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These rookies are making the grade

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EAST LANSING, Mich. -- While it may be too early call this group the best ever, the 2000 Rookie Class is putting its mark on the LPGA.

Two of the young guns have won this season, while seven others are in great shape to keep their tour cards. This year's rookies may one day rank up there with the 1974 class of Pat Bradley, Hollis Stacy and Jan Stephenson, or that of 1977 (Vicki Fergon, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez and Debbie Massey), or the 1995 group of Wendy Doolan, Lorie Kane, Wendy Ward and Karrie Webb.

SHAG BAG With her win at the Weetabix British Open, Sophie Gustafson is silencing her critics, including myself. A couple years ago, when she finished second at the same tournament, many called it a fluke. Now, after two wins on the LPGA this season and two more in Europe, she is far from lucky. ...On Saturday, Karrie Webb suffered a two-shot penalty for taking an illegal drop on the first hole. The infraction was caught on TV by the BBC, which gave her a good reason to refuse an interview after the round. ... With her second-place showing, Liselotte Neumann is making a late charge to join the European Solheim Cup team. ... Becky Iverson made a large move to tie Neumann for second place and now holds the last spot to make the U.S. Solheim Cup team. ... Vicki Fergon captured the first ever Women's Senior Golf Tour in Green Bay, Wis., last week. ... After the first day, 61-year-old JoAnne Carner found herself just one shot off the lead. "It's been a while since I've been close to the lead," Carner said. "My friends say they used to look for my name near the top. Now they start at the bottom. ... The first stage of the LPGA Qualifying School starts on Tuesday in Venice, Fla. Headlining the field are: Beth Bauer, former Duke University standout and 2000 U.S. Curtis Cup Team member; Jenny Chuasiriporn, the 1998 U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Women's Amateur runner-up; Jenna Daniels and Marcy Newton, the 2000 U.S. Women's Amateur champion. ... Best wishes to LPGA official Doug Brecht, who had a kidney transplant last week in Oklahoma. His wife, Stephanie, who plays on the LPGA, will be by his side until his hopeful return next year.

While this year's collection may lack the star power of the aforementioned, the most formidable comparison is to the crop of '87, which produced Danielle Ammaccapane, Trish Johnson , Liselotte Nuemann, Dottie Pepper and Joan Pitcock.

With just five tournaments remaining on the docket, this year's bumper crop is almost assured of making the Dean's list. Here is how the rookies have graded out this season:

Dorothy Delasin: A+

The 19-year-old from Daly City, Calif., started slowly, but after her top-20 finish at the U.S. Women's Open started to believe in herself. She won the next week at the Giant Eagle Classic and hasn't slowed down until taking this week off. She has plenty of reason to be singing Celebration at the karaoke bars.

Grace Park: C

Yeah, she has won a title (the Kathy Ireland LPGA Classic), but the former NCAA and Amateur Champion has not lived up to her billing. She could easily challenge Webb and Annika Sorenstam for top-player honors. She has been injured of late (sore ribs) but look for Park, who was born in Korea and came to the U.S. at age 13, to eventually become the best of this crop. The question mark is not talent, but desire.

Heather Bowie: A

The 1998 NCAA Champion struggled for a couple of years on the mini-tours and looked like she might not ever make it. But she has actually played better in the big show than she did the last two in the minor leagues. She is long off the tee and very aggressive, which translates into a birdie machine.

Diana D'Allessio: A

As a conditional player D'Allessio hasn't played that much, but showed her stuff with a fourth-place finish at the du Maurier Classic two weeks ago. She has a game very similar to Meg Mallon's -- smooth swing and an impeccable short game. With those characteristics, D'Allessio will be around for a while.

Kellee Booth: B

She has good genes. Her mother, Jane Bastanchury, was a standout amateur and this year's Curtis Cup captain. While she has an unorthodox spin-like-a-top swing, Booth is above average with her long irons and simply has a knack of getting the ball in the hole.

Joeng Jang: A

This 20-year-old sits low to the ground at 5'2", which might be the reason she is such a great putter. She shot rounds of 63 and 64 this season, which shows she has the ability to take it deep.

Jennifer Rosales: B

This wiry little 20-year-old hits the ball a long way for her size. While she has yet to contend this year, she has quietly made more than $100,000. With a little maturity and experience, she could be a reincarnation of Rosie Jones.

Jen Hanna: B

A college teammate of D'Allesio at Furman University, Hanna almost shocked the tour by winning the first tournament of the year. She has slowed down quite considerably but is doing well considering no one expected anything from her.

Yu Ping Lin: B

No, she isn't endorsed by the Solheim Club company, but she has been as consistent as square grooves. This 21-year-old from Taiwan doesn't say much -- I don't think I have heard two words out of her mouth -- but has quietly stayed in the top 90 most of the year.

Gloria Park: C

This grade is only for her game -- she would get an A for personality and likability. This former Australian Amateur Champion needs to find a little more length if she wants to have a lengthy LPGA career.

Melinda Daniels, Oh-Yeon Kwon, Lee Ann Walker, Debbie Harmon, Minny Yeo : Incomplete

As bottom-of-the-barrel conditional players, this group really didn't have the chance to show its stuff. Which brings up the point that if a rookie doesn't play in, say, 15 events in her first season, she should get another shot at being a rookie the following year.

Debbie Williams, Caryn Wilson, Pam Kerrigan and Audra Burks: TO

*TO stands for Too Old to get a grade. The average age of this group is 36. While Burks (33), Kerrigan (35), Williams (40) and Wilson (39) are no spring chickens, they deserve some credit for sticking with it and chasing their dreams.

Tom Hanson, a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section, is a longtime caddie on the LPGA Tour. Click here to send him a question or comment.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.

 

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