An atypical season

AURORA, Ill. -- It's hard to believe the calendar has already hit June. Normally, this is the halfway point of the LPGA season, but with the shortened schedule it feels as if the tour just got started.

With only 12 events in the books, this has been a strange year. Sure, Annika Sorenstam is still crushing all comers, but because of the lack of tournaments I've had extra time to make some unusual observations.

THE SHAG BAG With her 21-under-par finish, Annika Sorenstam tied the LPGA 54-hole scoring record. Her missed birdie putt on 18 would have given her sole possession of the mark. "My caddie knew the record and told me on the tee," Sorenstam said. "I really wanted to make that putt." ... Danielle Ammaccapane admitted she knew she was playing for second place, which is where she finished. It was her best showing since a win at the 1998 Mercury Titleholders Championship. ... Mhairi McKay matched her career-best finish, a joint second, despite two double bogeys in the final round. ... On her way to missing the cut, rookie Natalie Gulbis received a going-away present from LPGA officials. On her final hole Saturday, the 19-year-old took a little too much time and was assessed a two-shot penalty. ... Saturday was Nancy Lopez Appreciation Day; fans received posters of the Hall of Famer. After the completion of play, Lopez was serenaded by a seven-piece mariachi band. ... When players arrived at Stonebridge Country Club, they couldn't tell if the 30-foot inflatable version of Kellogg pitchman Tony the Tiger that was floating in the water along the 18th fairway was flipping everyone off or emphasizing that it was "Grrrrrreat" that the LPGA was back in Chicago after an eight-year hiatus. While playing in Thursday's pro-am, Emilee Klein noted this to a Kellogg bigwig, who wasn't at all amused. On Friday, Tony's finger had disappeared; a piece of tape was used to keep the finger from inflating. Tony spent the rest of the weekend looking like another Tiger, famous for his fist pumps. ... On Friday Marisa Baena jumped out to an early lead, birdieing the first four holes and five on the front nine. But the Colombian gave back all those strokes on a single hole, posting a quintuple-bogey 10 on 18. She shot a 6-over 78 on the day. ... It's an embarrassment that the first two rounds of this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship will not be televised.

Annika Sorenstam hasn't shot 59. Given how she has dominated again this season, this is about the only thing Sorenstam hasn't accomplished. She already has won four times, including the first major, the Nabisco Championship. Last Friday, during the first round of the Kellogg-Keebler Classic, Sorenstam looked well on her way to another sub-60 round. She birdied seven of the first eight holes and stood in the ninth fairway -- a par-5 -- with a 6-iron in her hand. "For a while, I thought I was really close," Sorenstam said. "I felt so good about my game, the way I warmed up and everything. It felt very similar to the day I shot 59 in Phoenix." She walked away with a par on the ninth and managed to shoot 63. By the way, you heard it here first: Sorenstam will become the first player to shoot 59 or lower twice.

Nancy Lopez hasn't made a cut. After her first sub-par round of the year, a 71 on Friday, Lopez matched her age plus one -- a 45 -- on the front nine Saturday en route to missing her sixth cut of the year. Thi is not the way she imagined her Farewell Tour. Last month, while mourning the death of her father, Domingo, Lopez said, "I would like to win one more for my Dad." I wonder if Ray Knight is sitting at home thinking, Hey, honey, how about just bringing home a paycheck?

Karrie Webb hasn't won a tournament. Though the Australian has played only six events, but it's hard to believe that she hasn't picked up a W considering her early-season track record. In five of the past six years, Webb has won at least one event before Memorial Day. "It's hard to time your game for when you want to hit good," Webb said about the limited schedule. But don't look for her slump to last long. She finished in a tie for 11th at the Kellogg-Keebler and is the defending champion at this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship.

The LPGA hasn't played in Florida. Maybe part of the reason that Webb hasn't won is that the tour has yet to set foot in the Sunshine State. Six of her 29 wins have come in Florida, her U.S. home. It's still hard to imagine that the LPGA can't get a full-field event in the state of a million golf courses. And things don't look good. The word is that the Naples tournament, which was supposed to resume next year, is not close to being added to the schedule.

More than one American has won. This time last year, the talk of the tour was the demise of American golf. It wasn't until the 10th event of 2001 that Rosie Jones became the first U.S.-born winner. This year three different Americans -- Laura Diaz, Cristie Kerr and Juli Inkster -- have already recorded victories.

Dale Reid hasn't talked to Catriona Matthew or Charlotta Sorenstam. Since snubbing the two players in selecting the 2000 Solheim Cup team, the European captain hasn't offered more than hi to either golfer. Reid is currently busy trying to figure out how the likes of Raquel Carriedo, Iben Tinning, Suzann Pettersen, Elisabeth Esterl and Karine Icher -- all on track to make the 2002 team -- will help retain the Cup. Regardless, Reid needs to mend a couple fences so she can make either Matthew or Sorenstam one of her five captain's picks.

Commissioner Ty Votaw hasn't resorted to dying his hair. In just over three years, the LPGA head honcho's hair color has gone from solid brown to a grey-flecked version. Between worrying about filling a depleted schedule to getting players to be more fan friendly, it's somewhat surprising that he has any hair at all. With all of those headaches, It's just a matter of time before his head starts listening to his "less is more" (re: the schedule) speeches. Maybe then, he will realize that's not the case.

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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