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Catching up on offseason changes
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Normally, after the first tournament of the year, the players and caddies expect to be a little sore. Such was the case after last weekend's season-opening YourLife Vitamins LPGA Classic. But while I'm sure a few legs, arms and backs ached, it's my ears that are ringing and my jaws that are sore from all the chattering that went on during the week. It had basically been three months since the tour last hosted a regular event, so there was a lot of catching up and reminiscing going on.
One of the hottest topics was Karrie Webb and her new caddie. There she was at the end of the range, grinding as usual, but Evan Minster, her loyal sidekick of the last four years, was nowhere to be found. No, Minster didn't get fired; that wouldn't have happened after he and Webb teamed for 13 wins in two years. He left the tour -- call him crazy -- and headed home to start a family with his wife, Kerry. Webb's new caddie, Mike Patterson, a Scot who had been fired by Janice Moodie just before she won her first tournament at the ShopRite LPGA Classic last season, will have some tough shoes to fill. Minster's departure wasn't the only offseason caddie change of note. Colin Cann, the luckiest guy I know, left Grace Park's employ to work for Se Ri Pak; Billy Prentice is now on Sherri Steinhauer's bag; Bob Kendal is with Park; and Worth Blackwelder, a blast from the past, came out of retirement to try to control the reigns of Dottie Pepper. Babies and boyfriends, common ingredients on a good soap opera, were also the subject of much of the talk. Susie Redman is sporting a shiny new rock on her right hand. She is getting married in February to a vascular surgeon she met last year at the British Open. The stork visited Nancy Ramsbottom, Caroline Blaylock and Dana Dorman. And Julie Piers came to visit, looking like she could pop at any second. The new year also brought us many new names to learn. Besides those of the nine rookies who teed it up for the first time, some veterans now go by different monikers. Rachel Hetherington became Rachel Teske after she grew tired of the neighbors calling her husband, Dean, "Mr. Hetherington." Also doing the name-change game was Laura Diaz, formerly Laura Philo, after tying the knot and Cindy Schreyer, back from Cindy McCurdy, after undoing one. One of the funniest sights of the week was players inquiring about the rookie at the end of the range, only to find out it was Leigh Ann Mills with a new Billy Idol -style, white-spiked hairdo. The start of the season also brought much news, too. The LPGA has a redesigned Web site, which I think is even better than the PGA Tour's; new electronic scoreboards; a new president, Gail Graham, for the Players Association; and higher entry fees for the players. Oh, by the way, the $50 increase -- to $150 -- was the most heated debate at the players meeting on Tuesday night. The most shocking development of the week involved Jim Webb, the former deputy commissioner who was relieved of his duties after 18 years with the LPGA. The tour said Webb was a victim of the restructuring of the administration, which in caddie terms means he was fired. Over the years, he wasn't exactly a favorite of the players, but then again I can't imagine anyone who says that pregnancy is not a medical condition -- as Webb once did -- would be. While Webb was instrumental in getting the tour into many international markets, the players often wondered what his job was. One of his duties was apparently serving as the tour's official Web surfer; every time I wrote a controversial column he informed the proper authorities. (For that I will miss him, because I can use all the page views I can get.) While Webb's position was basically eliminated, Barb Trammel was promoted to vice president of the tour, which includes assuming most of Webb's duties, excluding the surfing. The first tournament also brought us many surprises. Pak won before the flowers were in bloom -- none of her previous eight career victories had come before May 1. Penny Hammel, who had gone into hibernation the last couple of years, shook the bushes with her second-place finish. Annika Sorenstam did not make an appearance, even though she calls Orlando home (I guess the snow on the slopes must be too nice in Tahoe). And the big shocker was Webb -- Karrie this time. For the first time in what feels like two years, she was nowhere to be found when the leaders finished up on Sunday. She finished tied for 51st. Overall, most of the players were just happy to be back out. While some people might love to sit on a couch for a few months watching football and getting fat, for most of us on the LPGA home is the road, wherever the tournament happens to be that week. Plus, it sure beats shoveling the sidewalk. 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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