LPGA Golfers Start Practice for the Coates Golf Championship
It was a day of finding your way around, following signs, checking in and getting the lay of the land for the LPGA golfers as they began to settle into Golden Ocala this week for the inaugural Coates Golf Championship presented by R+L Carriers. A popular question of the afternoon: “How do I get to the player dining area?” For that, players were directed to the main ballroom on the second floor of the Clubhouse, which has been transformed into tournament headquarters for the week.
LPGA Golfer Lisa Ferrero’s First Tournament Back
Player Lisa Ferrero spent a few minutes on Sunday afternoon getting re-acclimated to the tournament registration routine after being away from the tour for a year in order to battle breast cancer.
“This is my first tournament back,” Ferrero said as fellow players greeted and hugged her in passing. “I have a lot of work to do today since this is a new course.”
Ferrero was not alone in anxiously hitting the course for practice rounds. By mid-afternoon, many of the golfers had made their way through either the front or back nine and working out any kinks on the practice greens.
Morgan Pressel Loves Golden Ocala for the Short Game
Morgan Pressel, in a sporty green and white ensemble, spent a few hours on Sunday working with various wedge shots in order to strengthen her green side approach. She later posted on Instagram that the Golden Ocala course has “a fabulous short game area.”
“Great practice coming off the off-season, where feel for these kinds of shots are easily lost,” she said.
Cheyenne Woods First LPGA Tournament
Cheyenne Woods, niece of Tiger Woods and a Sponsor Exemption in the Coates Golf Championship, played the front nine of the Golden Ocala course on Sunday morning.
“It’s very pretty and the greens are big,” Woods said. “I’ll get a better feel for the course tomorrow too.”
This is her first time in Ocala and she’s hopeful the tour will return next year.
By late afternoon, Woods joined fellow golfer Sadena Parks for an ESPN.com feature photo shoot to air later this week. These gorgeous ladies could easily have another career as models, making their time in front of the camera look effortless.
Woods even trekked out to the practice green in a stylish pair of high-heeled fashion boots. Parks opted for a more equestrian feel with a flat-western pair of boots, but a golf club was never far away as they used them as props during the photo shoot and even got in a couple of practice swings.
The start of the Coates Golf Championship is tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Make sure to follow us on social media to see more from the ladies practicing and enjoying Golden Ocala. To stay up on the latest in golf and the LPGA tournament be sure to stay up to date with our golf blog!