| |
Slam-tastic Inkster wins Championship to grab only major missing
Posted: Sunday July 11, 1999 01:25 PM
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- The pressure became more intense with every putt that kept Juli Inkster in the hunt to make history. In a three-way tie for the lead Sunday afternoon in the LPGA Championship, Inkster walked up the 16th fairway when she saw two tiny faces in the crowd that allowed her to appreciate the final steps of a 16-year journey to the career Grand Slam. Hayley and Cori smiled and waved at their mother. Inkster gave them a wink. All she wanted three years ago was to prove she could be a mother and be competitive on an LPGA Tour dominated by players of the next generation. On Sunday, her victory was one for the ages. Inkster hit a 5-wood from 232 yards to 18 feet on No. 16 and made the eagle that sent her on the way to a four-stroke victory, making her only the second woman to win the modern Grand Slam in the LPGA. "I never thought I could do what I'm doing now," Inkster said. "I didn't think it would get as good as it has gotten."
Inkster, who won two majors as rookie, won the last two legs only three weeks apart. Her victory Sunday was just as swift, an eagle-birdie-birdie finish for a 6-under 65, her 17th consecutive round under par. She earned $210,000. "I can't comprehend this," said Inkster, who turned 39 the day of the first round. "It's been an awesome year. For once in my life, I'm speechless." The record will speak for itself. Pat Bradley is the only other woman to have won the Dinah Shore, U.S. Open, du Maurier Classic and the LPGA Championship, completing her sweep 13 years ago at the same tournament. Mickey Wright and Louise Suggs won the Grand Slam when it consisted of the U.S. Open, LPGA Championship, Titleholders and Western Open. In men's golf, only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus have won all four majors. Nicklaus was the last to do it, in 1966. "I always thought this is what I wanted, to win the four majors," Inkster said. "I won two really quick, and didn't think it was going to be that tough." Sunday was tough enough. Inkster won the U.S. Open at Old Waverly three weeks ago by taking a four-shot lead into the final round. This was far more difficult, with as many as five players tied for the lead at one point. But she took only 15 putts over the final 12 holes and left no doubt about her victory -- or her place in history. The next stop for Inkster is the Hall of Fame. Her victory Sunday left her only one point short of induction. She could get that by winning the points-based player of the year, and she now leads Karrie Webb by a slim margin.
Only 10 other players have won at least five majors -- Inkster won the Dinah Shore again in 1989 -- and all of them are in the Hall of Fame. Inkster finished at 16-under 268, by five strokes the lowest 72-hole score ever recorded at Dupont Country Club in the six years it has been host of the LPGA Championship. Nancy Scranton, tied with Inkster with three holes to play, and Mardi Lunn of Australia tied for third at 273. Defending champion Se Ri Pak shot an even-par 71 and finished seven strokes back. It was the second straight year someone has swept the LPGA Championship and the U.S. Open, the two oldest majors in women's golf. Pak won both last year, becoming the first rookie to win two majors since Inkster won the Dinah and du Maurier in 1984. In a three-way tie with Scranton and Cristie Kerr after the third round, Inkster spent the night before the most important 18 holes of her career by taking Hayley and Cori out for ice cream. She got up Sunday morning and cooked them French toast. And after sprinting up the 18th fairway to walk with good friend Meg Mallon, Inkster scooped up her two daughters and proved she could have the best of both worlds. Inkster looked nervous as she rushed through a couple of 3-foot putts on the practice green, kissed her husband and headed to the first tee. What finally settled her down was a downhill, sidehill par putt from 8 feet on No. 7 that kept her in a tie for the lead. Inkster breathed a sigh of relief, then birdied the next two holes from 18 and 15 feet for a two-stroke lead heading to the back nine. Scranton had to teach herself to swing again after reconstructive surgery on her left shoulder in 1996 and had gone nearly seven years since her last victory, the du Maurier. She did all she could to seize the moment, starting with eight pars and catching Inkster with a chip-in from 40 feet on No. 14 to get to 12 under. That's when Inkster took off. After the eagle on 16, she hit 8-iron to 3 feet on No. 17 for birdie and then rolled in a 25-footer for birdie on the last hole for good measure. Neumann, who led the Swedish invasion by winning the U.S. Open in 1988, put together a string of three birdies to start the back nine and pulled into a share of the lead by getting up-and-down from the bunker on 16 for birdie. With the roar of Inkster's eagle putt ringing in her ears, Neumann hit a 5-iron from the rough on No. 18 to about 4 feet but missed the putt. "I felt good when I made that birdie on No. 16," Neumann said. "I was right in the hunt. But it's hard to put pressure on someone playing that well." Scranton failed to make birdie on No. 16 and dropped a stroke on the 17th, affording Inkster yet another celebration stroll up the 18th fairway. Three weeks ago at Old Waverly, the U.S. Open awaited her. This time, she got the grandest prize of them all. Divots: Inkster, who finished third between her two majors this year, is 42 under in the month of June. For the three majors this year, she is 37 under. She tied for fourth in the Dinah. ... Maybe it was the hole, maybe it was the club. Either way, Catrin Nilsmark was glad to be done with the par-3 eighth on Sunday. After missing the green for the fourth straight day, she put the head cover on her 9-wood and calmly gave it to a volunteer. "Here," she said. "Thanks for all your help." ... Inkster, who was only 1 under on the par-5s this week, was 3 under on them in the final round.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
