Up close and personal - Lexus Cup Day 1

It's finally here! The Lexus Cup 2005 Day 1 just ended 15 hours ago (too tired to blog until now) with the International Team up by 2 against the Asia Team. Read the updates here.

It was an exhilarating day for me, being a volunteering marshal for this event. =)

It was 11:15am when we (volunteers) got ready after eating breakfast from the resting tent. We went to the practice green, that's where I saw Hee-Won Han and Paula Creamer practising some beautiful putts on the green. The crowd was huge, considering it was a Friday (working day). Many were ladies from all nationality, and 30% were men (and we all know why the men were there... to criticise the ladies swing, fashion, etc... whatever that could bring out their oversized ego - sorry guys!).

The crowd swamped over the the 1st Tee box a few minutes later, cos' all knew that the official tee off time was 11:30am. I caught a glimpse of Paula Creamer heading towards the changing room. There were 2 little kids trying to get an autograph from her. And I thought, golden opportunity! Swiftly, I took off my Lexus-sponsored white cap and followed next in line, thinking I wanted Annika's autograph, but beggars are not choosers, and hey, I'm actually gonna get the world's LPGA No.2's autograph and so why am I bias and complaining?! =P While all these thoughts were running through my mind, I met face-to-face with Paula Creamer herself! She smiled at me, I said "Hi Paula!" and she replied "Hello" in her sweet pinkish voice and took my cap as-a-matter-factly signing her name nice and neat across my cap using her own marker! My face beamed as I thanked her and wished her an enjoyable game. Thank you, was her sweet pinkish reply.

By that time, I was walking down to the 1st Tee box with my head up (actually head down, so that everyone could see my cap) and waving my hand to people I know and pointing to my cap. The wah-and-woos and how-did-you-get-that and real-or-not-did-you-sign-it-yourself was the response I get after that... =)

The event official announced the teeing off of the 1st match - Han/Kung vs Koch/Moodie. I was tip-toeing and stretching my neck as much as possible to get hold of a clear view of the players. The 2 players teed off and the crowd dispersed - some went back to the practice green where Grace Park was there, some followed the 1st match and walked along the buggy track. As for us marshals, we headed straight to Hole 4 where we were supposed to take our positions as marshals for that hole.

Nothing much's happening at Hole 4 yet cos' the 1st match's players would arrive probably 30 minutes later. Kat took the position near the edge of the green, Jessie and I took the positions near the buggy track. I met 2 new friends - TH and William from SICC. They were marshaling for Hole 5's tee box. This was their virgin event (okay lah, debut event) to volunteer as marshals. We talked casually to kill time.

Then finally, I saw James' hand signal that the 1st match's players were coming. So, we put on our best professional look and got ready. Both balls landed nice and soft at the green. I wanted to clap but was told not to cos' as marshals, we're not supposed to show favourism, if any. Not much work's needed for the 1st match. The players went on to Hole 5, and we waited for the next anticipated Match - Grace Park/Rosales vs Gustafson/Pettersen. After about 10 minutes later, Match 2 finally came. Jennifer Rosales' ball landed nicely on the fairway but behind the International Team. So, Grace Park took her position for the next stroke. Jessie mouthed G-r-a-c-e P-a-r-k to me and I nodded. All eyes were on Grace when she swang. To my disbelief, Grace's ball came straight to my direction. I took two quick steps backward. While I was thinking - couldn't be Grace's ball coming to my direction?! - that's when her ball flew past my head and landed with a loud THUD just 2 meters away from me! My tongue was out as I stared at Jessie, and apparently we mirrored each other cos' that was her same expression. Few minutes later when the ladies finally arrived at the green, Jennifer Rosales took her pitching wedge to address her stance. The crowd gathered closely behind the rope. TH and William also came over to assist the crowd control. I was very sure that my face would be caught on live camera for that very few minutes when Rosales was addressing her stance! Our QUIET PLEASE signs shot up into the air, and Rosales hit a nice shot bringing the ball closer to the pin. Then, Grace Park had to finish the game but it was another let-down. Her putting wasn't that good too. Overall, her form wasn't there in Day 1, I concluded.

Then came the famous duo after match 3, was Annika Sorenstam/Paula Creamer vs Jang/Lee at Match 4. I saw a swamp of crowd gathering at the cross-over. James, Keith, Jimmy and Andrew were controlling the crowd. The duo were actualy 2 down then, I heard, managed to par this hole while gaining some bandwidth for the remaining holes. The crowd swamped over the green, covering the entire perimeter of it. Some kids giggled and celebrated their little triumph of getting the closest view at the green. The teams par-ed and it's ALL SQUARE for this hole. It's unbelievable to see both Annika and Paula so chatty at the course, and talking and laughing away with each other like old times friends, after so much had been said in the press about them being arch rivalry in the golf arena. I guess all these are part of the showmanship and entertainment value. The ladies walked past me briskly. It was definitely up-close-and-personal with just an arm-length distance. My god! Annika's really aged and the lines were displayed all over her face. Well, she looked tall and slim to me real-life, unlike the stout figure that I perceived on my dynamic-wide TV screen.

I thought that was as close as I could get with Annika Sorenstam... until the incident at Hole 13. You see, we were supposed to double up for Hole 13 once the six matches had gone past us at Hole 4. So it was about 1 or 2pm (we didn't have time to look at the watch), we went on the Hole 13 after our quick 15-minute lunch break at the half-way house. The 1st match passed... the 2nd match passed.. the 3rd match passed.. Then came the 4th match! Hole 13 was a long Par-4. Anyone could tell that this was the match of the famous duo again from the size of the swamp. Diligently, we marshals did our part to control crowd. The teams putted their last putt, and then something happened...

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Annika Sorenstam went MISSING!

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While the crowd followed the players and media crew and marshals to the next Tee box, I could see from the corner of my eye that Annika took a detour to the half-way house's toilet! What the -- ? No one spotted her except ME! Naturally, I escorted her to the ladies and waited for her to come out of it. (Speculations from my marshal kakis later - did I follow her to the loo? did I flush her toilet bowl? did I get her autograph while she was reliefing herself? .... hahahahaha.....) We sprinted from the half-way house to Hole 14's Tee box. I was trying my best to control the crowd out of her way and also trying my best to look my best in case I'm caught on camera... but dun have leh... -_- All that happened in a split second and the rest of the marshals were like envying with awe, "we waited and we thought where she could have been"... "you mean you escorted her to the loo?"... and the speculations went on and on... =)

I was thinking to myself... Tomorrow's Headline:

"A volunteer marshal, took her initiative to escort Ms Annika Sorenstam to the ladies at the half-way house, whilst everyone was wondering why Sorenstam was MIA at Hole 14's Tee box during the Lexus Cup!"

Well, I flipped the papers this morning, it didn't mentioned.

We enjoyed the remaining of the game at Hole 17 (Par-3) after our shift was over, just in time to witness an excellent tee off from Paula Creamer and a cool 2-meterish birdie putt to win from Annika Sorenstam. The International Team won 2 up against the Asia Team.