Hardly an Open and shut case

Bar raised for national championship qualifying

For years there has been a cry on the LPGA Tour for the USGA to change the 18-hole qualifying system for the U.S. Open. Players believe that the longer the test, the better the field and the less chance that someone (e.g., Morgan Pressel) sneaks in with a fluke round. So in 2002, for the first time, the USGA conducted a 36-hole, one-day qualifier. While this new format proved effective, it also provided its share of Advil moments.

Last week in Chicago, two days of torrential rain caused plenty of headaches as players had to scramble to travel to the McDonald's LPGA Championship. With play at the local Open qualifier completely washed out and flights canceled, players like Candie Kung, Laurie Rinker-Graham and Maggie Will were forced drive the 900 miles in order to get to Wednesday's pro-am in Wilmington, Del. Not exactly the most effective way to prepare for the second major of the season.

THE SHAG BAG With her come-from-behind victory Sunday at the McDonald's LPGA Championship, Se Ri Pak became the youngest player in LPGA history to win four majors, though the feat wasn't immediately big news in her native South Korea. The usual pack of Korean media that follow Pak stayed in their homeland to cover the World Cup. "The World Cup is very big for our country," Pak said after winning. "I'm sure they will find out who won." ... While Pak admits to not being much of a soccer fan, the same can't be said about Laura Davies. With England playing Friday morning and Davies scheduled to tee off a short while later, she had planned to skip her usual warmup in order to catch some football. "It will be right to the first tee for me," Davies said. Unfortunately, Davies missed the game because of Thursday's rain delay; she had to complete her opening round during England's 1-0 victory over Argentina. ... Annika Sorenstam failed in her attempt at the Grand Slam, but with her 6-under 65 on Sunday, which moved her into third, she proved once again that she is the best player in the world. ... Karrie Webb remains 0 for 2002, but she moved up to 15th on the money list with her tie for fourth. ... In a great move, Patty Sheehan announced that Jane Geddes will be the assistant captain of the 2002 U.S. Solheim Cup team. Geddes, who aspires to be a lawyer after her playing days, should give the U.S. a leg up on legal debates. ... And while some complained that DuPont Country Club played too tough, with only two players breaking par on the week, the thick rough and hard greens are what a major championship is all about. Scoring should be at a premium.

"It was to the point that we almost had to decide between one major or another," said Danielle Ammaccapane, who managed to make her original flight on Tuesday because it had been delayed. "It was unfortunate [that the qualifier was the same week as a major], but what can you do?"

When it appeared as if the qualifier was going be rescheduled for Tuesday of this week, Ammaccapane and several others were almost faced with another painstaking decision: trying to get into the Open or playing this weekend's Evian Masters in France -- guaranteed money with no cut. But on the urging of the LPGA and commissioner Ty Votaw, the USGA scheduled an alternative qualifier next week in Rochester, N.Y. "I credit the USGA for doing the right thing," Votaw said. "This is the first time they have gone to a 36-hole qualifier and there are going to be glitches and learning curves along the way and this is one of them."

At Blue Herron Pines Golf Club in Egg Harbor, N.J. -- another of the eight second-stage sites -- Vickie Odegard found Open qualifying to literally be a pain on Monday. The six-year tour veteran needed 16 Advil to get through the day, basically playing the grueling 10-hour test on one foot. Two weekends ago in Chicago, after missing the cut for the Kellogg-Keebler Classic, Odegard hurt her left ankle while she was playing one-on-one with a friend. "I tried to take her to the hoop and it just gave out on me," Odegard said.

While the severally sprained joint forced her out of last week's McDonald's LPGA Championship, Odegard wasn't about to let the injury stop her from trying to qualify for the most prestigious tournament of the year. After sleeping in what amounted to a plastic cast provided by LPGA physical therapist Keith Kennedy, Odegard hobbled to the first tee with a FootJoy golf shoe on her right foot and a Nike gym shoe, which didn't cover the heel, on her left.

After placing her drive down the middle of the fairway, the 37-year-old began the longest 10-mile trek of her life.

"I can't believe she is going to try to play 36 holes," said playing partner Jenny Lidback. "She can barely walk."

Odegard did make it through all 36, playing some inspiring golf along the way. Because she was forced to hit the ball off her back foot, in essence giving her an uphill lie all day, Odegard lost about 10 yards on each club. But the lack of distance didn't seem to effect her accuracy. "This is the best that I have ever seen her hit the ball," said Jan Stephenson, the third in the group.

Odegard made the first turn at 1 under, and despite a double bogey on the final hole of the first round, she shot an impressive 2-over 73. In years past that would have been enough. Her score was in the top 21, the number of players advancing from this New Jersey site. But as she tried to stomach an overpriced $12 hot dog-and-hamburger buffet during the 20-minute break, she knew the odds were against her.

"I wish there was only 18 holes this year," said Odegard, her throbbing left ankle elevated.

Fatigue took over in the second round, and Odegard's shots started going astray. By the 10th hole, she was 9 over on the day and well out of contention. As she basically crawled out of the greenside bunker on No. 12, it looked as if she would say enough is enough. But her caddie, Tom Borwick, knew that wouldn't be the case.

"She will finish," Borwick said. "She's not a quitter, and the U.S. Open means more to her than anything."

Odegard completed the 36 holes, using her putter as a cane on the final six. Coming down 18 she admitted that she couldn't wait to put her ankle in a bucket of ice and that she wasn't looking forward to the next day. She tapped in -- of all things -- a 1-footer to end the agony.

Lidback, who finished at 144 for two rounds, best summed up Odegard's performance. "That was truly impressive," she said, shaking Odegard's hand.

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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