Latest news with #KarrieWebb
ABC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Australian golf great Karrie Webb credited with helping next generation of major winners
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 play-off 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. Major title winners * Then known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship ** No longer a major *** Then known as the LPGA Championship 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 number six 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 has been able to conjure three successive victories in a calendar 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. "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." AAP
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Webb weaves magic to usher in golf golden generation
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. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Golf Australia (@golfaust) 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."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New career-high for major champ
Officials hope newly minted major champion Grace Kim will again headline the WPGA on the Gold Coast and play for the Karrie Webb Cup, with the Australian legend declaring Kim's breakthrough could provide the mental 'freedom' to win more. Kim, who has jumped a mammoth 74 places on the world rankings to a career-high 25 after taking out the Evian Championship in France in stunning fashion, was set to tee it up in March before the tournament was cancelled due to fears over Cyclone Alfred. It looms as one of the few events for Kim to play in at home in 2025 after the women's Australian Open was shifted to February 2026 when Golf Australia ditched the dual-gender format in favour of stand-alone national Opens. Webb, who won seven majors, has a close bond with Kim, who won the Karrie Webb Scholarship four times, and the fourth time the pair spent six days together on a US road trip playing courses including Pine Valley and Winged Foot and sharing a hotel room. After seeing the 24-year-old's miraculous eagle, birdie, eagle finish to win on a second playoff hole against world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul, Webb was confident the win, as well as the $1.8m winner's cheque and five years of playing security, would combine to unleash an all-new, extra confident Kim. 'I think this will take the lid off now,' said Webb, who watched Kim close out the tournament from her Florida home. 'I think Grace knows she's got a place to play for five years. Financially, this will give her some breathing room just to go and play, so I'm excited to see what she can do now with a bit of freedom. 'She has put in so much hard work. I played with her before she won her scholarship and her game's night and day from that 15, 16, 17-year-old to now. She didn't hit it very far back then. She really relied on her short game a lot. 'Now, she hits it long enough and she's a terrific ball striker. She's a very smart player.' For her part, Kim also conceded the mental side of her game was the area that would lift her to new heights. 'I think I've come to learn that it's not quite my game technically. It's more on course, just the skills that I have to learn through experience being on the Tour week in, week out,' she said after collecting her trophy. Kim also recognised the 'money can't buy' experience of that road trip with Webb in helping shape her career. 'I don't know golf courses very well, but we played Pine Needles ... sorry, Pine Valley, and I didn't quite know the big deal about it,' she said. 'So played Pine Valley, played Winged Foot. It was just an incredible week with her. It was a whole week. We shared a hotel room, so, yeah, memory that money can't buy.' The 2026 Australian WPGA Championship and Festival of Golf will return to the Gold Coast from March 19-22 in 2026, with The Palms course at the renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club to host the action.
