CLASSIC NOTEBOOK
2013 champion Recari feeling more confident
7/17/2014Beatriz Recari drained a four-foot birdie on the final hole at last year’s Marathon Classic. It proved to be enough to earn a win after finishing 17-under 267.
Can she do it again?
“Really happy to be back, and I'm playing some good golf,” she said. “Had a good finish last week, so I’m feeling good about my game, too, which is very important.
“I am very excited about this week and to have this challenge again.”
Recari has been shut out of victories this season and has not placed in the top 10 in a single tournament.
She tied for 17th at the Women’s British Open on Sunday after finishing 6-over 294.
SILVERMAN HELPS OUT: Marathon Classic director Judd Silverman is literally on-call to deal with any unexpected situations or issues that may come up this week during the LPGA event taking place at Highland Meadows.
He didn’t have to look far nor take too much time to deal with a situation on Wednesday afternoon during a Pro-Am event.
When LPGA commissioner Michael Whan found out one of his foursome was not available, he looked to Silverman to remedy the problem.
The tournament’s longtime commissioner didn’t have much time to look for a replacement since the group was about to tee off. Silverman didn’t need to look far. He called on his son, Ben, a standout golfer, who was standing at his side.
The younger Silverman is an Ottawa Hills graduate headed to Duke University in the fall to continue his playing career and begin his freshman year at the ACC institution.
Problem solved.
LONDON CALLING: Michelle Wie admits that after she missed the cut at last weekend’s Womens’ British Open in Southport, England, she spent some time away from golf.
“I was very disappointed in myself,” Wie said. “I was just in my bed with the sheets over my head, wallowing in self-pity. But my friends just didn’t let me do that.”
Then she blew off some steam.
Wie met friends in the United Kingdom who urged her to go out on the town — to Eminem’s concert at Wembley Stadium. Eminem played two shows at the historic venue in London.
“The concert was a nice surprise, but it was a lot of fun,” said Wie, who will tee off at 12:59 p.m. today. “It was definitely a lot of fun. I think I was just really excited to get back out here on Tuesday and practice.”
Wie will be playing with British Open champion Mo Martin and 2012 Marathon Classic champion So Yeon Ryu.
INTERNATIONAL CROWN: Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., will host the inaugural International Crown Tournament on July 24-27, a biennial, match-play competition that features teams from eight countries playing for a team championship. It could also serve as an preview of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Golf will be added as a medal sport for the first time since the 1904 Summer Games.
“It’s great that golf is getting more team events like this,” Lexi Thompson said. “Especially with golf being Olympics in 2016. I think we’re all really fighting for that and want to be a part of the Olympic team. To say you’re an Olympian, that’s probably the highest honor you can have.”
Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com, 419-724-6302 or on Twitter @DemmonsBlade.
Contact Rachel Lenzi at: rlenzi@theblade.com, 419-724-6510, or on Twitter @RLenziBlade.