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Saturday, March 4, 2000
How Swede it
isn’t, for now
Sorenstam too good, too soon
Takefuji leader has the points to qualify
for the LPGA Hall of Fame but not
enough years on tourSCORES
By Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinKAILUA-KONA -- If Annika Sorenstam wins the inaugural LPGA Takefuji Classic this afternoon at the Kona Country Club, she'll know what it's like to be Pete Rose.
No, the talented Swede wasn't caught betting on baseball, or betting against herself. But much like Rose's fate, she'll be on the outside looking in at the Hall of Fame.
At least for several more years.
LPGA media relations coordinator Laura Neal called back to her bosses yesterday to see if she should order champagne in case Sorenstam holds on for her 19th victory since joining the Tour in 1994.
She will have accumulated enough points to be in the LPGA Hall of Fame. Problem is, she has to be a 10-year Tour member before officials will let her in. Of course, she'll be the first to tell you that getting her first win in the year 2000 isn't a foregone conclusion.
Sorenstam entered today's final round at 8-under after shooting her second consecutive 68. She had only a one-shot advantage over Janice Moodie, and is two ahead of Karrie Webb and Marisa Baena as they prepared for today's final 18 holes of the $800,000 event.
A few years ago, Sorenstam's holding a lead going into the final round was money. Much like Tiger Woods, she didn't yield to too many golfers on the course.
But that was then.
Now, it's Webb who is the master of her domain. She has come from behind eight times to win in her career, including last week's late run to capture the Australian Ladies Masters.
"Karrie brings out the best in me,'' Sorenstam said after being paired with Webb the first two days.
This morning, Sorenstam was in the last threesome with Baena and Moodie, teeing off just after Webb's group.
"Karrie has set the standard everybody has to chase,'' Sorenstam said. "Last year was not great for me. I still won twice. But with Karrie winning six times, it lets you know what you have to do to be the best.''
Webb could easily rally to win her fourth consecutive tournament and pull within one of the LPGA record. Despite shooting an ordinary 70 yesterday, she felt she played better than during Thursday's round of 68.
"I just couldn't be as aggressive as I wanted to be because I was on the wrong side of several holes,'' said Webb, who had five birdies and three bogeys. "You have to decide where to hit your shots. You might hit it at the pin, but sometimes you're better off with a longer putt versus a shorter one down-grain.''
As established as Sorenstam and Webb are at this point in their careers, Moodie and Baena are still trying to find their way. Moodie has three second-place finishes since joining the Tour in 1998, including one at Los Angeles three weeks ago.
Baena is coming off a solid rookie season that blossomed late in the year. The best finish for the 22-year-old from Colombia is a tie for fourth at the State Farm Rail Classic.
She was in the hunt a couple of weeks ago at the Cup Noodles Hawaiian Open, but got the jitters during the final round. She promised to be more relaxed this time around.
"I got really tight after bogeying the first three holes,'' Baena said. "You can't win a tournament doing that.
"Tomorrow, my caddy knows that I might be a little nervous at first, so he'll have to help loosen me up. I think if I can just get going and get through those first six holes, I'll be fine.''
Moodie is using everything at her disposal to crack the winner's circle, including motivational CDs and books. The San Jose State graduate has been close several times, but has yet to light the proverbial victory cigar.
"You know it's going to be tough to win when you see the kind of leader board we have today,'' Moodie said.
She led after the first round with a 67, but slipped to 70 yesterday.
That probably won't be good enough for a win this afternoon.
"I feel confident. I'm playing well,'' she said. "It's just a matter of going out and shooting the best score.''
It's unlikely anyone else will come that far off the pace to catch the four leaders.
Laura Davies was alone in fifth at 4-under. Several times it appeared the 12-year veteran would shoot herself into contention. But a disappointing 71 kept her from making more noise.
"If you aren't on the right side of the hole, you're in trouble here,'' Davies said. "But I still have a shot if I get off to a fast start and post a good number.
"This is an excellent field. Somebody is just going to have to step up there and take it.''
