So on Sunday in Korea, 18th hole, Vicky Hurst was two strokes behind Na Yeon Choi.  Choi was -10 and Vicky Hurst was -8.  The 18th hole is a reachable par-5 especially for Vicky Hurst.  She is the longest driver on the LPGA tour, at least statistically.  She averages 270 yards on every drive.  I think the tee was also an elevated tee.  Vicky Hurst hits a very good drive and ends up in the fairway with a good lie.  Na Yeon Choi also hits a decent shot in the fairway but she appears to be playing for a par to win.  She plays her second shot first and appears to be laying up, she plays left of the green and the ball actually reaches the green but goes into the greenside bunker.  Na Yeon Choi's resultant bunker shot faces the water coming back towards the hole so with pressure it could be a challenging shot.  Vicky Hurst knows where Na Yeon Choi's ball ended up an should have been aware of the situation.

So there sits Vicky Hurst in the fairway with a good lie and an iron in her hand.  She has an opportunity to put pressure on Choi when Choi plays her bunker shot.  Hurst just needs to put her second shot on the green and give herself a chance at eagle.  Instead, Hurst "lays up" with the iron and ends up close to pin high but in the fairway slightly short and left of the green.  Vicky hurst plays a poor chip to the green and ends up about 30 feet fom the hole for birdie.  Na Yeon Choi, with the pressure now off hits a safe bunker shot about 25 feet from the hole and can 3-putt for the win.  Vicky Hurst misses the putt for birdie and makes a par giving her second alone. 

In my mind this was a classic example of a player that was playing for second from the tee.  Vicky Hurst was protecting second, she wasn't trying to win.  Play like this is what kills the LPGA for excitement.  Vicky Hurst should have gone for that green and tried to make eagle, putting pressure on Na Yeon Choi to make at worst a par and at least a birdie.  Her bunker shot would been much harder if she had to get it up and down for the win rather than "all I have to do is hit it on the green and 3-putt."  What good does your length do if you choose not to use it to give yourself opportuites to win.  This is why players like Christie Kerr or Paula Creamer sometimes fail on the final holes.  They are actually trying to win.  They are not playing for second.  Their attitude is "I don't care where I finish if I don't win."  They are willing to take chances to win.  They aren't interested in second.  Paula Creamer would not have laid up.  How about Brittany Lincicome hitting that 200+ yard shot with her hybrid to the island 18th green last year at the LPGA Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs California and then making the putt for an eagle to win the golf tournament.

I love watching the LPGA but Vicky Hurst just killed all the excitement in this tournament.  She had an opportunity to generate a reputation for herself as a player that is a "winner."  Can you imagine Tiger laying up and playing for second.  Tiger never has played for the money.  His only goal (apart from chasing every skirt in site) has been to win.  He has never been satisfied with second.  He wants to win every time he plays.

What do you all think?  Or do you care since it's only the LPGA?