Golf Babes

Jin Joo Hong is the first-round leader the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament, posting a score of 6-under 66. Hong was a rookie on the LPGA in 2007, earning membership by virtue of winning the Kolon-Hana Bank Championship in her native South Korea. And she had a solid rookie year, placing 67th on the money list. Last year she doubled her money and moved up to 53rd on the LPGA money list. She also cut a stroke and a half off her scoring average from 2007 to 2008.

Congratulations to Tina Miller and her newly betrothed, NFL placekicker Rhys Lloyd, on their recent nuptials. Tina and Rhys were married in a ceremony held at Don Shula's in Miami. Tina's a Miami girl, after all, so Shula's was the place to be. Above you see the beautiful bride with her beautiful bridesmaids, and you should recognize all of them, too: On the left, Courtney Erdman (Tina's "Big Break Kaanapali" castmate); on the far right, Nisha Sadekar, founder of Play Golf Designs; and to Tina's immediate right, Kim Kouwabunpat, who will soon be seen on "Big Break Prince Edward Island." Tina, Courtney and Kim are all Play Golf Designs golfers, too. Tina, the Golf Babes nation joins me in wishing you and Rhys and lifetime of happiness!

Angela Jerman is in her seventh year of having full or partial status on the LPGA Tour. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Angela was a four-time all-conference selection and college and two-time All-American. She also played for the 2002 U.S. Curtis Cup team. Angela's rookie season on the LPGA Tour was 2003. That year she finished 72nd on the LPGA money list and had a best finish of 11th, both career-bests to date. Angela and her sister, Amanda, are currently involved in a great endeavor. They are training to take part in a triathlon in memory of their father, who passed away from a type of leukemia in 2006. The goal is, through sponsorships and donations, to raise money to be used for leukemia research and patient aid. The LPGA posted a note about their goal here . If you'd like to support Angela and Amanda, visit their fundraising page and you can make an online donation.

There is a great crop of rookies on the LPGA Tour in 2009, and one of those rookies is Mindy Kim. Mindy is one of my favorite young players, not just because I think she has a great future, but because she is such a nice, friendly person. And she rocks that business look! Mindy makes her LPGA Tour rookie season debut this week in Hawaii at the SBS Open. She's only 19 years old and just two years removed from being named an American Junior Golf Association All-American (which happened at the end of the 2006 season). Mindy turned pro at age 17 and played 12 tournaments on the 2007 Futures Tour, recording one Top 10 finish. But in 2008 she was broke out big-time. Last year, Mindy won three times on the Futures Tour, had eight other Top 10s, and was second on the money list. If it wasn't for the phenomenal year Vicky Hurst had, everyone would be focused on Mindy's season. But that's OK. Now wee can focus on Mindy's LPGA seasons for years to come.

Let's hear it for Katherine Hull, who is on quite a roll Down Under at the start of the 2009 golf season. Katherine finished second in two ALPG tournaments the last couple weeks, first the NSW Ladies Open and then the New Zealand Women's Open. And today she won the LET season opener, the ANZ Ladies Masters (cosponsored by the ALPG). But wait, you say, let's see her do it on the LPGA. But we have seen her do it on the LPGA - over her last 10 LPGA tournaments of 2008, Katherine had one victory and seven Top 10 finishes. Last year she arrived; this year, she's proving she'll be sticking around for a while.

We told you six weeks ago who the female contestants in "Big Break XI" (a k a "Big Break Prince Edward Island") will be , but the Golf Channel finally made it official with a press release. Here's the blurb about Kim Kouwabunpat the Golf Channel included in its press release: Kim Kouwabunpat (27, Upland, Calif.) – Focused and driven, Kouwabunpat (pronounced "Kowa boon pat") has the uncanny ability to pick herself up when she's been knocked down. The former Stanford University golfer has played on professional tours all over the world in her attempt to make it to the LPGA Tour. The photo above of Kim "CanYouOnePutt" is from a recent shoot; more of the pics can be viewed on Kim's Web site . And if you or your company is interested in booking Kim for an appearance at a corporate event, charity tournament, or the like, well, you know what to do, right? Visit our friends at Play Golf Designs . "Big Break Prince Edward Island" deb