Michigan Golf Journal July 2021

25 July 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com to share this kind of week together. You see a few (other) pairings and it does surprise you a little bit, so maybe they’re thinking more about rankings – but I tend to go more the friend route. “All year long you’re out there grinding,” she continued. “Even on practice weeks, you’re out there on your own grinding away. So, when you get the opportunity for a week like this, why not try to make it as fun as possible.” The Dow tournament will be delayed tape broadcast on The Golf Channel the first three rounds, but Saturday’s final round – yes, Saturday – will be aired live on CBS. “People pay attention because it’s something different and you really don’t know what to expect,” Lindberg added. “That’s why it’s fun for people to tune in. And for us, anytime you play for someone else and together with someone else, it almost means a little bit more. You get ‘extra switched on’ because you don’t want to let a teammate down. That’s what makes it different.” Maria Fassi, the 2019 NCAA Individual Champion from the University of Arkansas by way of Mexico, who finished runner up at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur that same year, told me that she misses the team feeling of playing college golf. “I do like college, we had a great time,” Fassi said. “We had a great team. It was a big family, so I definitely do miss that. It’s part of what makes this tournament so special because I get to experience some of that, in a small way.” That ‘small way’ will happen because Fassi will be the teammate of non-other than former University of Arkansas golfer Stacy Lewis. “She’s one of my best friends on Tour,” Fassi said. “She’s been helping me, mentoring me. When I was still in school, she was already on the LPGA and would help me back then, with anything I could need. I have always looked up to her, so it was an easy decision to play with her (in this format).” When asked if after all her collegiate success, has playing on the LPGA Tour turned out to be what she envisioned. “The only thing that’s common is that I’m still playing golf,” Fassi answered. “Everything else is completely different. The amount of travel and the fact that I went from traveling with 5 teammates and a couple coaches, to being by myself, practicing by myself. Of course, now it’s my job and I depend on results to make a living, so that pressure is also different that I didn’t experience before.” Other committed players include: • Defending champions – Cydney Clanton & Jasmine Suwannapura • Brooke Henderson & In Gee Chun • Lexi Thompson & Nasa Hataoka • Sophia Popov & Anne van Dam • Danielle Kang & Lydia Ko • So Yeon Ryu & Inbee Park MGJ