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Futures looks bright

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Posted: Monday August 16, 1999 12:14 PM

Last week my travels took me to Morgantown, W. Va., and the minor leagues of the LPGA -- the Futures Tour.

This past January, the LPGA adopted its little sister tour and granted exempt status to its top three money-winners into the big tour for the 2000 season.

THE SHAG BAG With Juli Inkster, Meg Mallon and Dottie Pepper absent, Sherri Steinhauer, who won the Weetabix Women's British Open for the second consecutive year, was the highest-ranked American to cross the pond. ... Sweden's Sophie Gustafson has made a career of playing in the British Open. Gustafson, in her second year on tour, finished sixth last week after a second a year ago. She has won $106,600 of her $139,826 career money total in the only official LPGA event in Europe. ... With a name like Fiona Pike, the LPGA rookie who finished in a tie for third at the Open may want to think about being a rock star if she ever gives up golf. ... What were the odds of Denmark's Iben Tinning leading the British Open after two rounds? "There are only five professionals and maybe 100 courses in my country," Tinney said. "Yes, I've been the Danish champion three times, but that is nothing special." ... Pat Hurst, who has been out of action since April, will make her playing debut as a mom this week at the Firstar LPGA Classic in Dayton, Ohio.

With three free passes on the line, Morgantown -- the home of the University of West Virginia Mountaineers -- seemed liked an appropriate site for the Futures season finale. For two of the players -- Audra Burks, 32, a nine-year veteran of the Futures, and Marilyn Lovander, 44, who holds the dubious distinction of being the tour's alltime leading money winner -- the road to exempt status has been a uphill struggle. On the other side of the peak is Grace Park, who has been running downhill since leaving Arizona State after just two years to turn pro. Last week, she captured her fifth win and in the process shattered the Futures' 54-hole scoring record by four shots. Park's future on the LPGA is like a wildfire out of control.

In a scene reminiscent of the HBO show Arliss, Cornerstone Sports' Tim McNulty -- the next super agent of women's golf -- followed Park's every shot with her father, Soo Nam, in hopes of signing the next Se Ri Pak. McNulty's presence at the Futures wasn't as surprising as the absence of Jay Burton and the IMG machine.

What was also startling was Park toting an Arizona State carrybag. She wasn't the only one without an endorsement deal. But for every Sunday bag there was also a car in the parking lot with plates from California or Florida, a swing that was past parallel, a short game that was more suited for serving chili, and a putting stroke that wobbled more than a Weeble.

While I witnessed more bogeys than birdies and more tears than smiles, the official developmental tour of the LPGA has some great stories and maybe a couple of future stars.

There is Stephanie Sparks -- the reincarnation of Dottie Pepper -- with her glove-slapping desire and drive to succeed. Four years ago, after two All-America seasons at Duke, doctors told Sparks that her elbow, which had been cut twice, wouldn't withstand the rigors of swinging a club. This weekend, with her hometown crowd of 10 making the two-hour trip from nearby Wheeling, Sparks, who finished 11th on the money list, battled with the tenacity of a tiger and showed no signs of having a bad wing.

Then there was Elizabeth Bowman, who was beat out of the third-place spot -- and the final LPGA card -- by Burks by a mere by $165 and handled it with the class of a Lorie Kane . Bowman contemplated quitting golf last year after missing the finals of qualifying school for the third straight time. Bowman, who has played on every tour on earth, aspires to be a writer but her script in golf isn't yet complete.

Melinda Daniels, who has won twice this year on the Futures, is the modern-day version of Cinderella in golf spikes. Daniels, a lanky blonde, has been to Q school five times since leaving Stanford and has never made it to the finals. Her Prince Charming, fiancé Ricky Price, knows exactly what she is going through: He has tried to qualify for the PGA Tour 11 times, last year making the finals for the first time. The two may give a new meaning to for richer or poorer.

While the Futures Tour is not yet the equivalent of the men's Nike Tour, it is providing an ideal place for young golfers to hone their skills, old golfers to find their swing, and writers to tell their tales.

Tom Hanson, a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section, caddies for Sara Sanders on the LPGA tour. His column appears weekly on golfplus.cnnsi.com.

 

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