hours ago

The great Karrie Webb is being credited with inspiring newly-crowned major champ Grace Kim as Australia's crop of uber-talented women's golfers stand on the brink of global domination.
Kim produced a round for the ages to recover from a four-shot deficit and clinch a dramatic playoff victory at the Evian Championship in France.
The 24-year-old joined Webb, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Jan Stephenson as only Australia's fifth female major winner.
Kim's epic victory also secured Australia a second straight major after Lee won the Women's PGA Championship only three weeks ago.
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Former professional Karen Lunn, the WPGA Tour of Australasia chief executive, is predicting an Australian could also win the Women's British Open that gets underway at Royal Porthcawl on July 31.
As well as Kim's remarkable run, world No.6 Lee finished in a tie for third just one shot behind, while Gabi Ruffels was co-leader heading into the final round before finishing joint ninth.
Throw in 2024 Evian runner-up Steph Kyriacou, who finished 14th, and 2019 Women's PGA Championship winner Green, and Australia has five genuine contenders to win the fifth major of the year.
Only the dominant South Korean contingent have been able to conjure three successive victories in a calender year in the current five-major era; in 2020 and in 2013, when Inbee Park won three in succession.
"It can get really, really windy there. But all of our girls, they've grown up in Australia playing in a lot of wind ... so they're more than capable of handling the tough conditions," Lunn said.
"And when the conditions are tough, you need a good short game and you know Gracie's got one of the best and obviously Minjee is putting so much better with a long putter this year.
"It's not beyond the real possibility that we could get three straight majors."
Lunn credits the golden generation coming through with all having ties to seven-time major winner Webb.
Kim was a four-time winner of Webb's scholarship, which gave her the chance to learn from Australia's greatest champion, with Green, Lee and Ruffels also spending a week with the Hall of Famer as part of the prize.
"She brings two players to a major championship and they all have dinner with the other Australian players who are playing," Lunn said of 50-year-old Webb.
"Grace Kim was a part of that and, when Hannah won her major (in 2019), Grace was one of the scholarship holders that week and was one of the first to run on the green and congratulate Hannah.
"Karrie is a mentor and they've all got her phone number and she's at the end of the line whenever they needed advice on anything.
"Even though she's retired from playing she's still incredibly involved and I know she was glued to the TV and would've just been so thrilled and so proud of Grace's win."
Lunn says the Australians on the LPGA Tour are like a family, often sharing lodging and meals together, and are regularly seen on the side of the green ready to celebrate or commiserate with their contending compatriots.
"It's a little bit infectious - they're feeding off each other's success," Lunn said.
"Hannah missed the cut this week but she was one of the ones there celebrating with Grace.
"But even Hannah, she's not playing her best golf, but she'll get a big boost seeing Grace win."
And with all but Lee and Green aged under 25 and a number of other young rising stars, the glory days could continue for some time.
"This next generation are coming into the prime of their golfing career so those names are going to be there for a long, long time."