LPGA TAKEFUJI CLASSIC
At Kailua-Kona
Second round, par 72
|
Annika Sorenstam -- 68-68--136 Janice Moodie -- 67-70--137 Marisa Baena -- 70-68--138 Karrie Webb -- 68-70--138 Laura Davies -- 69-71--140 Jane Geddes -- 71-70--141 Dana Dormann -- 71-70--141 Gloria Park -- 70-71--141 Mhairi McKay -- 69-72--141 Lorie Kane -- 69-72--141 Chris Johnson -- 68-73--141 Jill McGill -- 68-73--141 Helen Dobson -- 72-70--142 Susan Ginter -- 70-72--142 Gail Graham -- 72-71--143 Sally Dee -- 71-72--143 Leigh Ann Mills -- 70-73--143 Laura Philo -- 69-74--143 Sherri Turner -- 75-69--144 Hiromi Kobayashi -- 75-69--144 Shani Waugh -- 74-70--144 Catriona Matthew -- 74-70--144 Jean Bartholomew -- 74-70--144 Patty Sheehan -- 73-71--144 Leslie Spalding -- 72-72--144 Alison Nicholas -- 72-72--144 Pat Hurst -- 72-72--144 Sherri Steinhauer -- 71-73--144 Michelle Murphy -- 71-73--144 Yu Ping Lin -- 71-73--144 Emilee Klein -- 70-74--144 Grace Park -- 69-75--144 Jane Egan -- 69-75--144 Nanci Bowen -- 73-72--145 Jeong Jang -- 72-73--145 Kim Saiki -- 71-74--145 Sophie Gustafson -- 71-74--145 Kellee Booth -- 75-71--146 Meg Mallon -- 73-73--146 Betsy King -- 73-73--146 Michele Redman -- 73-73--146 Catrin Nilsmark -- 73-73--146 |
Annette DeLuca -- 73-73--146 Silvia Cavalleri -- 73-73--146 Pat Bradley -- 72-74--146 Jennifer Feldott -- 72-74--146 Michelle Estill -- 70-76--146 Carin Koch -- 75-72--147 Heather Bowie -- 75-72--147 Cindy Flom -- 73-74--147 LaRee Pearl Sugg -- 73-74--147 Jenny Lidback -- 72-75--147 Marnie McGuire -- 72-75--147 Stefania Croce -- 72-75--147 Nancy Harvey -- 78-70--148 Cristie Kerr -- 78-70--148 Audra Burks -- 77-71--148 Vicki Fergon -- 76-72--148 Barb Whitehead -- 74-74--148 Penny Hammel -- 74-74--148 Karen Pearce -- 74-74--148 Vicki Goetze-Ackerman -- 74-74--148 Eva Dahllof -- 74-74--148 Natascha Fink -- 73-75--148 Tracy Hanson -- 72-76--148 Sara Sanders -- 71-77--148 Lori Atsedes -- 69-79--148 Jean Zedlitz -- 77-72--149 Fiona Pike -- 76-73--149 Susan Veasey-Florin -- 75-74--149 Pamela Kometani -- 75-74--149 Joanne Morley -- 75-74--149 Caroline Blaylock -- 75-74--149 Kristal Parker -- 74-75--149 Denise Killeen -- 74-75--149 Deb Richard -- 73-76--149 Cathy Johnston-Forbes -- 73-76--149 Dale Eggeling -- 73-76--149 Failed to qualify Amy Read -- 78-72--150 Kelly Robbins -- 78-72--150 Cindy McCurdy -- 77-73--150 Kathryn Marshall -- 77-73--150 Moira Dunn -- 77-73--150 |
Jan Stephenson -- 75-75--150 Susie Redman -- 75-75--150 Vickie Odegard -- 74-76--150 Jane Crafter -- 78-73--151 Lori West -- 76-75--151 Nancy Scranton -- 76-75--151 Michelle Bell -- 75-76--151 Melinda Daniels-Price -- 74-77--151 Jennifer Rosales -- 74-77--151 Jackie Gallagher-Smith -- 79-73--152 Lisa DePaulo -- 79-73--152 Wendy Ward -- 78-74--152 Akiko Fukushima -- 77-75--152 Val Skinner -- 76-76--152 Marta Figueras-Dotti -- 76-76--152 Kate Golden -- 76-76--152 Melissa McNamara -- 74-78--152 Heather Daly-Donofrio -- 74-78--152 Katie Peterson -- 78-75--153 Jenny S. Park -- 77-76--153 Lisa Kiggens -- 75-78--153 Luciana Bemvenuti -- 75-78--153 Liz Earley -- 73-80--153 Erika Wicoff -- 80-74--154 A.J. Eathorne -- 80-74--154 Diane Barnard -- 80-74--154 Caryn Wilson -- 79-75--154 Karen Stupples -- 77-77--154 Stephanie Sparks -- 77-77--154 Lisa Hackney -- 77-77--154 Debbi Koyama -- 76-78--154 Ashli Bunch -- 77-78--155 Patricia Baxter-Johnson -- 77-78--155 Dorothy Delasin -- 82-74--156 Jen Hanna -- 81-75--156 Camie Hoshino -- 79-77--156 Amy Benz -- 79-78--157 Tish Certo -- 79-79--158 Trish Johnson -- 79-80--159 Lenore Rittenhouse -- 82-78--160 Pamela Kerrigan -- 81-79--160 Hiroko Fukushima -- 84-79--163 |
