Notebook: Women’s Amateur Champ Shoots 78

By Alex Miceli

Meredith Duncan during Round One. (Pam Murphy/USGA)

Hutchinson, Kan. -- Meredith Duncan made her way into the 57th U.S. Women's Open last year when she made a birdie on the last hole in a 36-hole final match to beat Nicole Perrot. That was at the U.S. Women's Amateur at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Wichita, Kan.

In Thursday's first round just 45 miles down the road from Flint Hills, Duncan had a hard time producing the same magic of that August day last year.

"I was 1 under on my first three holes, and I was 1 under on my last three holes," Duncan said of her 8-over-par 78. "Everything in between was just pretty bad."

Duncan blamed her driving, especially on the 13th and 18th holes where she made two double bogeys.  Overall she hit nine of 14 fairways, and when she missed she paid for the mistake.

"I hit two bad drives that turned into bad scores and that's just inexcusable," said Duncan.  "You don’t miss fairways period. You just can't miss fairways, and I did and that's where I screwed up."

Playing with Karrie Webb, who didn't have her best day, and Se Ri Pak, Duncan learned that a champion doesn't give up, that she continues to plug away even when she is not playing her best.

Entering the second round, Duncan still has a chance to make the cut, which will be the low 60 scores or any player within 10 shots of the lead.  

Since the leaders are all early players, they will have to play the more difficult afternoon tee times, which gives Duncan a chance if she can play better Friday.

"I'm just going to try and hit fairways and greens tomorrow and make pars," said Duncan of her strategy.  "I can't force myself to make birdies because it's a long course and there are not a lot birdie holes out here."

Nicholas Switches

Alison Nicholas, the 1997 U.S. Women's Open champion, has been having problems around the greens.  Her right elbow was moving away from her body with her stroke, and as much as she tried she couldn't get it to stay in the proper place.

After three-putting four times in the final round of the Corning Classic and finishing tied for ninth, Nicholas needed some help. Four weeks ago in Chicago at the Kellogg-Keebler Classic, Beth Daniel was giving Nicholas pointers on using a long-shafted putter.

Two weeks later in the final round of the Evian Masters, Nicholas decided to take the long putter for a spin in the final round.  It has not been out of the bag since.

"I've got to be patient with it and I realize that," said Nicholas of her new putter.  "It just doesn't come straight away.  Beth said it took her awhile to get it right.  She got it in the end. She's putted well and she's playing well."

Fellow LPGA professional Jane Crafter had told Nicholas of her problem two years ago, but could not correct it. Now Nicholas lays a 4-iron down in her hotel room and practices putting with the long putter to get use to the feel and the length of it.  At only 5’0 tall, a belly putter is a lot for Nicholas to handle.

Mallon To Mallon

Meg Mallon meet Meg Mallon.  With a hug after signing her card, the professional golfer Megan Mallon met the 20 year-old Kansas State University student and Hutchinson native, Margaret Mallon.

The younger Mallon had sent an e-mail to the LPGA.com Web site saying that another Meg Mallon was in town.  The LPGA set up a meeting after the round, but as luck would have it, Mallon had connected with the younger Mallon when she tossed her ball to her as she walked off the 18th green, not knowing it was the other Mallon.

The younger Mallon followed the professional Mallon around all 18 holes. The younger Mallon likes to watch golf, but doesn't play the game. As far of each Mallon knows, they are not related.

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