LPGA: They can play too

The greatest achievement in U.S. Amateur history is often said to be Tiger Woods winning three in a row. Never mind that Juli Inkster did it 14 years earlier.

One of the most amazing feats in major championship history is Jack Nicklaus winning all four in a span five years, and winning the career Grand Slam twice in eight years. A forgotten fact is that Mickey Wright won the women's Grand Slam in five years, and had captured the four majors at least twice in only six years.

Compared to the men's tour, the LPGA is often regarded as a cheap imitation.

What Juli Inkster proved Sunday in winning the career Grand Slam with an eagle-birdie-birdie finish in the LPGA Championship is that women's golf can be just as compelling.

More than just a major championship, a piece of history was at stake with only three holes to play at DuPont Country Club. In a three-way tie for the lead, Inkster hit a 5-wood that was every bit as important as the 4-wood Corey Pavin hit into the 18th green at Shinnecock Hills to win the '95 U.S. Open. At least she made the putt, an 18-footer for eagle.

She stroked an 8-iron within 3 feet for a birdie at No. 17. She rose to the occasion by draining a 25-foot birdie putt to complete one of the most sensational finishes in a major.

"I hope it brings a lot of focus to women's golf," Inkster said. ``I wish not only for me but for my fellow pros that we get the acknowledgment that I think we deserve because we've got a lot of exciting golfers. I think it's fun to watch."

That can only start to happen when the comparisons to men's golf end.

The women don't hit the ball as far, although Laura Davies bombed one drive 292 yards during the LPGA Championship. She is used to male pro-am partners wanting to challenge her off the tee.

"We hit a few, and they stop talking," Davies said.

Their wedges don't spin back 20 feet on the green -- that may draw as many oohs and aahs as a 360-degree dunk, but it also helped Greg Norman lose two majors.

The galleries aren't nearly as large. During the Titleholders in May, there were more marshals than fans on the fifth hole of the LPGA International course.

For every quarter the women make, the men make a dollar. David Duval earned $1 million for winning The Players Championship. Inkster earned $210,000 for winning the LPGA Championship.

The women will be on network television six times this year. The men get network coverage for every tournament but nine weekends during football season.

But as LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw pointed out, "Take the NBA out of the WNBA and you've got the ABL."

The women have been on their own for 50 years, the oldest organization in women's sports. The LPGA's total purse has doubled from the start of the decade, without the benefit of the massive television rights fees that pad the PGA Tour purses.

"We've done it all without any help whatsoever from the male counterpart who is perceived to be more successful," Votaw said.

And the LPGA Tour has produced its share of fascinating stories.

A year ago, it was Se Ri Pak, the 20-year-old rookie from South Korea who won two majors and set two scoring records during a 10-week stretch. The United States won the Solheim Cup behind the spicy Dottie Pepper. The emotionless player behind the Titleist hat and wraparound shades and winning at a frenetic pace? Karrie Webb.

And yet, the overnight rating from the Buick Classic, where Duffy Waldorf beat Dennis Paulson in a playoff, was 3.1. The LPGA Championship, where Inkster had a chance to become the first player in 13 years to complete the Grand Slam, got a 1.5.

"I feel like we could be just as popular if we were on every weekend," Nancy Lopez said. "We have some great players on our tour, and some great matches that come right down to the end. They always say the ratings aren't good, but it's pretty hard for ratings to be good when you're not on but once in a while."

The du Maurier Classic is next month. Can Inkster, at age 39, actually win three major championships in one year? That was the talk at the PGA Championship last year, when Mark O'Meara tried to become the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three in one year.

By the way, Pat Bradley won three majors in 1986.

The slogan of LPGA Tour's national advertising campaign last year was, "Hey, we can play." The tone is defensive, as if they are begging for attention.

They deserve it. They can play.

AP