Three Americans and Norway’s Suzann Petersen have won the last four majors and Stacy Lewis defends the Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale this week as the world number one.
The 29-year-old Texan is in a fine streak of form. She has won three times in the past couple of months and was runner-up to Michelle Wie at the US Women’s Open at Pinehurst three weeks ago.
“You look at the first half of this year and see how many Americans have won and there’s definitely been a switch,” said Lewis.
“I think from the Solheim Cup [defeat] we have all been motivated and we’re finally answering the question ‘where are the Americans?’
“It’s great to see and I think it’s a great thing for the LPGA Tour.”
Wie agreed to Lewis and said, “We got humiliated at the Solheim, but now we have some great momentum.”
The winner at St Andrews last year, when she stopped Korean Park Inbee from winning her fourth major in a row, Lewis reckons she faces a very different test this time round.
“It is strange defending on a completely different course,” said Lewis.
“Out here you can’t just rip it with the driver. You can get away with a lot more at St Andrews.”
For Wie, it is a return to the venue of her first British Open — she finished third at Birkdale as a 15-year-old in 2005.
The intervening years have produced highs and lows, the golfing peak coming with her first major victory at Pinehurst.
“I’m very proud of myself to have done it but because I have won one major doesn’t guarantee anything,” said Wie.
“But I love links golf and love this course.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2014.
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