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Everything happens for a reason
Leta Lindley, 28, is in her sixth season on the LPGA Tour. She had her best year in 1999 with a tie for second, as well as four other top 10 finishes. In 1997, she finished second at the LPGA Championship, losing to Chris Johnson on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. She was a four-time All-American at the University of Arizona and set an NCAA record for lowest 54-hole score (nine under par). Check out Lindley's diary each Wednesday on CNNSI.com.
August 8, 2000
As I write this, it's Monday night and I have no luggage and I'm mad. This is the third time this year this has happened to me. One of my bags came through -- my clubs -- so I guess that's good, but I have no shoes (or clothes or shampoo or toothbrush, etc.) The worst part of it is my pillow is in one of the lost bags. I sleep on a small pillow and if I don't get it before I go to bed tonight, I'll end up sleeping on a folded up towel. Ever since I was little, I've slept on a thin pillow. At hotels they have these big, fluffy pillows and it's as if you're sleeping sitting up. I don't like that. I used to bring my pillow on the plane, but people gave me funny looks. Next time I'm carrying it on with me.
I didn't make the cut last week at the Michelob Light Classic. I got sick, too. I had food poisoning or the stomach flu on Tuesday night. So I took Wednesday off and all I could do was sit in bed and switch channels. I played in the pro- am on Thursday, still not feeling great, but I wanted to see the course. By Saturday I felt better, although I didn't shoot a great round. I shot a 74-76, a 150 -- the cut was 147. It was my second missed cut of the year. I've been so consistent the past year, it's still an accomplishment to have only missed two (I used to miss 10 or 11 in a year). On the last hole on Saturday, I was trying to think of all the good things coming out of missing the cut. This was my list: I'd get a day off (albeit a day with no pay); I wouldn't have to pay taxes to Missouri next April 15; I could do laundry on Sunday so I could come to Ottawa with clean clothes; and I would get a day of rest -- I kept coming back to that one. I figure everything happens for a reason. I was really tired after last week. I had done a lot of flying around and maybe it was just too much. I hit some really great shots, but when I missed, they were terrible. And they came at terrible times in the rounds, so I was really penalized. I had two doubles in the last round. I hit one ball in the gunch (that's my own word; in this case, I'm using it to describe a very wooded area) and another time I hit the water and I had to re-tee it on a par 3. At times I was able to pick up on the things Lud and I had worked on, and then I'd go through a stretch where I wouldn't do it right. Lud told me that some days I'd have it and some days I wouldn't, but the more I'd practice, the fewer tough days there would be. That's not always what you want to hear or think about, but that was the reality this week. I had some tough days. I'm still glad I played the tournament. It was important that I played and put pressure on my swing. I will be better for it this week, I know that. I am not discouraged about it at all. Everyone misses cuts and you just move on to next week. We're at another major this week, the duMaurier Classic, our fourth and final of the year. This is a new venue, so I haven't seen it yet. I'll be playing a pro-am on Wednesday and then will tee it up on Thursday. It's going to be a good week. I feel a bit more rested than I did last week. Everything has been a little slower, less traveling around, which is nice. Matt has been with me the past few weeks. He actually caddied for Laura Philo this past weekend and she finished 17th, so he made the bacon last week! He was quite happy to remind me of that. He'll be caddying for her this week so hopefully we can both bring in some dough. When he caddies, he obviously doesn't get to watch me, which is okay. It was nice when he could, but he wasn't out here earlier in the year, so I don't feel like I have to have him. I feel like I'm making good decisions, but things haven't all clicked and come together -- yet. -- Leta
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