The Australian
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Golf: Karrie Webb says Grace Kim's major win the first of many victories
Officials hope newly minted major champion Grace Kim will again headline the WPGA on the Gold Coast and play for the Karrie Webb Cup, with the Australian legend declaring Kim's breakthrough could provide the mental 'freedom' to win more. Kim, who has jumped a mammoth 74 places on the world rankings to a career-high 25 after taking out the Evian Championship in France in stunning fashion, was set to tee it up in March before the tournament was cancelled due to fears over Cyclone Alfred. It looms as one of the few events for Kim to play in at home in 2025 after the women's Australian Open was shifted to February 2026 when Golf Australia ditched the dual-gender format in favour of stand-alone national Opens. Webb, who won seven majors, has a close bond with Kim, who won the Karrie Webb Scholarship four times, and the fourth time the pair spent six days together on a US road trip playing courses including Pine Valley and Winged Foot and sharing a hotel room. Grace Kim picked up a mammoth $1.8m for winning the Evian Championship. Picture:After seeing the 24-year-old's miraculous eagle, birdie, eagle finish to win on a second playoff hole against world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul, Webb was confident the win, as well as the $1.8m winner's cheque and five years of playing security, would combine to unleash an all-new, extra confident Kim. 'I think this will take the lid off now,' said Webb, who watched Kim close out the tournament from her Florida home. 'I think Grace knows she's got a place to play for five years. Financially, this will give her some breathing room just to go and play, so I'm excited to see what she can do now with a bit of freedom. 'She has put in so much hard work. I played with her before she won her scholarship and her game's night and day from that 15, 16, 17-year-old to now. She didn't hit it very far back then. She really relied on her short game a lot. 'Now, she hits it long enough and she's a terrific ball striker. She's a very smart player.' Kim is showered by fellow Aussie Minjee Lee after winning the Evian Championship Picture: AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani For her part, Kim also conceded the mental side of her game was the area that would lift her to new heights. 'I think I've come to learn that it's not quite my game technically. It's more on course, just the skills that I have to learn through experience being on the Tour week in, week out,' she said after collecting her trophy. Kim also recognised the 'money can't buy' experience of that road trip with Webb in helping shape her career. 'I don't know golf courses very well, but we played Pine Needles ... sorry, Pine Valley, and I didn't quite know the big deal about it,' she said. 'So played Pine Valley, played Winged Foot. It was just an incredible week with her. It was a whole week. We shared a hotel room, so, yeah, memory that money can't buy.' The 2026 Australian WPGA Championship and Festival of Golf will return to the Gold Coast from March 19-22 in 2026, with The Palms course at the renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club to host the action.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Grace Kim jumps to 25 in the world after Evian Championship, Karrie Webb says more wins coming
Officials hope newly minted major champion Grace Kim will again headline the WPGA on the Gold Coast and play for the Karrie Webb Cup, with the Australian legend declaring Kim's breakthrough could provide the mental 'freedom' to win more. Kim, who has jumped a mammoth 74 places on the world rankings to a career-high 25 after taking out the Evian Championship in France in stunning fashion, was set to tee it up in March before the tournament was cancelled due to fears over Cyclone Alfred. It looms as one of the few events for Kim to play in at home in 2025 after the women's Australian Open was shifted to February 2026 when Golf Australia ditched the dual-gender format in favour of stand-alone national Opens. Webb, who won seven majors, has a close bond with Kim, who won the Karrie Webb Scholarship four times, and the fourth time the pair spent six days together on a US road trip playing courses including Pine Valley and Winged Foot and sharing a hotel room. After seeing the 24-year-old's miraculous eagle, birdie, eagle finish to win on a second playoff hole against world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul, Webb was confident the win, as well as the $1.8m winner's cheque and five years of playing security, would combine to unleash an all-new, extra confident Kim. 'I think this will take the lid off now,' said Webb, who watched Kim close out the tournament from her Florida home. 'I think Grace knows she's got a place to play for five years. Financially, this will give her some breathing room just to go and play, so I'm excited to see what she can do now with a bit of freedom. 'She has put in so much hard work. I played with her before she won her scholarship and her game's night and day from that 15, 16, 17-year-old to now. She didn't hit it very far back then. She really relied on her short game a lot. 'Now, she hits it long enough and she's a terrific ball striker. She's a very smart player.' For her part, Kim also conceded the mental side of her game was the area that would lift her to new heights. 'I think I've come to learn that it's not quite my game technically. It's more on course, just the skills that I have to learn through experience being on the Tour week in, week out,' she said after collecting her trophy. Kim also recognised the 'money can't buy' experience of that road trip with Webb in helping shape her career. 'I don't know golf courses very well, but we played Pine Needles ... sorry, Pine Valley, and I didn't quite know the big deal about it,' she said. 'So played Pine Valley, played Winged Foot. It was just an incredible week with her. It was a whole week. We shared a hotel room, so, yeah, memory that money can't buy.' The 2026 Australian WPGA Championship and Festival of Golf will return to the Gold Coast from March 19-22 in 2026, with The Palms course at the renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club to host the action.
