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Stop worrying about Webb
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio -- Oh, no, what in the world is wrong with Karrie Webb? If you buy into the recent hype surrounding the tour these days, this Aussie is all but washed up at the tender age of 26. Well, not so quick. Given that she won 13 times over the past two seasons, it sure doesn't speak volumes that Webb has not triumphed on the LPGA Tour in more than six months. Neither does the fact that she isn't No. 1 on the money list as she had been for the last two seasons. Or the fact that she isn't even in the hunt for the Player of the Year award.
"I know I won't be leading money winner and Player of the Year every year, but it's possible I could sneak up there before the year is over," Webb said. Webb currently is sixth in the Player of the Year standings, light years (166 points) behind Sorenstam. She's fifth in earnings, trailing Sorenstam by more than $650,000. But had it not been for Sorenstam's phenomenal start, no one would be so concerned about Webb's woeful ways. "On the PGA Tour, if a guy is fifth on the money list, he's having a great year," Webb noted. "I'm fifth on our money list and people are really concerned about it." By this point in the schedule last year, Webb already had captured four of the seven tournaments she would win in 2000. Her so-called drought in 2001 has caused not only a media frenzy, but also a few rumors in the locker room. Scribes have started to bombard Webb with questions about what her problem might be. But what the uninformed don't realize is that Webb has won twice this season, just not on American soil. Two weeks ago, she successfully defended her title at the Nichirei Cup in Japan. In March, she captured her fourth straight Australian Ladies Masters. The tournament Down Under wasn't a part of this year's LPGA schedule like it had been in previous years. And let the record show that Webb was close to winning on three occasions on the LPGA Tour. But as lucky as she was during her hot streak, Webb has been unfortunate this season. "My year hasn't gone as well as the last couple have," she conceded. "But I don't believe things have gone that badly. Really, the only difference between sitting here with three wins instead of the three seconds is just a couple of putts here or there, or maybe a bad drive at the wrong time." Fellow players have even started to wonder why Webb hasn't been her dominating self. The first reason could be her new caddie. Longtime looper Evan Minster retired after last season and Webb hired Mike Patterson. Many feel that Webb misses her trusted sidekick. Another theory is that she is burned out on the game. Webb recently was missing in action for five weeks, and immediately speculation arose that she had lost her desire. But if anyone watched the countless hours she still spends on the range or putting green, they would know that isn't the case. However, the biggest sign that nothing is wrong is that Webb doesn't seemed worried about what has transpired. Lately, she has flashed more smiles than frowns. "I think people need to sit down and think about what it would mean to be No.1 in the world at anything, for any length of time, even if just for a day," Webb said. "I was No. 1 for two years. When I was growing up, that's the ultimate dream of dreams. I've achieved so much in such a short time -- more than I ever thought possible. "I'm just going to continue to work hard and continue to play my best. If it means I'm No. 1 again, great. If it means I'm second, third, fourth or fifth, that's as good as I can do. But I'm going to work just as hard, I can tell you that." 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.
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