Posted on: Friday, March 26, 2004
LPGA NOTEBOOK
Tough to get in, even tougher to defend title
| • | Wie shoots 3-under 69, three back in Kraft Nabisco |
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
There are 99 selected players in the Kraft Nabisco Championship field, which will be cut to the low 70 and ties after today's second round.
To get into this event, players must be members of the Hall of Fame, or have won a tournament in the past five years, won this tournament, finished in the top five at the previous year's majors, finished in the top 70 on last year's money list, or be in the top 15 this year.
The Rookie of the Year is also eligible, as is the U.S. Amateur Champion, if she is still an amateur.
There is also a maximum of 15 sponsor exemptions, with six given this year, all to amateurs.
• Champ does childcare: Patricia Meunier-Lebouc is the first LPGA player since 1999 not to defend her title. Meunier gave birth to her first child, Phildine Pearl, on Feb. 9. She brought her daughter to a press conference Wednesday and said she had just started hitting balls Tuesday. • International flavor: The LPGA has 96 active international players from 24 countries this year, including 21 from Korea and 16 from Australia. In 1997, there were no Korean-born players on the tour. • Pak's major goal: This week is Se Ri Pak's final chance to become the youngest to win the four LPGA majors. If she wins Sunday, at 26 years and 6 months, Pak would be three days younger than Karrie Webb.
Pak is also one point shy of the 27 points needed to enter the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame. She won't officially be eligible until 2007, when she meets the 10-year membership criteria.
• Another Wie?: MacKinzie Kline, an 11-year-old sixth-grader from nearby Encinitas, played in the Pro-Am. Kline, born with a congenital heart defect, is the national spokesperson for the Children's Heart Foundation. She also plays to a 2-handicap and became the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women's Public Links history last year, wiping out Michelle Wie's record.
• Korean book: Heayoung Choi, an LPGA Teaching and Club Professional, published the first golf instruction book written entirely in Korean in October. It is called The Opposite Way for Golf. It is available at choigolf.com. • Short putts: Michelle Wie leads the six amateurs who received sponsor's exemptions into the tournament. ... Turtle Bay's Dorothy Delasin shot 76.
Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.
