Notebook: Stupples Finishes Strong After 80

By Alex Miceli

HUTCHINSON, Kansas -- Karen Stupples of England had never made a cut in an LPGA major until the McDonald's LPGA Championship last month when she finished tied for ninth.

Playing in her first U.S. Women's Open, Stupples did not start well with a 10-over-par 80 and was a distant way from making her second major cut. But in the second round, Stupples made a move up the leaderboard with a 2-under-par 68 and then finished 72-72 to tie for 37th in the championship. She played the final 54 holes 2 over.

"That first round was like, ‘Oooh, what's going on there,’" said Stupples. "I just lost all focus and I think I was just in awe of the occasion. It's the first time I've played in an Open and it is a marvelous tournament. I was a bit nervous and I think I just let things get on top of me and I didn't really focus on targets or what I was doing. Then all of the sudden I got back into it, my husband reminded me of what I was supposed to do."

Will Be Back

Jill McGill on 18. (Pam Murphy/USGA)

Though Jill McGill slipped from a 54-hole tie for second to 12th, she was one of five players who earned exemptions into next year's Open thanks to a top-20 finish. The others were Beth Bauer, Lynette Brooky, Jennifer Rosales and Shani Waugh.

No Repeat

The U.S. Golf Association did not have a defending champion repeat in any of its three Opens, nor did they have one who made the cut. Last year's champions were Retief Goosen, Bruce Fleisher and Karrie Webb.

The Babe

Didricksen "Babe" Zaharias is the oldest player to win the U.S. Women's Open. Zaharias was 43 when she won the 1954 Women's Open. She was born June 26, 1911.

Until recently, there had been some dispute about her date of birth. The showy Zaharias fudged her birth date when she turned professional, professing at various times to be two to four years younger than her actual age.

With Zaharias' age in question, the oldest Women's Open champion was believed to be Fay Crocker, who was 40 years, 11 months old when she won in 1955.

Researchers who recently visited Zaharias's gravesite in Beaumont, Texas, found her actual birthdate on her headstone.

With her win Sunday, Juli Inkster became the second oldest to win a major at 42 years, 13 days.

Miceli is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.uswomensopen.com.