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Mallon holds on in tough conditions
Meg Mallon didn't need any trick shots.
With the wind gusting and the thick, tangly rough holding tight
to any ball that strayed, Mallon shot an even-par 72 today and
held on to her one-stroke lead in the U.S. Women's Open. The
conditions made it nearly impossible for anyone to make a run at
Mallon, and most players struggled just to stay close to par.
``Par is your friend in the U.S. Open,'' said Karrie Webb, who
trails Mallon by one stroke. ``Anything better is just a bonus.''
There weren't many people getting bonuses Friday. Of the 78
players who teed off in the morning, only four managed to shoot
better than par. Dorothy Delasin, the 1999 U.S. Women's Amateur
champion, had the best round of the day, firing a 4-under 68 that
left her at even-par 144.
Delasin had only one bogey, using the wrong club on the par-3
No. 7 and leaving herself short.
``Yesterday, I shot 4 over. I was like, `Oh, great I'm going to
miss the cut,'' said Delasin, playing in her first Women's Open.
``I was surprised my name was up there. I wasn't expecting my name
to be up there, but it is. To play well here, it's awesome.''
Mallon, the 1991 Women's Open champion, caused a stir Thursday
when she avoided water and sand on the 14th by playing the 13th
fairway. She played it straight Friday, narrowly missing the water
when her ball skirted the edge, but ended up with par.
She salvaged par for the day with a birdie on 18 after chipping
from the back edge of the fringe within a couple feet of the hole.
She's at 4-under 140.
Webb and Betsy King are a stroke back at 141. Webb shot a 72
while King, playing in her 25th Women's Open, had a 70.
Christie Kerr is at 143, while defending champion Juli Inkster,
Kathryn Marshall and Delasin are at 144.
``It's anybody's game right now,'' Marshall said.
It's certainly a different tournament than last year, when
Inkster set a Women's Open record by finishing 16-under par. Her
272 tied Annika Sorenstam's record for low tournament score, though
Sorenstam did it on a par-71 course.
Inkster took a four-stroke lead into the final day, and ended up
winning by five strokes.
``Last year was I wouldn't say easy, but it was not set up U.S.
Open-like as far as you prepare yourself coming in there to grind
it out for four rounds and then you end up having to reevaluate,''
Webb said. ``There are definitely some holes out here that your
heart is in your mouth when you're on the tee.''
With no trees, the course doesn't look as if it would play as
tough as it has. But there's always wind, and some of the rough is
ankle-deep and filled with weeds, prickers and thistles. There are
patches of grass so thick a ball could be lost forever.
The wind shifted overnight and picked up speed, blowing out of
the northwest at up to 20 mph. Shots that felt good turned ugly in
a hurry with one little gust of wind, and most players spent plenty
of time hacking their way out of the rough.
Add in some really tough pin positions, and it was no surprise
there were players shooting nine and 10 over for the day. Pat
Bradley, the 1981 Women's Open champion, shot a 14-over 86.
Conditions were so difficult that morning rounds took 5-1/2 hours and
afternoon tee times were pushed back a half-hour.
``I'm still really happy with an even-par round,'' Webb said.
``Yesterday it was just a constant wind. Today, it's coming and
going and it's always a lot harder to pick clubs and to be positive
over the ball.
``So I feel pretty good being at 3 under. I don't know if I'll
be leading at the end of the day, but I don't think I'll be too far
out of it.''
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