LPGA Pure Silk Bahamas Starts 2017 Season

It’s been 9 long weeks since Charley Hull hoisted the CME Group Tour Championship trophy last November and closed out the 2016 LPGA season. I’m more than ready for the Tour to get back to work! And back they’ll come this week at Paradise Island, Bahamas for the 5th edition of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

The Ocean Club Golf Course has consistently provided a beautiful and challenging setting for the Pure-Silk Bahamas. The Tom Weiskopf-designed pare 73 track, which will play 6625 yards this week, is an ideal early-season opportunity to players to knock off the rust, test their wind game, and give fans a preview of what’s to come.

Will anything beat Ha Na Jang’s 8th hole albatross of last year – a first par-4 albatross in LPGA history? Will Hyo Joo Kim become the first Pure Silk Bahamas champion to notch back-to-back victories? Is there a sleeper in the 2017 rookie class who will steal the show from the veterans who are sure to be on the hunt for an early-season win at a now-familiar course?

In general the weather in Nassau looks favorable although players may have a bit of rain on Friday and Sunday. At this point, however, the weather doesn’t look severe enough to cause disruptions in play. With light winds forecast, those tricky cross-winds that tend to befuddle approach shots may not be a factor this year, and this could well level the playing field a bit for players less familiar with the Ocean Club course.

I’ll take a closer look at the Pure Silk Bahamas field in my fantasy golf and sleeper picks posts. If you’re not already signed up to play the Ladies Dream Golf Pick-4 and LPGA fantasy games just follow the links and get ready.

Golf Channel will provide daily coverage of all four rounds: Thursday, January 26 and Friday, January 27: 11:30am-2:30pm; Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29: 3-5pm (all times are ET).

Cover Image via Twitter