Dream Turns Into Reality For Last Alternate
By Rhonda Glenn, USGA
Hutchinson, Kan. - No one was home at Colleen Cashman’s house in Plantation, Fla.
"Hi, this is Colleen," said the message on her answering machine. "I can’t answer the phone right now because I’m probably on the golf course."
Indeed she was, but this was not just any golf course. Colleen Cashman was the last player accepted into the field in the 57th United States Women’s Open Championship. Last player, but near the top of the leaderboard at one point Thursday because Cashman was burning it up on the difficult Prairie Dunes Country Club course.
She nearly didn’t play at all.
Cashman, 25, is a former little league baseball player who didn’t begin playing golf until high school. After some success as an amateur (she was a quarterfinalist in the 1997 Doherty Cup and twice qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship), she turned professional in 1998.
Now in her fifth year, Colleen competes on the Futures Tour, where she has two third-place finishes but no victories.
After qualifying for the 2002 Women’s Open, Cashman was second alternate. It seemed worth a trip from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Kansas in order to be ready, just in case. She traveled from Ann Arbor Tuesday, arriving in Kansas and heading immediately to the course.
Since Tuesday, Cashman has checked into the Prairie Dunes headquarters of the United States Golf Association each day. As of Wednesday night, no spot had opened. But, although wasn’t allowed to practice, she at least walked the course once to prepare mentally.
"I tried not to annoy them [USGA officials] too much," said Cashman.
Cashman’s luck changed. Unfortunately, so did the luck of famed touring professional Dottie Pepper. Pepper had been through rehabilitation for shoulder surgery. When she awoke Thursday, she couldn’t lift her left arm higher than her shoulder and was forced to withdraw from the championship.
Thursday morning, with the first round underway, USGA administrative assistant Maria Beard found Cashman near the first tee. Colleen was dressed for golf.
"You’re in," said Beard, and Cashman’s caddie Dave McSween gave his client a hug.
"I was standing by the first tee around 7:15 this morning," said Cashman. "and I was thinking, ‘Oh boy, this is going to be a long day standing.’ I was shocked."
Said McSween, who flew in Wednesday night from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and has caddied the last four months for her: "I had a strong feeling last night; neither of us expected Dottie Pepper to be the one withdrawing."
The hours after seemed like forever. Cashman wasn’t scheduled to tee off until 1:46 p.m., but with the adrenaline surging, she hung around anyway.
"I wish I could have teed it up right there," said Cashman.
When her time approached, Cashman warmed up and teed off with Danielle Ammaccapane and Kimberly Williams, who she knew. She said it helped knowing someone in her group.
By the third hole, Cashman was 1 under par. She turned in one-under 34, then birdied the 10th hole to go 2 under. The day got even better because her name popped up on the leaderboards all over the course.
"I saw it," she said. "I turned to my caddie and said to him, ‘My name is on the leaderboard.’ He just laughed."
Her fortunes changed after that, though. Her next four holes went bogey-bogey-double bogey-bogey to quickly put her 3 over. A birdie sandwiched between another double bogey and bogey left her 5-over 75 for the round.
She’s confident she’ll play better on Friday, only because she understands the course better. Any way you look at it, it was a day to remember.
"It was a dream come true," she said.
Ken Klavon contributed to this story.
